Texturing drywall costs an average of $625, with most projects falling between $575 and $675, depending on the size of the project.
The average cost to texture drywall in a single room is $625, but homeowners can spend anywhere from $575 to $675, depending on the scope of the project. Contractors quote the job based on square footage, with costs ranging from $0.80 to $2.00 per square foot.
Many people choose to texture their drywall as it enhances durability, conceals imperfections, and adds variety to a wall that may otherwise look flat and bland. You may want to leave this job to professionals—especially if you’re texturing a ceiling. Luckily, texturing drywall is a relatively inexpensive way to add some vibe to your home. Keep reading to learn about the costs of drywall textures so you know what to expect.
The cost to texture drywall depends on several factors, including the size of the area, the type of texture, and how the texture is applied. Here’s how the costs break down.
How much does orange peel texture cost versus spray sand or Venetian plaster? The type of drywall texture can dramatically impact your overall cost. Venetian plaster is much more labor intensive and uses materials like marble dust, whereas sand spray involves mixing sand into your paint and primer.
Keep in mind that Venetian plaster is an outlier, and some don’t consider it a texture type. These estimates assume generic, non-specialized, or customized materials will be used.
| Texture Type | Appearance | Average Cost (per Square Foot) |
|---|---|---|
| Popcorn | Bumpy, irregular | $1.30–$1.90 |
| Smooth | Flat, modern | $1.00–$1.80 |
| Venetian plaster | Polished, luxe | $3.00+ |
| Spray sand | Tiny bumps | $1.05–$1.20 |
| Orange peel | Subtle, irregular | $1.25–$1.95 |
The size of the room you’re texturing is the largest determinant of cost (once you’ve decided which texture you’re using). Living rooms, basements, and garages will be the most expensive single rooms to texture.
It’s important to remember that drywall pros charge by the size of the wall, not the square footage of the room itself. We’ve included some wall dimensions, as well, as it’s becoming more common to texture single walls as accent walls instead of texturing every wall in a room.
| Room | Size (per Square Foot) | Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| Living room | 450 | $495 – $900 |
| Bedroom | 380 | $418 – $760 |
| Finished basement | 600 | $660 – $1,200 |
| Hallway | 135 | $148.5 – $270 |
| 10 ft by 9 ft wall | 90 | $99 – $180 |
| 18 ft by 10 ft wall | 180 | $198 – $360 |
As a general rule, anything involving drywall is relatively inexpensive. Drywall was designed to be a cost-effective, safe, and versatile way to put up walls, which is reflected in the price of the materials.
Common drywall materials include the drywall itself, screws to attach the drywall to load-bearing beams, and the joint compound and drywall tape that fill in the gaps between drywall sheets.
Labor is a significant amount of the cost when texturing drywall. Drywall contractors will charge you per square foot for the labor and an additional cost for materials. While average drywall installation costs are between $1.50 and $3.00 per square foot, texturing drywall can be more or less expensive.
If you’re hiring a local drywall contractor and have selected a simple drywall texture—like “smooth”—you can expect to pay around the range of the prices listed in the tables above, with an average of about $1.35 per square foot.
For smaller rooms, contractors may add a convenience fee to ensure the project is worth their time. Some charge hourly, and you can expect to pay between $40 and $100 per hour. Removing old textures, like removing popcorn on a ceiling, will most likely cost double.
Sprayed textures are applied using a machine with a special nozzle that sprays the drywall mud into your desired pattern. Spray textures cost a bit less than hand-applied textures because there’s less labor involved. Here’s what you can expect to spend:
| Application Method | Average Cost (Per Square Foot) |
|---|---|
| Sprayed | $0.80–$1.50 |
| Hand applied | $1.50–$2.00 |
Drywall textures can add panache to an otherwise boring wall, but consider your current situation before beginning. Do you have a textured wall that requires removing the existing texture before continuing? Can you add Venetian plaster after removing the popcorn texture?
The cost to skim coat walls and remove the texture is between $300 and $1,200 or $1 to $3 per square foot.
Sometimes, you’ll need to make repairs before you can texture your walls. Drywall repair costs $300 to $950 for most homeowners. You’ll spend anywhere from $20 to $200 to repair cracks, holes, dents, and tears. Repairing larger cracks could cost up to $400.
Repairs to ceilings and toward the top of high walls will cost more than other repairs because those areas are less accessible.
If you want to finish your textured drywall with paint, expect to spend an additional $1 to $3 per square foot. However, depending on the size of the job, you could find prices as high as $4.75 per square foot. Painting a room costs between $300 and $2,800, but you’ll save money if you texture your walls and paint them at the same time.
You can certainly save money on the cost of labor if you can texture drywall yourself, but make sure you have the time. If you start and choose not to finish, you’ll have to pay for the removal of what you’ve done up to that point, plus the following texture work.
A pro will charge a rate based on either the surface area of the wall or ceiling or an hourly rate. If possible, get quotes for the entire project based on size. Hourly charges for construction work remove the sense of urgency and can result in slower, more expensive work.
So the harsh truth is, there aren’t many ways to save money when texturing drywall. Remember that anything having to do with drywall is relatively inexpensive and that holds true here as well. It’s much easier to save costs on a bigger project with more variables (like a kitchen remodel).
The main way you can reduce your cost when texturing drywall is to DIY and save on the cost of labor. If you have a good relationship with your contractor, see if you can complete some of the simpler parts of the job, potentially eliminating the need for an additional worker.
Some other ways you can reduce costs include:
Combine the work with existing repairs.
Texture over existing texture to eliminate removal costs.
Get referrals for companies just starting out.
Consider paint-only textures.
Choose simpler textures.
You don’t necessarily want to buy the most inexpensive materials, as this job will have a major visual impact on your home. It’s fine to use mid-grade materials where appropriate, and the cost shouldn’t vary that much between mid- and high-grade materials. But again, the best way to cut costs is to DIY the project (as much as you can).
Drywall texture refers to the techniques used on the surface of drywall to create a pleasing visual or tactile effect. Depending on your desired outcome, drywall texture can range from incredibly subtle to a focal point of a room. Textures play a significant role in interior design and are an excellent and relatively cost-effective way to change the feeling of a room.
Orange peel texture, spray sand, and smooth texture are three most popular drywall finishes. Popcorn texture has fallen somewhat out of fashion in North America, partly due to its tendency to be finished with asbestos. Interior design has become more restrained since the time of popcorn ceilings, which explains why the more muted finishing styles are in style.
The best drywall texture to hide imperfections will depend on the size of the imperfections. Orange peel and sand are great for hiding minor imperfections—and that’s part of the reason they’re so popular. For larger imperfections, you may need some more striking texture styles, like knockdown texture or a trowel finish.
Textured walls can increase the value of your home if the style is modern and seen as a desirable feature and not something a prospective buyer would need to remedy. A good example of this is popcorn texture versus Venetian plaster. The plaster wall would add value to your home, whereas the popcorn texture may be something a new buyer would want to remove.
Certain drywall textures, like sand and sometimes popcorn, can be smoothed by applying skim coats, sanding the walls, or chipping away the texture. However, it’s worth considering removing the texture and starting with a blank canvas. Smoothing textured walls requires a lot of sandpaper and elbow grease and can take longer than just outright removing the texture.
