Patching and Plastering - How do I apply/float texture to wall.

I am putting up a new wall and looking to apply texture. Everywhere I go, I see the texture that it applied with a spraying device and then flatten with a trowel. This texture is too small and will not match my existing walls The texture I am looking to apply looks to be the standard for new homes and though it is floated on, I believe it is applied to the float and then swirled in random patterns. The texture I am looking to replicate is quite thin, maybe 5 pc’s of paper. I am not looking for the extreme/aged look of hand floated plaster.

Any ideas on resources I can research the process? Also, what kind of float? Type of mix, dry or premixed?

Thanks.

Not sure what texture you mean but have an idea. Do you mean like exterior stucco but a lot smoother. Well if you do I have a few tips. Also, what part of the country are you?? That will help a lot. Anyway, use USG lightweight joint compound. This is cheapest and most accessable. You can thin it out with water but not too much. Buy a hawk. A hawk is a 12" square piece of flat metal with a handle on it. Buy a pool trowel. This is a 14" trowel with rounded ends. This trowel is a lot more flexible than other trowels. Will also need a six inch and twelve inch knife. Scoop out some mud and put it on your hawk. take the mud from the hawk with your trowel and put it on the wall in a varying pattern. its up to you how thick and how much coverage. Let an area set up for about 10 min. Then knock it down with your twelve inch knife. Don't confuse this with knockdown. this is to smooth out all the lap marks etc... When the area you are doing is dry you can sand down the whole area to smooth out even more.