How a Knockdown Texture is Sprayed
Knockdown textures are one of the two primary types of texture sprayed by drywall contractors, the other being orange peel. The general process for using a texture machine is the same for both textures, but the tips and settings used for the two are different.
Read on for some tips on how to adjust your mix, tips, and air settings to get the perfect knockdown texture.
How To Spray Knockdown Texture With an AST Big Rig
Cómo Rociar una Textura de Derribo Con una Máquina de AST
Mixing for knockdown
When mixing for knockdown, mix to a slightly thicker consistency than for spraying orange peel. The heavier mud helps spray the large texture that is necessary for a knockdown texture.
Changing the mix can help get the right results, but changing the tip size and the air flow settings has an even bigger impact.
The right tip size
The most commonly used tip sizes amongst contractors using AST machines for knockdown are 3/8″ and 7/16″. You can use either one depending on how heavy you want your texture to be.
Adjust the air flow
The last adjustment to make is with the air flow at the gun. Turning the air flow down keeps from atomizing the droplets too small which you would want for an orange peel texture. Less air keeps the texture bigger. The bigger droplets of texture can then be knocked down to create the final effect.
Finishing off the look
After spraying the texture on the wall, let it sit for 15-30 minutes until the texture starts to dry. A good rule of thumb is to wait for the tiny dots on the wall to dry out, which is a good indication that the large dots are ready to be knocked down.
Waiting to knock the texture down helps ensure the texture flattens without spreading too much when it is knocked down. If the texture spreads more than desired, give it some more time to dry before knocking it down.