How to Splatter Drywall

Place dropcloths across the floor surrounding your work area and secure them with masking tape. Cover any furnishings with dropcloths to protect them from splatter, and thoroughly cover the surrounding walls with plastic sheeting. Secure the plastic sheeting to the walls with masking tape. Remove the electrical plates in the room with a screwdriver and cover the exposed areas with masking tape. Wash the wall to be textured with dish soap and water. Dry the area with a towel.

Measure ½ cup of water with a measuring cup. Empty the water into a 5-gallon bucket. Add a gallon of premixed joint compound. Connect a paddle bit attachment to an electric drill. Stir the mixture with the drill until it acquires a cake-batter consistency.

Remove the hopper from the drywall texture sprayer. Pour the compound mixture into the hopper. Reconnect the hopper to the sprayer and connect a 3/8-inch sprayer nozzle to the end of the sprayer. Adjust the texture sprayer air pressure setting to 30 PSI (pounds per square inch). Adjust the pattern on the texture sprayer to the medium setting.

Position the sprayer so that the end of the nozzle remains 2 feet from your work surface. Depress the trigger on the sprayer and spray, starting along the area closest to the ceiling. Move the sprayer back and forth as you spray to more evenly distribute the mixture as you work your way down the wall. Moving the sprayer slowly will form a tighter splatter pattern. Fast back-and-forth motions with the sprayer will better disperse the pattern. Apply a second or third coat if needed to achieve the desired texture.

Remove the dropcloths and plastic sheeting and allow the compound 48 hours to fully dry.