# Drywall over existing wall?



## bbuchwalter (Dec 27, 2006)

I am thinking of re-doing my daughter's bedroom. Here is my question. I have an OLD house. The walls I believe are plaster but they have like a "concrete" feel to them underneath. They are also very wavy. I am thinking of just putting quarter inch drywall over the existing walls and putting new trim down. Anyone have any advice on this? I have no idea what im doing. haha


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## Handyman50 (Sep 28, 2007)

Plaster is applied in two coats over lathe and chicken wire; a scratch coat and a finish coat. Plaster is made up of lime or gypsum, sand and water. So, it will appear to be concrete like underneath. I have never plastered, but my dad was a plasterer for 21 years. As a kid I would work on jobs with him keeping plaster and stucco moist in the summer.

Personally, I am not in favor of drywalling over the top of a wall with the texture that you describe. You will have nothing but problems; especially with 1/4" drywall. It will be very flexible and conform to the wall. If it were me, I would either remove the plaster or use furring strips and 1/2" drywall. The main thing is to get the walls as plumb and square as possible.


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## mgarfield (Jan 27, 2008)

I have a friend that just put up 3/8 over plaster and lath. After it was all said and done he will NEVER DO IT AGAIN... I helped him lay it, the whole time I was saying we should just tear all this down. After the fact he agreed we should of. 

The only thing you are saving doing this is a little clean up from demo of the current walls. You will end up with real nasty gaps in the drywall as nothing is going to be square and the walls will still be wavy.

Tear it all down and start new. Get a 4 or 6 foot level and carpenters square and restud the walls where needed. When plaster and lath was used walls didnt need to be straight because they made up gaps and level with the plaster. You dont need to restructure the walls just scab on studs where needed to give yourself a close as possible to true wall. 

While your in there its a great time to look at things like electrical and update or upgrade where needed, ie new light fixture, switches or outlets. 

If you drywall over the walls the trim will look bad too because of the waves in the walls. You could end up with some significant gaps and waves when you put a new piece of straight trim on a wavy wall.


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## mgarfield (Jan 27, 2008)

One more pro the demoing it. If the room has outside walls the could be inadequate or even no insulation in the walls, good opportunity to reinsulate the outside walls and keep the room warmer and you bills a little lower.


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