If so, how on earth is it done?

Hey hey!

I can't be 100% sure from here, but it looks like a coarse grade textured sand paint put onto the wall using a coarse grade textured paint roller... ;)

Wait to see what others think. Nice to see the site help you for a change, huh?!

Mark

I'll take all the help I can get on this one. We need to replace about 5% of the area of the ceiling but have no idea how to get this texture.

Wait for others to answer, of course, but if I'm on the right track (pretty sure I am), pick up a couple 2'x2' precut sheets of sheetrock (home depot sells these)and a few extra rollers and try the coarse rolling technique with the sand textured paint on the panels first... gives best result! You could also practice on cardboard scraps, etc.

Good luck!

I'm with Mark except for the paint part. Pick up a Texture paint roller, some scrap drywall and drywall joint compound and a dry wall knife.
Apply a thin coat of mud to 2 foot square area and roll it with the roller. It doesn't require much skill but it does require technique. The exact look you get will depend on how much mud you apply and how hard you press the roller.

You probably won't get an exact match. Try blending the two areas. Apply a very thin coat of mud over the surrounding texture. Roll the patch and then dab the edges with a big handful of waded up newspaper to blend the two together. Try a dabbing and twisting motion with the newspaper. Note that the mud will shrink as it drys and the peaks will be less pronounced after it is dry.

I can give it a try. Have you two heard of slapbrush? I watched a video on that. They used very thin compound but the man mentioned he had done it with thick mud years earlier but had not liked the results. Sure looked somewhat like my ceiling, but more "subdued".

Also, what do you think about this?

http://www.all-wall.com/Categories/Drywall-Texture-Rollers/Texture-Roller-Tree-Bark.html

Slapbrush is a similar technique, but not close enough to be useful to you here.

That roller you show gives a very specific pattern to the wall (birch tree bark pattern)... not what you want here. You want a coarse texture roller like in Harold's picture. Take your pictures to the local paint store and they should be able to tell you exactly what roller you need and whether you want just drywall mud or whether you actually want a sanded texture paint here, OK? I'd bring some of the wall material if possible!

Mark

Will do. Thanks.

I have achieved a similar texture by applying a coat of impasso or thinned drywall compound. Once applied a smooth I then attached 6 mil plastic sheet about as thick as a garbage bag and roller it to get good adhesion. Then, starting from the top, peel it straight down toward the floor never letting my hand get more than an inch from the wall, messiest dang job I have done

This is a ceiling, but I would think I could just pull it from left to right. I'll try that as well. It will be a couple of weeks as there is one job ahead of this one I am wrapping up. I sometimes wonder what I did with my free time before we bought this house.