Whatever the paint or texture job you are considering preparation is always the key to a satisfying result. The surface should be repaired or pointed up. Sanding smooth the surface is the next step and woodwork should be cleaned and caulked if its painted.
When it comes to two tone textures the next step is to paint your base color ( gloss finish is best) being careful to cut straight lines around your trim.
Masking may be a good option for you if you are a novice and I recommend either blue or green one inch tape for that purpose. If masking take your time and run tape in nice and straight on your trim.
You can make this easier by tearing the tape off in lengths that are easier to handle and overlapping the ends. If you do use masking be sure to remove soon as you are satisfied with finish coat(very important) or you will end up pulling paint away from wall and creating a mess you do not need!
The next step is making sure your trim is looking good and re-coating if necessary for painted trim and letting dry long enough so it can be taped on again, I recommend at least 24 hrs and maybe more depending on drying conditions.
The next thing I recommend is if you haven't ever used a texture hopper to practice on some scrape drywall with how to set your air pressure, mud thickness and practice your blading techniques.
You can purchase colored knockdown mixes but I recommend for practice to just thin down some joint compound with water , start with a small amount say half a galleon of mud and add water a little at time mixing with a drill and mixing blade until it is just thin enough to run off mixing blade, should be a little thicker than paint.
You are now ready to practice spraying, this can be messy and is best done outside away from anything that can be over sprayed, you don't want that mess.
Sheetrock should be leaned up against something like sawhorses so it is like working on a wall.The lower the air pressure the bigger the blobs of mud will be and the closer you will have to be to your work.
If you do not like the the pattern you spray then just scrape it of with a sheet rock knife and try again( practice makes perfect).
Next comes practicing the knockdown part.
I use a variety of sized blades when I am working in a house but the best is a 8" sheetrock knife for knocking down the mud, smaller blades are used for areas around corners with trim that larger blades do not fit in.
When you are working the mud you will have your main blade in one hand and a cleaner blade, I use a 6" in the other to wipe excess mud of the one you are using for knockdown.
Look at your blades and you will see that one side curves in a little bit( that is called the bed side) and you want to use the other side for knockdown.
When you hold the blade in your hand you want to have a lite grip and pull it along the wall without too much pressure on it and at about a 80 degree angle to the wall, this to will take practice.
Spay your mud on the practice area and give mud a couple minutes to set and then try moving your blade over mud to drag it out into whatever patterns you can make, practice makes perfect.
If you don't like the look scrape it off and try again, it's all about making a variety of pattens with the mud.
.Next post we apply all this to inside of house.
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