I Suck At Finishing Drywall

[haystax]

If you want to duplicate an orange peel the machine is usually the key to a quality and consistent finish. You can rent the machines and a good machine makes the project almost fun. Spraying an orange peel texture was the most enjoyable part of finishing my house.

There is usually a weight that you drop into the mud before adding to the hopper and based on how fast it falls you adjust the water.

It is pretty common to add quite a bit of water to the mud to get it right.

I would not really recommend the hand-held hoppers unless you are a professional bodybuilder. Those things get heavy very quickly and if you can't move fast enough then your pattern won't be consistent.

The self-contained big monster is the way to go.

 

[turbocruiser]

Guys thanks again for all the advice. The only potential problem I see with the machinery is that in some areas I'm doing, the rest of the room is finished with carpeting, furnishings, fixtures, etc. That's why I was thinking a manual method, although slower, would be better. Is there any way to duplicate the orange peel manually? Thanks.

 

[-Spike-]

Is there any way to duplicate the orange peel manually?

Not that I'm aware of, but I'm not an expert.