How to create a broken leather texture pattern

In this article I will run through the concepts of creating a broken leather pattern using texture as a finish for your walls and ceilings. This pattern is also dead simple to patch in any damaged areas you may already have on your surfaces.

 ‘This texture (sometimes known as artex, or drywall texture) design’ is quite achievable for the home ‘diy’ enthusiast with this outlined information.

 The Broken leather texture design is very popular in new or newish homes as a finish on ceilings, especially in the UK.

The reason for this is that it is sometimes more cost effective for the contractor to achieve, it’s quicker, plus as the texture coating dries an off whitish colour, it mostly doesn’t need painting (emulsioning) afterwards, compared to preparing and skim plastering the new plaster/wall board ceiling.

 Basically, you have to prepare your surface correctly, this is always the vital aspect of any decoration what so ever, and you can download your free bumper guide from my website.

 You can roll the mixed texture (or readymade texture) onto your surface using an ordinary paint roller, albeit, the larger roller (12”), coupled with a large paint trough, is ideal.

 The tool for actually creating the effect is normally a ‘stipple brush’ and the size of this hand held tool is between 6 or 8” x 4 or 5”.

 But, because you actually place the stipple brush into a polythene bag, then roll your texture onto the surface before ‘skittering’/’dragging’ & sliding the bagged tool over the coating of texture there is really no need to use a stipple brush at all.

 Get hold of one of those large bath sponges, around the same diameter of a stipple brush, use a ordinary plastic shopping bag, place the sponge inside, pull the bag reasonably taught around it, so that you have a ‘flat, almost level, but just a little crinkly’ edge, whereas you would use this flat, edge surface of your made up tool to create the pattern onto the textured surface.

 Now it is time to experiment, and always practice on a piece of plaster/wall board before attempting the real thing.

 How thick do you need to roll the texture onto the surface? This depends on the depth of your desired design you want to achieve, if you can roll out your texture coating around half inch depth onto your surface it would create a medium depth pattern.

 What consistency does the texture need to be? This is very important, as the coating needs to be rolled on; it has to be of quite a thin consistency. Rolling texture on to create this pattern can be very messy (practice makes perfect) and the consistency need to resemble, ‘almost runny’ custard.

 And remember, when you are patching in, as most texture is mixed for this consistency and rolled onto the surface this depth mentioned above, create the design onto your practice board first to see of it resembles what is already on your ceiling/wall. So, if you intend to mix your own texture from powder form, mix it to a thick consistency, then thin it down until it looks ok, but may I suggest you don’t mix it down too much first time, as you can always add water to the mix, but you cannot add texture powder to the already mixed bucket later on.

 Thank you for reading this article, I do hope that it will aid you in your quest to create a broken leather pattern onto your surfaces at home.