

“The slight angle and light pressure ensure that you do not smooth out your finish too much.” Oliver then cautions, “Always remember not to be heavy-handed in the corners and edges-that’s a common mistake made among DIYers.” Other Methods Oliver says that if you’ve chosen to apply taping compound with either the knockdown or stomp-knockdown method, it’s important that you wield the putty knife at the correct angle (approximately 15 degrees) and not exert too much pressure. Before the compound starts to dry, the installer follows up with a knife or paint scraper in order to eliminate unwanted peaks.

Some of the mud pulls away from the wall with each strike.

In the stomp-knockdown technique, a variation of the above, a special brush is smacked repeatedly against a compound-covered wall. Before the compound dries, lightly smooth the higher areas with a knife.” Stomp-Knockdown Texture “Use taping compound and a sea-sponge roller. Roll the compound onto your wall with about 80 percent coverage. That’s why Oliver suggests a different approach for DIYers: the knockdown method. Don’t be fooled: You need a steady hand to pull this off. To achieve the popular “skip trowel” wall texture, a knife is angled during compound application to create a pleasingly uneven surface. Work in one direction first, then go in the perpendicular direction, spreading the mud in such a way as to form a crosshatched pattern, one that looks the way some woven fabrics do when seen up close. Use either tool to make a line pattern across the breadth of the wall surface.
