Ceiling texture ideas?

How about a faux finish?

When we lived in Oklahoma our kitchen counter was trashed Formica. So I wanted to try something I had read about. I tore off the top of the formica leaving the particle board underneath. I primed it. Then I took kraft envelopes (those yellow orange ones) and tore them up (You want all torn edges). Crumpled the heck out them them (the more crumpled, the better!) Smoothed them out, dipped them in a 1/2 white glue, 1/2 water solution and spread them on the counter, smoothing them flat and bubble free. Since it was a counter I finished it with four coats of spar polyurethane.

It really looked like leather. Unfortunately I never took a pic.

I knew it wasn't going to last, but for a grand total of $30.00 it was something I wanted to try. It still looked good when we sold three years later.

There are a lot of variations of this. Some say to use wallpaper paste, and you can try it with just about any kind of paper you want, from tissue paper to newsprint to.....

Before I decided on the kraft envelopes (it was the color I wanted) I took a bunch of cardboard, a big bottle of glue and just experimented with different papers.
You don't want to paint over it, but if you want color, try adding paint to the glue.

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DangerMouse said:

I need something cheap and fast, as usual, such as maybe crinkled tin foil glued up then painted?

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How about tissue paper? Not endorsing this site, just found it while trying to find an example of what I did.

http://www.thatpainterlady.com/reader-question-torn-tissue-paper-finish/

DangerMouse said:

Thanks, I've seen that method before, it's pretty nice for walls, but can you imagine an old man like me trying to do that to the ceiling? :laughing:
Remember, I said cheap and EASY!

DM

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Coarse washed river sand or the repair pellets you can buy for popcorn ceiling repair. Both availed at your paint store. Mixed into high quality and high bond/high build primer. 3/4" or even thicker nap roller. A load on the roller of sand and primer will weigh a ton though so be prepared and have a good pro quality roller handle and extension working from the floor. Sitr everything every time you touch it.

I assume you are texturing for cracks and not some deisigner look? You know if they are big, and I understand the old man thing sort of. Somebody has to climb up and tape repair the big wide ones. Are you saying you forgot to mud and tape drywall joints in your ceiling?

Cool. Do not prime them. Pick the crappiest white paint you can and find somebody who still sprays popcorn ceilings on. It is the way it was done in a time.

Seriously. No pain no gain. Your "old" lady still live with you? Similar age or is she like 20 nipping at your heels to get stuff done? As only heir.

"Honey, the roof looks kind of covered with snow and I wouldn't mind if you got up there and shoveled like the top third and maybe the rest tomorrow. I know our roof is slate but I know you can do it."

Bedroom scaffolding for old folks that just need to get away and have their own place to nap may be the best thing I have come up with since "Haircolor Just for Cats!. My new love interest is on me for doing all sorts of things. Some I can and some I cannot but if I had scaffolding in the bedroom I could climb up on and spend the next 40 years working on texturing a ceiling. I would have a project. I am thinking gold leaf, sheet by sheet. Or two fish spitting at each other across the room. I would need every scale right though.

Last related question. You any hurry on finishing this particular ceiling?