A. Questions Answered

1. Must I prime before texturing?
2. Do I need to do much repairing before texturing?
3. What is the best way to apply the texture to the walls and ceilings?
4. Can I use joint compound instead of texture paint?
5. Do I need to do anything special to prepare the texture paint?
6. Can I tint or mix paint into the texture?
7. Do I need to paint over the texture?
8. Do I need to prime or seal the texture before painting?
9. What type of paint do you recommend over texture?
10. How can I get texture off the wall or ceiling?
11. Can I texture over wallpaper or vinyl wall coverings?
12. Can I texture over previously textured surfaces?
13. Can I texture over acoustic tiles or drop ceilings?
14. Can I spray on Wel-Cote texture?

1. Entire Rooms
2. Large, Long Ceilings or Walls
3. Kitchens
4. Wood Paneling
5. Old Plaster
6. Bathrooms
7. Basements
8. Around Ceiling Heating Vents

1. Texturing does not stick to surface
2. Texture is sticking to or building up on the roller
3. Texture is lifting the primer off the wall
4. Texture is bubbling during application
5. After the texture has dried, it is peeling off the wall
6. After the texture has dried, hairline cracks are appearing

If we have left out any questions, or you need more information, please call us at our toll-free number – 800-821-7352.

1) Must I prime before texturing?

All surfaces – new or old – should be sealed before texturing. Sealing the surface allows for better adhesion and more consistent drying. The choice to use an oil-based primer or a latex-based primer/sealer is dependent upon the type of surface you are texturing and in some cases the room to be textured. As a general rule, you should only have to apply one coat of a good quality primer/sealer.

Surfaces and Rooms Requiring an Oil-Based Primer/Sealer:

Bathrooms - where moisture or high humidity is present

Kitchens – where grease may accumulate on walls or ceilings

Plaster – where likelihood for fast water absorption would prevent texture from drying evenly

Wood Paneling – where wood grain might "bleed" through texture and gloss would prevent good adhesion

Stained and Water Damaged Surfaces – similar to wood, could get "bleed-through"

Surfaces Where a Latex-Based Primer/Sealer is Sufficient:

New Drywall

Previously Painted Walls and Ceilings

Concrete Surfaces

  2) Do I need to do much repairing before texturing?

Wel-Cote texture will cover most hairline cracks. If a crack exists due to structural shifting, it’s a good idea to patch with self-adhesive mesh tape and joint compound. Similarly, deep cracks and holes should also be repaired prior to texturing.

Texture may also be used to cover up poorly done tape joints. If, however the tape is coming loose along the drywall joints, these joints should be repaired before texturing.

Dirty or grease-stained surfaces should be cleaned prior to texturing. Tri-sodium phosphate (TSP) is an excellent product for this purpose. Allow 24 to 48 hours for this to dry before priming.

3) What is the best way to apply the texture to the walls and ceilings?

Wel-Cote texture can be applied to walls or ceilings with a good quality 4" paint brush, a heavy nap roller or a broad knife. The choice of which tool to use to apply the texture depends on the desired texture pattern you are after.

If you are going to use one of the Wel-Cote Supertex rollers, the texture paint should be applied with a 4"paint brush. In that way you will get a smooth and consistent finish to serve as your background when using the texture rollers.

Using a heavy nap roller to apply the texture will be a little faster than using a paint brush, but will leave streaks in the material. If you are using one of the Supertex rollers to create your pattern, you should use a paint brush to smooth out these streaks before applying the pattern. This will not be necessary if you are going to use the Wel-Cote Pattern Brush or Foam Stipple roller to achieve your desired look.

Applying with a broad knife is the least satisfactory method to get Wel-Cote texture on a surface. When using a broad knife, apply only enough pressure to get the texture applied to the surface. Too much pressure will force the moisture from the texture resulting in poor adhesion and eventual peeling of the texture from the surface.

Whichever method is used to apply the texture, it is best to work in sections no wider than 4’ wide and 8’ long on walls and sections 4’ x 4’ on ceilings.

Joint compound can be used for some types of texturing, but will not give you the

working or open time needed to do a lot of decorative finishes. Oftentimes, severe cracking will occur when joint compound is applied at a thickness greater than 1/8" or when it is thinned down with water.

Wel-Cote texture paint works best when clean water is added to make the texture smooth and creamy. For the easiest application, we recommend adding about one pint of water to two gallons of material, giving the texture the consistency of a thick milkshake or soft-serve ice cream.

 

Wel-Cote texture can be tinted after being thinned down with water, BUT in doing so you lose some of the benefits of its extended working time and will likely have an uneven color to your finish. One of the major benefits in using Wel-Cote texture paint is the extended working or open time when using the product. Adding a universal colorant or paint to the texture reduces the amount of working time you have. Also, as you re-wet the texture on a surface, you will be diluting the color of the paint, and likely be left with a variety of shades to your finish.

We recommend that you paint after the texture has dried on the surface – usually

after 24 hours.

Wel-Cote texture is water-soluble so it will wash away over time as it is cleaned. It is important to paint your textured surface particularly in areas of high humidity like bathrooms, kitchens and pool areas. Painting effectively seals the surface preventing moisture from breaking down the adhesion and causing cracks and peeling. Paint also helps prevent chair dings and scuffs on walls or ceilings.

Many people elect to not paint their textured ceilings. Wel-Cote texture dries to an off-white color.

Priming over the textured surface is NOT necessary before painting.

We recommend using semi-gloss paint over texture for two reasons. The main reason is that it is easier to clean. You’ll also get better coverage with a semi-gloss because it is not absorbed as easily by the texture as flat paint.

10) How can I get texture off the wall or ceiling?

If the textured surface has not been painted, water can be used to loosen the adhesive and then the texture can be scraped off with a broad knife.

Though messy and time consuming, texture can be sanded off. If doing this, we would recommend a vacuum-sander to eliminate some of the dust. Always wear a dust mask and goggles when sanding.

To get a textured wall back to a smooth finish, apply a skim coat(s) of joint compound over the texture. We would recommend using the setting-type joint compounds (either 90 minute or 45 minute) rather than the ready-mixed joint compounds to do this. You’ll have less likelihood of shrinking and cracking and it’ll dry much faster.

As a rule texturing over wallpaper or vinyl wall coverings is NOT recommended.

Texture will not adhere to vinyl, so it should never be textured. The vinyl needs to be taken off. Moisture from the texture will penetrate the wallpaper, loosen the adhesive and cause the wallpaper to pull away from the wall.

If the wallpaper can not be stripped or easily scraped off from the surface, it is possible to texture over it without pulling the wallpaper off. However, you must first prime the wallpaper with an oil-based primer to promote the adhesion of the texture to the paper and to reduce the likelihood that moisture will be absorbed by the paper.

Yes, if the texture is not too pronounced or deep. The surface should, of course, be primed before re-texturing.

Some acoustic tiles and drop ceilings have holes or openings that prevent the texture from being evenly applied. If the openings are smaller than an eighth of an inch, texture can be successfully applied. The tiles or drop ceiling panels need to be primed.

It is also possible to replace some styles of drop ceiling panels with one-quarter inch thick drywall. It’s best to texture the drywall panels first and then replace the individual drop ceiling panels with the textured drywall panels.

14) Can I spray on Wel-Cote texture?

Yes, you can spray on Wel-Cote texture to get an orange peel, splatter or knock-down finish. The texture should be thinned down with between 1½ pints to 2 pints of clean water before spraying. Follow the spray machine manufacturer’s recommendation for nozzle opening and pressure.

1) Entire Rooms – If you are trying to texture an entire room in one day, it’s best to texture opposite walls first to prevent messing up what you’ve already done, particularly in corners. Number your walls from 1 to 4. Texture walls 1 and 3 first, then 2 and 4.

2) Large, Long Ceilings or Walls – To avoid the appearance of a seam when texturing a large area, allow enough time to complete the project in one day. If you are unable to do this, re-wet about 4 to 6 inches of the previously textured area along the seam using a brush or spray bottle. Re-apply a very thin layer of texture over this area before continuing your texture pattern.

3) Kitchens – Be certain to thoroughly clean the walls and ceilings around areas where there might be grease buildup. Prime with an oil-based sealer.

4) Wood Paneling – If it’s a glossy surface, rough up with sandpaper or use a de-glosser before priming. Use a quick-set joint compound (as opposed to a ready-mixed compound) to fill in any seams if you want a smooth finish. Always prime with an oil-based primer sealer.

5) Old Plaster – Be certain that the plaster is secure to the lath. Areas that are not secure should be removed and re-plastered before texturing if they can not be secured with plaster screws. Old plaster will absorb moisture very quickly. Often, it is best to seal with two coats of an oil-based primer before texturing.

6) Bathrooms – Always seal with an oil-based primer before texturing. Areas around bathroom tubs and shower stalls should be thoroughly caulked before texturing. Texture should be thoroughly dry (usually within 24 hours) before painting and two coats of mildew resistant paint should be applied. Baths or showers should not be taken until walls and ceilings are caulked and painted and dry – usually within 24 hours.

7) Basements – Wel-Cote texture paint is not water-proof or water-repellent and should not be used on wet basement walls.

8) Around Ceiling Heating Vents - Oil-based primers should be used to prime around mounted ceiling heating vents to reduce the likelihood of hairline cracks.

1) Texture does not stick to the surface: This will happen if the surface is glossy, contains dust or grease or has not been primed. Also, if the texture has not been thinned enough – is more like a paste – it is sometimes difficult to easily apply. We recommend for most applications one pint of water to two gallons of texture paint.

2) Texture is sticking to or building up on the roller: There are two causes for this. The texture paint has been applied too thick to the surface, or the texture itself is too dry. We recommend texture be applied between 1/16 and 1/8 inch thick – especially when using the Supertex roller patterns. Also, the texture paint should be somewhat moist when applying a pattern with the Supertex rollers.

3) Texture is lifting the primer off the wall: This will occur if a poor quality primer has been used to seal the surface or if the texture has not been thinned down enough.

4) Texture is bubbling during application: Texture will bubble when too much moisture is being absorbed during the texture application. This usually occurs on very old and damaged drywall and on old plaster walls. An additional coat of a primer is usually required along with some additional thinning of the texture paint.

5) After the texture has dried, it is peeling off the wall: This is usually a result of not sealing the surface with a good quality primer. Sometimes, it is the primer that actually peels off the wall. In these cases, there likely is something on the original surface that has prevented the primer from adhering to the surface. To repair, scrape the loose, peeling texture off the surface, clean and re-prime with an oil-based primer before texturing again.

6) After the texture has dried, hairline cracks are appearing: This will happen in areas where the texture paint has dried too rapidly. This is usually caused by an absence of a primer, the use of a poor quality primer, or excess heat. An oil-based primer should be used to seal around mounted ceiling heating vents to reduce the likelihood of hairline cracks. Sometimes, cracking is seen in areas of very high temperatures and/or very dry climates. An oil-based primer will usually prevent hairline cracks from occurring as the texture dries.

To repair, sand the hairline cracks and enough area around the cracks to allow you to add enough texture paint to re-do your desired pattern while still keeping a consistent thickness along the surface. You may to need make the texture thinner than in the original application.

Last modified: 09/19/07