Question:
My project this summer is to rip out all the 30 year old paneling in my laundry room, insulate and replace it with sheet rock. I am looking for suggestions for finishing it. I don’t want the bother and expense of getting a contractor in to spray plaster but would like to have something more than an unfinished wall. I am considering just painting all of it but would like to hear if anyone found another solution that was cheap and easy for joe average homeowner to do? John Eaton
Response:
Um, once "sheetrock" is taped, compounded, sanded and primed with a PVA primer it is no longer "unfinished". It is done. Then you can paint it with a nice mildew resistant paint and it ought to be good till ???? (at least 50 years, probably indefinately). You really don’t want a "sprayed plaster" (actually textured wall compund) finish in a laundry room. It will hold lint and lint hold mpoisture and moisture means mildew. Just hang, tape, compound, sand PVA prime and mildew restaint paint is a pretty darn aggressive project for most DIYer. Good Luck! * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
Response:
have written: > My project this summer is to rip out all the 30 year > old paneling in my laundry room, insulate and replace > it with sheet rock. I am looking for suggestions for > finishing it. I don’t want the bother and expense of > getting a contractor in to spray plaster but would > like to have something more than an unfinished wall. > I am considering just painting all of it but would > like to hear if anyone found another solution that > was cheap and easy for joe average homeowner to > do? > John Eaton
I suggest that you read a DIY book on drywall, just to get the basics. Use bathroom grade 1/2" drywall in a laundry room — it will survive the occasional plumbing disaster. Use the self-adhesive mesh tape on the seams, and cover it with setting-type drywall compound. This is purchased dry in bags, and mixed for use. It is available in multiple setting times — I recommend 90 minute mud. The combination of mesh tape and setting-mud is phenomenally strong. Use a small taping knife to apply the mud, keeping the setting-mud below the level of the surrounding drywall as much as possible. On butt-joints, use a very thin layer of setting mud — if you use the yellow mesh tape, you ought to be able to barely see the yellow through the mud — but just barely. You want all of the tape covered. Once the setting mud has started to set, you can apply a finish coat of regular finish-grade mud. Here’s where you make the decision: do you go for a totally smooth wall, or do you go for texture? Texture is easier for the unskilled homeowner, but the both require about the same total time. The joint finishing time that texture saves is generally eaten up by the need to work on the entire drywall surface, and not just the joints. You can apply a perfectly satisfactory texture by simply slopping and spattering finish mud onto the drywall — throw little gobbets of mud at the wall, and then stroke over them gently with the taping knife, flattening the tops. This is called a "mediterranead" or "knock-down" texture, and it can look really spiffy. You can also just smear a more-or-less even coat of mud on the wall and use a texture roller (available from any competent paint store or home center) to roll various standard textures into the mud. One of the nice aspects of texture is that it looks fine with gloss or semi-gloss paint on it. Such paint sheds dust and grime far more easily than standard flat wall-paint, and makes wet wipe-downs quite practical. — Kirk Kerekes Red Gate Ranch
Response:
: I am considering just painting all of it but would : like to hear if anyone found another solution that : was cheap and easy for joe average homeowner to : do? I have done several drywall jobs myself – hanging, taping, and mudding. However, when it came time for texture I hired a local drywall guy. I think I spent about $100 on the last job for one large 450 sq ft 11 ft ceiling room. Texture isn’t necessary but I like the look of the knock down style. Note texturing will not cover up a bad tape and mud job. Mark
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