Anyone know anything about drywall?

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Captain_America

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technical question here:

Upstairs, there’s a room with plaster cracking in the ceiling.

I’d prefer to just install new drywall over the existing plaster, using longer drywall screws and construction adhesive.

Will this be a problem?

I’d rather not have to hack out the plaster if I can just put sheeting over it.
 
Is there a reason you can’t just use joint compound?

I’ve only put up drywall once, and it was a *major *pain in the neck.
 
Captain_America said:
technical question here:

Upstairs, there’s a room with plaster cracking in the ceiling.

I’d prefer to just install new drywall over the existing plaster, using longer drywall screws and construction adhesive.

Will this be a problem?

I’d rather not have to hack out the plaster if I can just put sheeting over it.
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If what is there now is plaster, the cheapest solution would be to have a professional dry wall man come in and fix the crack and repaint. If you have dry wall put on top, have a professional do it. Amatures will do an amature job. But if you can put up with a far from perfect job, do it yourself. As one poster has said, dry wall should be done by a professional.

Linus2nd
 
I believe it can be done - yes. But it is not really advisable.
The adhesive would be of little use since you would be putting on an already failing substrate. So you would still have to use just as many screws to hold it up.
Drywall is heavy and cumbersome. If you are going to the trouble to put up the drywall, I would say do it right - get the old plaster down, make sure everything behind it is good, and then put up new.

I agree with the previous poster - if you really don’t want to get into the whole big job, go with joint compound for now.

Peace
James
 
Don’t do it! We live in an old house and someone covered the old plaster with wood paneling, and now the wood paneling is all bowed out from the plaster continuing to crumble.

You could call a drywall person and explain the problem and ask for estimates for both a temporary repair and a permanent fix. That way you’ll know where you are with it. be upfront with the man so he can make an informed decision about coming out.
 
Yes, you can drywall over plaster. you need to do a couple of things though, you can’t simply go over crumbling plaster. You need to remove crumbling plaster section/scrape it off the lath.

Patch the void by securing a piece of drywall in that area of the approximate depth of the existing plaster (attach to joist not lath).

Secure any loose plaster to the lath using plaster screws.

Then drywall over the whole ceiling with 1/2 drywall and 2 in drywall screws. Make sure you secure the drywall to joists, not the lath under the plaster. Then tape and mud.

If it’s really crumbling all over, take down all the plaster and then drywall. If it’s just cracked, you should be able to drywall over it.
 
IMO, the best fix would be to have a good plaster “guy” repair it with plaster. However, that is expensive.

How bad is the cracking? Hairline cracks? Loose or falling plaster? Spider web cracking?

Is the finish smooth or textured? If textured, can you describe?

Is the ceiling level? If the plaster ceiling is not level, simply throwing a layer of drywall up without furring will lead to an uneven drywall ceiling.

I taped and mudded my first ceiling this year. I found it very difficult. Ceilings really seem to show every imperfection.
 
1ke provided some very good advice, IMO. Be aware too that you can rent a sheet rock jack that allows you to lift, place and position a full sheet (up to 12 feet long) up against the ceiling and screw it into place without struggling trying to hold that thing over your head while working. I did a 12x12 foot ceiling using 4x12 foot sheets and as a result only had 2 seams to deal with. (I also installed crown molding at the junction between wall and ceiling so I wouldn’t have to deal with those seams either.) Use a 10-inch or bigger knife to make and feather out your second pass over the seams. Use a light held at an oblique angle to detect any hollow spots or bumps in the finish coat and paint with a flat ceiling paint to minimize any defects you might miss.
 
I did drywall for 14yrs.

We did sheetrock over plaster many times. It just depends on the situation. Usually, if there is insulation just sitting on top of the plaster, it saves a mess and re-insulating. You also want to make sure your screwing into the framing and not just the lath boards. Find those rafters before putting up board (should be every 16in).

If the plaster just has cracks but is still solid, you can use 3/8 in. sheetrock. But that is harder to avoid sinking the screws too much. It will be important to sink the screws just a tiny bit, but not too much that the paper rips. But since your planning to use drywall adhesive, thats good and helps alot (mainly screw pops).

If the insulation is old and could use new, maybe its worth taking out plaster.

Have fun 😃
 
I think you’ve got it----there’s a layer of blown type insulation in the attic above the existing plaster.

The plaster has spider webs in it. There are good sized cracks at corner areas.

It would be one heck of a mess to take it all down, and a ton more work.

I’m thinking plaster washers might be screwed in, to hold the existing stuff in, and then the new drywall atop that.

I’m just not sure what to think. . .
 
Captain_America said:
technical question here:

Upstairs, there’s a room with plaster cracking in the ceiling.

I’d prefer to just install new drywall over the existing plaster, using longer drywall screws and construction adhesive.

Will this be a problem?

I’d rather not have to hack out the plaster if I can just put sheeting over it.
Click to expand...
Depending on the extent of the cracks, I’d just patch it with joint compound/spackle.

Years ago my dad screwed drywall onto my (old) bedroom ceiling. I was worried that it would fall on me in my sleep, but 20+ years later it’s still holding. 🤷
 
Captain_America said:
I think you’ve got it----there’s a layer of blown type insulation in the attic above the existing plaster.

The plaster has spider webs in it. There are good sized cracks at corner areas.

It would be one heck of a mess to take it all down, and a ton more work.

I’m thinking plaster washers might be screwed in, to hold the existing stuff in, and then the new drywall atop that.

I’m just not sure what to think. . .
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You could also install 3/4" plywood sleepers 16" (or even 12") on center on top of the plaster and fastened perpendicularly to the ceiling joists. These sleepers could be 3 to 4" wide and would secure the existing plaster better than a washer. After installing the sleepers you would then install a vapor barrier and then the new sheet rock, attaching it to the sleepers with adhesive and screws. I did that with a damaged acoustical tile ceiling and haven’t had any problems with it.
 
cornbread_r2 said:
You could also install 3/4" plywood sleepers 16" (or even 12") on center on top of the plaster and fastened perpendicularly to the ceiling joists. These sleepers could be 3 to 4" wide and would secure the existing plaster better than a washer. After installing the sleepers you would then install a vapor barrier and then the new sheet rock, attaching it to the sleepers with adhesive and screws. I did that with a damaged acoustical tile ceiling and haven’t had any problems with it.
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Correction to the above:

Install the vapor barrier before you install the sleepers.
 
bsf said:
What are the possible, negative consequences of omitting the vapor barrier?
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Condensation. This assumes that the space above the ceiling being repaired isn’t heated or air conditioned, i.e. an unfinished attic.
 
Hmm. I leveled a plaster ceiling with shims & hat channel prior to drywall installation and did not use a vapor barrier. Unfinished attic above.
 
./ . I’m not a fan of the look.

I guess I’m going to have someone around here take a look.
 
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