# Need advice on knock down texturing



## timo123451 (Aug 16, 2010)

I am in the process of finishing up a drywall job that was started by another contractor. The previous contractor did a real shady job on the drywall work. Many of the seams only had one coat and they did a light orange peel over most of the work. After I get all the joints and corners properly filled I am thinking about doing knock down on the ceiling and walls in order to cover up some of the bad work that just can't be fixed. I have done a couple of ceilings with knock down, but never a whole room. My question is can I spray the ceiling and walls of one room and then have time to knock it all down without it setting up too soon? Thanks


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

yes, just control your environment, keep windows closed,temperature etc.....


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## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

There was a texture sub we used to use who would spray the whole house (~5000 ft.) and then go back and knock it down. Man that stuff was uuuuugly! It must have stood 3/16 off the wall! When he was forced to do a finer version he would spray half the house (but he sure didn't like it). Priming helps to keep the moisture from absorbing into the walls.


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## DSJOHN (Apr 5, 2010)

We always prime first,and everyone has a different technique,humidity, temp,and skill level are your biggest factors, size of room? If you have done it before -yes a room at a time is no problem,but not the most economical way!!!


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## timo123451 (Aug 16, 2010)

Thanks for all the info. I'm not to worried about it drying to fast with just a room at a time. I wasn't sure if it would leave marks where the ceiling and walls meet, I thought maybe it would mess up the texture. I guess if i'm carefull it shouldn't be to bad.


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## tricounty dwall (Apr 29, 2010)

my texture guys just did a knockdown yesterday for me. they just did the ceilings. They sparayed about 3 rooms as 1 sprayed the other wiped down then he went back after about 3 rooms and knocked it down.


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## 3rdgenerationtaper (Aug 31, 2010)

Shut all windows........when the mud is not shiny and looks kinda flat then nok it down


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## nim (Oct 30, 2010)

i do almost nothing but knockdown and i couldnt imagine not having 2 people. 1 to spray and one following him wiping down. its a real hassle with only 1 person.. about a room at a time is all you can do without sacrificing quality


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## silverstilts (Oct 15, 2008)

3rdgenerationtaper said:


> Shut all windows........when the mud is not shiny and looks kinda flat then nok it down


 Yes it is a good idea to shut the windows it is also a good Idea to mask them off.......beginning to wonder about some common sence that some have that post on here not saying there isn't any, just saying.


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## spraymonkey (Nov 13, 2010)

lots of inexperience on this page....this is coming from someone that has done nothing but texture for 20 plus years. Shutting the windows and controlling your air flow is a must. the more air flow you have the faster you must knock it down. spraying on to raw drywall and mud ALWAYS gives you the best results. the drying time achieved by the drywall paper and dry mud produces the best "crisp" definition. Priming or painting prior to texturing(unless the paint is flat) eliminates the much needed drying from the backside. you need to have the dryall suckin the juice out of the spray from the back. priming or painting with a hydrophobic product(resists water absorbtion) tends to make the spray smear when attempting to knock it down. this also produces a much larger appearance than originally desired. then there are other factors like the brand of spray used......some dry much quicker than others.....thickness and wetness of the texture also come into play......all in all, it is a science and the more you spray, the better you get


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## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

spraymonkey said:


> lots of inexperience on this page....this is coming from someone that has done nothing but texture for 20 plus years. Shutting the windows and controlling your air flow is a must. the more air flow you have the faster you must knock it down. spraying on to raw drywall and mud ALWAYS gives you the best results. the drying time achieved by the drywall paper and dry mud produces the best "crisp" definition. Priming or painting prior to texturing(unless the paint is flat) eliminates the much needed drying from the backside. you need to have the dryall suckin the juice out of the spray from the back. priming or painting with a hydrophobic product(resists water absorbtion) tends to make the spray smear when attempting to knock it down. this also produces a much larger appearance than originally desired. then there are other factors like the brand of spray used......some dry much quicker than others.....thickness and wetness of the texture also come into play......all in all, it is a science and the more you spray, the better you get


How much light knockdown are you doing where people are using lightweight mud? It sucks more moisture out of the texture than the paper on the rock, and does not knock down the same. I've never seen a knockdown smear on a primed surface if it's been allowed enough time to do its thing. I've also never seen a drywall primer that wasn't flat.


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## taper71 (Dec 9, 2007)

Just because you have been doing something for 20 years does not mean that you have been doing it the only right way for 20 years . We have an entire Country that the majority primes before texture. That does not make it wrong , or us inexperienced . Just sayin , I am not bashing your experience or anything


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## silverstilts (Oct 15, 2008)

spraymonkey said:


> lots of inexperience on this page....this is coming from someone that has done nothing but texture for 20 plus years. Shutting the windows and controlling your air flow is a must. the more air flow you have the faster you must knock it down. spraying on to raw drywall and mud ALWAYS gives you the best results. the drying time achieved by the drywall paper and dry mud produces the best "crisp" definition. Priming or painting prior to texturing(unless the paint is flat) eliminates the much needed drying from the backside. you need to have the dryall suckin the juice out of the spray from the back. priming or painting with a hydrophobic product(resists water absorbtion) tends to make the spray smear when attempting to knock it down. this also produces a much larger appearance than originally desired. then there are other factors like the brand of spray used......some dry much quicker than others.....thickness and wetness of the texture also come into play......all in all, it is a science and the more you spray, the better you get


 There is a lot of truth to this method spraying and controlling all the variables . I agree I do not like priming before knockdown takes to long to set up and it does smear. You will get better results over raw sheetrock. You just have to put a little bounce in your butt to get it done.


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## 3rdgenerationtaper (Aug 31, 2010)

Whoever primes before they texture is a retard. Ive never heard of such a thing. Ive heard of putting primer in the mud and running it through your machine. If you control the environment, you should be able to spray the whole house before you nok it down. Its not a "nok down" when you drag a knife 5 minutes after you spray it........then its a smash down and looks flat.....or like garbage.


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## DSJOHN (Apr 5, 2010)

3rdgenerationtaper said:


> Whoever primes before they texture is a retard. Ive never heard of such a thing. Ive heard of putting primer in the mud and running it through your machine. If you control the environment, you should be able to spray the whole house before you nok it down. Its not a "nok down" when you drag a knife 5 minutes after you spray it........then its a smash down and looks flat.....or like garbage.


Well I do,but pretty sure I,m not a retard-I think--wait maybe I am--I dunno--All these years and now you tell me ive done it wrong---obviously there are more than one retard on this forum---can you all stand up so we can see the prime first retards,------choice of words can make or break you


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

guess i know a lot of retards,and I'm standing while I type this,It's been years since I have sprayed,but from what I hear why ??????
-gives a 3-D effect,2 shades of white,dull then bright,if you know what I mean.
-spreads more even when you wipe it down,sorta changes pattern over joints when there's no paint.
-makes for a more uniformed drying surface,so knock down looks more consistent
-you make $$$$$ from painting
-most painters charge too much to paint before or after spray
-some clients want the spray tinted .
-one less trade to schedule on the job.(eliminates those pesky painters for a few more days)
-and,remember,I'm not a spray guy,we have guys in the company that do it every day,but they can judge your tape job too when they paint,my works perfect all the time of coarse:whistling2::yes:


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## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

DSJOHN said:


> ---can you all stand up so we can see the prime first retards,------choice of words can make or break you


I'm not sure I want to stand up and be counted as a retard. I haven't primed before knock-down in a long time, but only because I haven't sprayed any knock-down in a long time:yes:. I don't have many people asking for spray textures...it's all smooth or contemporary hand textures. I miss popcorn:no:

I made the mistake *once* of not priming a knockdown patch before spraying. Man that thing looked like a$$. Did I just give away a trade secret? :whistling2:


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## taper71 (Dec 9, 2007)

Raises hand. I am a moron from what McDusty thinks from sanding and now a retard because of 3rdgeneration taper because I ( and all of Edmonton and I am pretty sure the rest of Canada ) prime before texture . That includes all texture not just knockdown. I am sure glad there are professionals who are so talented at communication that they have to resort to childish name calling to make themselves feel superior over a forum Drywall chatroom.


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## Crazytaper (Feb 23, 2008)

:furious:This post aggravates me in more ways than one. Not only is my son medically diagnosed as mentally retarded- now I'm a retard? 3rd generation a-hole is what I call you. I do alot of work throughout Ohio and if your a smart man (unlike us retards) you'll never make your public name known or you'll feel the wrath of The crazy retard taper. I'll even let my son roll your fat toes with his wheelchair.


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## DSJOHN (Apr 5, 2010)

:thumbup:


Crazytaper said:


> :furious:This post aggravates me in more ways than one. Not only is my son medically diagnosed as mentally retarded- now I'm a retard? 3rd generation a-hole is what I call you. I do alot of work throughout Ohio and if your a smart man (unlike us retards) you'll never make your public name known or you'll feel the wrath of The crazy retard taper. I'll even let my son roll your fat toes with his wheelchair.


Thank You


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## MuddingSilly (Apr 8, 2015)

I prime old glossy ceilings with flat primer before i texture but to prime new drywall before texture just makes no sense. 

Different strokes for different folks


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## endo_alley (Nov 2, 2013)

If as you say, a light orange peel was done over shoddy finishing, then you must flatten the joints and finish them properly as a first step. Then you must sand and sponge the edges and apply a light orange peel to the newly finished work. Personally, I would then spray a fine fog type orange peel over everything. But if some of the under coat has an orange peel, and some doesn't, that will probably bleed through the final texture. And you will still have a mess. I would not spray a knockdown over an orange peel and expect a decent result.


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## pro ceilings inc (May 8, 2015)

I know in Florida we never prime new drywall I agree to use a flat paint over gloss or flat primer which ever u prefer the gloss will make it slide and pancake out flat spots for u guys that r pros it takes time to learn how to spray knockdown Years so I do not think anybody is a tard I just think we all have different methods if ur customers r happy and ur busy then u must b doing something right o well good luck all hot as balls here already gonna b a long summer when summer gets here lol


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## KerstinFiedler23 (May 22, 2015)

i agree with their suggestions..I always do that way back to my grandpa's house...


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