Knockdown is a flat texture that's created with a knockdown knife. The orange peel texture has a mottled look created by using different sizes of aggregate to create an uneven surface. The best way to think of this type of ceiling is as having small bumps on its surface, like, well, an orange peel.
Orange peel is easier to touch up thus I think it's superior but will be judged depending on The region you're in. For example, California really liked to work extra hard with the knockdown.
Splatter Texture
Also known as "orange peel," a splatter coat provides a look that stands out a little less than knockdown, but is still very pleasing to the eye. It's essentially applied the same way as knockdown, only it misses the final step of being troweled.
The orange peel texture makes it easier to hide imperfections in the wall surface. This can be from construction or from soil movement over the life of the building/home (ie it's cheaper than a smooth finish).
Is orange-peel texture outdated? Orange-peel texture gained popularity several decades ago. But it doesn't have to look dated today if you use a modern wall color and have an otherwise updated space.
Geometric and Dimensional Textures For those who prefer a more modern, contemporary look, geometric and dimensional textures are set to be a big hit in 2024. These textures play with shapes, lines, and depth to create visually striking walls that become a focal point in any space.
Try to paint on dry days to reduce your risk of orange peel affecting your paint job. Room temperature while painting: Room temperature must be considered when you start painting to avoid orange peel. When it is too hot or cold in a room, your paint might solidify and form small balls.
Knockdown texture reduces construction costs because it conceals imperfections in the drywall that normally require higher more expensive stages of sand and prime for drywall installers.
Level 5. A Level 5 drywall finish involves an additional skim coat of joint compound over the entire surface, providing the highest-quality finish. This level is essential for areas with critical lighting conditions, where the appearance of the wall is paramount. It can deliver a smooth, uniform surface.
Also called "Palm Texture" or "Tiger Skin Texture" but most commonly it's called "Slapbrush/Knockdown". What's great about this texture is that it's easy to do and you don't need an air compressor or hopper gun, just a slap brush and a roller.
Orange Peel (also called splatter or eggshell) looks like the skin of an orange. It is a great alternative to a smooth finish because it is subtle but easily hides wall and ceiling imperfections. It's durable and easily to clean making it a popular texture in rental homes, commercial buildings, and new construction.
You can use pretty much any kind of mud (Joint Compound) here. "All purpose" is great but if you have some extra "Topping" left over from when your coated your job, you can use that up as well. Don't use hot mud. You don't need the premixed texture stuff from the superstore.
While the texture's successors, the popcorn finish and orange peel finish, often appear as dated or an eyesore, this texture remains popular with homeowners.
If you've ever wondered what type of paint to use on textured walls, we recommend going for a high-quality paint product that is designed to cover textured surfaces effectively. Latex or oil-based paints with easier to maintain finishes, such as a satin or semi-gloss sheen, are ideal.
Plastering walls with knockdown texture, sometimes referred to a “Spanish Lace” texture, is a very popular look used to created texture on a wall often to hide rough or uneven characteristics.
Orange peel is used because it is an easy, inexpensive way to hide imperfections in dry wall. They just spray it on your walls and it covers any blemish. Smooth walls take a lot more work because they have to use extra mud when putting up your tape and bedding on the drywall and then sand it down so it is smooth.
Walls, Wood, and Metal - Small 1/4″ roller covers or foam rollers will produce the smoothest finish. Light to Medium Textured Surfaces - Microfiber rollers are best. Smooth Surfaces - Use a white woven short nap roller for an ultra fine finish.
Excessive product load per coat and too much distance between the spray gun and the workpiece will result in a less even coating, favouring the orange peel effect.
POSSIBLE CAUSE
Use of a roller cover with wrong nap length. Applying a gloss or semi-gloss paint over a porous or unsealed surface. High heat during application speeds up drying; bubbles or craters that form will dry before they can break and level out. Using a thinner/reducer that is inappropriate for the coating.
Slap Brush Texture
Also known as Stomp Brush, Crows Foot, or Stipple, it is the most timeless texture style for dismal walls. Slap brush texture, if properly done can give your walls a sunburst or fan-like effect.
An outdated look — Are textured walls outdated? Often, yes, but it depends. For example, popcorn ceilings make for a dated look in the home, but creative applications of sand texture paint can be easier to maintain and more expressive.
Slap brush texture, also known as crows foot, stomp brush, or stipple, is easy to make on drywall surfaces using basic drywall compound, or "mud." The resulting texture has a fan-like or sunburst effect created by the fanned-out bristles of the texture brush.