Bad sheetrock prep for paint

[timster2]

I had the same problem in a bedroom found some 1/4" sheetrock at HD. You have to look for it or call around to find a HD or Lowe's that has it but it is available. Cover over the existing walls with the 1/4" tape mud and paint. Easy to put up and a lot quicker than trying to skim coat and fix all the imperfections. You will end up with a nice clean wall to paint without all the mess associated with ripping it out and starting over.

 

[RoMad]

My BIL is a drywall man and we have done a few jobs together. He buys 1/4" drywall and covers bad walls like you have. It is quick and easy and looks good when you finish.

 

[lilranch2001]

When you buy drywall compound you can buy the bucket/tub of premixed stuff or you can buy "setting type" which is dry powder in a bag. The setting type comes in various types that set in 20, 45 or 90 minutes. I suggest getting the "lightweight" or "sandable" versions. Maybe it's just me, but I find it easier to work and stronger than the premixed stuff.

Durabond is one trade name

 

[OKnewguy]

I remodel for a living. If things are not to bad, I would use Gaurdz, It glues everything down, and then a skim coat of mud. I might have missed it, but what are the finished walls going to be? If texture, some are pretty forgiving. You can apply a knock down texture (which is probably what your house has if 80's era) or it might have some thick stuff. There were some pretty heavy textures in the 80's so maybe you could get lucky and it could match the rest of your house. If you are going to go with the texture that is popular now (light trowel swirls) you have to use really thinned down mud and have your walls really smooth.
Dave

 

[EddieWalker]

I remodel for a living and deal with wall paper fairly often. Depending on the decade the wall paper was made will depend on how successful you are at getting the glue off. The 70's was a very good decade for glue. No EPA to mess with and as a result, some very good glue was used!!!! Everything built and used in the 80's is crap, and usually pretty easy to clean up. By the 90's it all sort of got worked out and it comes off pretty easily.

Of the different types of glue removing products, I like the one with the shark on it. I think it's made by Zinnsser. The trick is letting it do it's job, but not waiting too long. You want to soak it, then wait for it to work. Then it scrapes of real easy. If you wait too long, it dries up again and the glue holds it onto the sheetrock again. Timing is everything, so work in a small area at a time.

If it's really sticking and nothing is getting it off, I either replace the sheetrock or put another layer over it. This is always more work because in addition to hanging the sheetrock, you also have to tape and bed it. This is my last resort, but sometimes the fastest and cheapest if the wall isn't salvageable.

Either way, you will have to float, feather and sand it to make it look nice. Go with the 80 grit paper from Home Depot. The Gator stuff from Lowes is just pure crap.

I like the premixed joint compound with the blue on the box. It's a lightweight, easy to sand, easy to mix and apply joint compound. The green label box dries so hard it wears you out sanding it. I always buy it by the box. I have a plastic cup in my drywall toolbox that works great for how much water to add to the box. Always add water and mix up your premixed joint compound. You want it like butter. Soft and smooth when you apply it.

I use three trowels. I start out with an 8 inch and work up to the 16 inch. For inside corners I have two trowels, a small and a big one. For outside corners, I prefer the metal corner beads, but will use the plastic from time to time if I think there is a reason for it.

Are you going to texture the walls? If you have never done it before, and you don't have a hopper, the spray cans work great for small areas. I use them all the time for patch jobs. Be sure you get the non odor type if you want to do the wall. It goes pretty quick and you will need quite a few of them, but they are simple and easy to use with great results. For an entire wall, a room or a house, I use my hopper. It's more work, but a lot cheaper with the hopper. You just need to own a hopper, air compressor and hose.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[JRobyn]

Thanks again guys. I think I got it. I still have some of the glue-like stuff I used before (sounds very similar to the "Gaurdz"), then a light sanding to knock off most of the raised latex edges, then I'll try skimming with dry-mix compound. If I can't get a decent surface (for final coating of latex paint), I may wind up covering over with 1/4".

- Jay

 

[newbury]

Just remember - go wide
I spent years using an 8" taping knife and now 12" is minimum.

 

[JDgreen227]

Just remember - go wide
I spent years using an 8" taping knife and now 12" is minimum.

I really enjoy hanging drywall because it's a challenge to see how well you can fit the boards...taping and mudding are what I hate doing...my work looks like a chimp with a pushbroom spread the mud....:laughing:

 

[Looking4new]

I like the mudding and taping, I hate the sanding. use the b i g knife, Luke.

 

[teejk]

For "skim-coating", wide knife (for initial taping you want smaller knives because you can over-load the joint and the tape will not bed properly). The USG premixed compound is widely available in either "green" (general purpose) or "blue" (lightweight). Maybe just my experience but I thought the "blue" had higher shrinkage but does sand much easier than the "green" which will be important on a skim coat because it's hard to avoid the ridges where your knife overlaps. You probably will want a texture on the wall when you paint because texture hides a lot of flaws (that's why they do it!). For a small powder room it will be hard to justify buying/renting a texture sprayer so see what your paint guy has. They used to sell a sand type product that you added to the paint, otherwise you might want to checkout textured primers. You will definitely want to prime.