How to Do Orange Peel Texture on Walls in 6 Steps
Orange you glad it's not flat?
- Drop cloths
- 5-gallon bucket
- Drill with a mixing paddle
- Hopper gun
- Air compressor
- Joint compound
- Painter's tape
- Fine-grit sandpaper (120–150 grit)
If you’re looking to add subtle dimension and character to your walls without going overboard, orange peel texture is a popular choice. Named for its resemblance to the dimpled skin of an orange, this finish strikes a balance between smooth and textured. The texture is ideal for hiding minor wall imperfections while still keeping things clean and modern. Whether you’re tackling a new drywall project or refreshing a room, learn how to do orange peel texture on your walls to give your space a polished look.
Prep the Room
Remove or cover all furniture in the room and lay down drop cloths to protect the floor. Use painter’s tape to mask off baseboards, trim, electrical outlets, and any other surfaces you don’t want to get textured. Inspect the walls for holes, dents, or cracks and repair them using joint compound. Once dry, sand the repairs smooth and wipe away any dust so the surface is clean and even before texturing.
Mix the Joint Compound
Pour the pre-mixed joint compound into a 5-gallon bucket and add water gradually to thin it out. You’re aiming for the consistency of pancake batter. It should be thick but able to flow through a sprayer. Use a drill with a mixing paddle to thoroughly combine the mixture, ensuring there are no lumps.
Load the Hopper Gun
Once your compound is thinned, pour it into the hopper gun’s container. Attach the hopper gun to an air compressor, setting the pressure between 20 and 40 PSI, depending on your desired texture size. A lower PSI will give you a finer spray, while a higher PSI results in a more pronounced texture.
Test the Spray Pattern
Photo: BanksPhotos / E+ / Getty ImagesBefore spraying your walls, test the spray on a piece of cardboard or scrap drywall. Adjust the air pressure and nozzle settings on your hopper gun until you achieve a spray pattern that resembles small, random splatters, which gives orange peel its signature look. Taking time to get the spray right here will help you avoid mistakes on the wall.
Spray the Walls
Hold the hopper gun about 18 inches from the wall and apply the texture. Use smooth, overlapping strokes in a consistent sweeping motion. Work in sections and maintain a steady pace to ensure even coverage across the wall's surface.
If you want to achieve a lighter texture, you can learn how to do a knockdown texture. You can knock it down slightly by gently dragging a drywall knife or knockdown blade across the surface about 10 to 15 minutes after spraying. Do this carefully while the texture is still tacky and not fully dry to flatten the peaks and create a softer look.
Let It Dry and Apply Paint
Photo: Evgeniia Siiankovskaia / Moment / Getty ImagesLet the texture dry for at least 48 hours, and avoid touching or disturbing it while it's drying to preserve the finish. Inspect the surface to see if there are any rough spots or overly raised areas you want to smooth out. Use fine-grit sandpaper and a gentle touch to avoid ruining the pattern. Now, you're ready to prime and paint with your chosen color.
Avoiding Orange Peel Texture Mistakes
Avoid these common mistakes to help you achieve your desired orange peel texture.
Using joint compound that's too thick or too thin: If the mix is too thick, it won’t spray properly. When it's too thin, it will run down the wall. Aim for a pancake batter consistency.
Skipping surface prep: Failing to patch holes, sand, or clean the wall can result in uneven texture or poor adhesion.
Not testing the spray pattern first: Always test on scrap material to avoid surprises on your actual wall. Each sprayer and compound mix can behave differently.
Holding the sprayer too close or too far: Spraying too close can cause blobs, and being too far can result in a dry, dusty spray. Stick to about 18 inches from the wall.
Inconsistent spraying motion: Stopping, hesitating, or overlapping unevenly can lead to a patchy or clumpy texture.
Ignoring air pressure settings: Using air pressure that's too high or too low will affect texture size and consistency. Stick to the recommended 20 to 40 PSI range.
Rushing the drying time: Painting over texture that isn’t fully dry can smear the finish or cause paint to peel later on.
Forgetting to prime before painting: Primer helps paint adhere evenly and enhances the final look. Skipping it can cause blotchy or dull paint results.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
If you’re comfortable with drywall work and have access to tools like a hopper gun and air compressor, applying orange peel texture yourself can save money and be a rewarding weekend project. It’s especially doable for small rooms or patch jobs, and with proper prep, practice, and patience, you can achieve professional-looking results.
If you're looking to apply the texture to large areas or high walls, hiring a local interior painter is a good choice. The average cost to texture drywall in an orange peel pattern ranges between $1.25 to $1.95 per square foot when you hire a pro. A 450-square-foot living room, for example, would cost between $570 and $900. However, if you DIY this project you’ll only pay for the materials, which will run $0.13 to $0.30 per square foot. This totals between $60 and $135 for a similar sized room.
Should you decide to give the project a try but are unhappy with the result, you'll have to add in the cost to remove texture from walls on top of completing the project to your liking. If you're at all unsure about how to texture walls, consider hiring a pro.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use a sponge to create an orange peel-like texture, but it's best for small touch-ups or patch repairs or in areas where using a sprayer isn't practical, rather than using it on a full room. To do it, thin joint compound to a pancake batter consistency and dab it onto the wall using a natural sea sponge in a random pattern. This can mimic the splattered look of orange peel. However, for large surfaces or a more uniform finish, a hopper gun and air compressor will deliver much better results.
A few drywall texture types that you can use as an alternative to orange peel texture are knockdown or skip trowel. A knockdown texture creates a flatter, more rustic look, and you can achieve it with the same method as orange peel, with the added step of "knocking down" the peaks. Skip trowel is a hand-applied wall texture that creates a more rustic finish using a drywall knife or trowel to spread and "skip" joint compound across the surface. Skip trowel gives a more textured, artistic look than orange peel.
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