Hello. I have a very small half bath on my first floor. No exterior walls. I gutted it and redid the drywall myself. I must say, I did a pretty bad job finishing the drywall. It's pretty patchy in spots and in the corners. Can anyone recommend a faux finish technique that would work well in a small, dark room? I really don't want to sand and finish again because that would entail more patching, and probably wouldn't come out nice.

I want to avoid wall paper too, but would go that route if there are no paint finished that would look nice.

Thanks.

Don't worry, wallpaper is a bad choice for wavy and rough walls.

Any blown texture works well covering drywall problems. Using a knockdown texture is common on walls, so it wouldn't look out of place.

I'm sure you can rent the gun, but they're under 75 bucks at any Lowe's(Spraying Mantis brand).

I can't think of any paint texture that would help your case, but to be honest, it really depends on how bad of a job you did :)

Thanks,
Json

decorative finishes and home improvement paint techniques: color washing, glazing and more I have used a few of these techniques myself. My house is almost 100 years old... not very smooth walls. To get a better look you can go to Lowe's and get paint swatches that have different finishes. Go back to the section has stencils, glazes and decorative rollers. That is where those types of paint samples are located. Do not look for them with the regular paint samples. They will also have little free leaflets that you can take home that gives you step by step instructions.

One - and perhaps the most effective technique- for this type problems is by using an mixture of the joint compound (2 parts), then equal parts paint and glaze. Mix together, then using putty applicators, apply directly to the walls. This will provid a plaster build up appearance. After your first coat dries, you can reapply until you get the best thickness that you prefer. The surface can be smooth or rougn, based on your applications and what you like.. First, though, try this on a sample board to get the "feel" of your technique.

Your suggestion sounds interesting, and might be a great fix for me. How do I go about applying the mixture to the wall with the applicators? Is there a name for this technique so I can reference it when I go to the store? Do I just use regular sheet rock/drywall compound or is there a special joint compound that works best for this?

Thanks!

Look up "venetian plaster" for the colored thin compound technique.

Here is one link I found on it:
Venetian Plaster - Venetian Plaster Technique


Sponge painting in 2 or more colors will also hide a multitude of sins. One decorator that I knew used a yellow/red/purple combo on one of her walls. It all depends on how colorful you want to be.

Terms for this type application are called Textured, Build-up or even Old World. To apply, if there is a large section to be covered and your mixture isn't too thick.. apply with a paint roller, then smooth with a puttly applicator (wide one) or I use some of the masonry applicators as well. Try not to apply "wet over wet" too much or you'll get some cracking in the drying process. Not sure if I can post my website on here, but there are several examples on the site and you can even sculpt directly into the mixture and get some beautiful results. Interior-artists.com is the site

All you have to do is get the already mixed drywall mud smooth it on with a mudd knife. Make sure to keep it wet. The trip is to apply water until you have the smoothness of the wall. Let dry. Use your sheetrock sanding pad but wet the pad. It still sands well without the dust everywhere. Then prime it and paint it.