The Easy Grocery Bag Hack That Can Add Texture To Your Walls Or Ceiling

Textured walls and ceilings are a great way to add visual interest and variation to any space in your home. While the popcorn ceilings that were popular in the mid to late 20th century can look a little dated, even newer homes often create variation for their surfaces, from subtle to more dramatic. If your ceiling or walls have existing texture, patching and repairing areas can sometimes be a challenge to match perfectly without visible seams. There is, however, a great way to mimic the look using drywall compound and a simple plastic grocery bag that produces easy-to-master and stunning results.

This approach is great for small sections of the ceiling or wall, or larger all-over textural effects. It's also far less inexpensive than hiring professional drywall businesses or painters, who often use a special sprayer to create texture quickly. This application technique is easy enough that you can work fast, even balanced high up on a ladder, to get clean, seamless results when patching over portions of a wall or ceiling. 

While professionals may invest in expensive palettes designed specifically for compound application, you can create an easy and inexpensive set-up using a paper plate, a nail, and a piece of scrap wood sized to hold comfortably. Just put the compound on the plate as you apply it with a spatula, making sure to hold the plate under as your work to stop drips. Apply the compound thickly, allowing it to create peaks and valleys. Wrap a crumpled plastic bag around your hand and press the wrinkled bag directly into the compound, creating a stamped effect. Since you want the compound still wet as you apply the bag, work in smaller sections, especially if it's an entire wall, for best results. 

Once you've finished applying, allow the thick layer of compound to dry anywhere from two minutes to 20 minutes depending on the brand, variety, and directions. When dry, use a 6-inch spatula to scrape lightly over the surface, which will eliminate any sharp edges and peaks, but will still leave the desired effect on the surface. Since textured ceilings vary, you may want to use a small section to experiment with techniques and applications to get a perfect match. When completely dry, paint the affected area with a final coat. 

The bag trick is also a great way to add the illusion of texture to an otherwise flat wall by using a combo of latex paint and glaze. This is a perfect, easy treatment for adding a new look without actually changing the relief of the wall — a great approach if you change your mind about the aesthetic later or are looking for a rental-friendly transformation. It's also a great way to deal with walls that are not in perfect shape, since it will minimize dips, cracks, and divots. 

Use the bag to apply a glaze over the base color for a subtle look that has a little bit of a shininess to it and greater depth than a solid color. Or use a lighter and a darker version of the paint and place them one over the top of the other using a crumpled bag to apply the second color over the first. You can also place a bag down over your paint and run a roller over it for an understated style. Vary the size and density of your finished product by balling up the bag in different way, or try using a similar technique with ragging painting that produces comparable results.