# Any problems with adding new drywall ceiling to existing textured ceiling?



## Eagle One (Feb 11, 2011)

We are getting our bathrooms remodeled and currently have the snowflake textured pattern ceilings in there. Our options are to remove the ceilings and put in new drywall, scrape and sand the texture off, or, as my contractor would like to do, just add new drywall over the existing ceiling. He says he has done it before and it works well and is easy to do. I would prefer not to make a mess of the attic insulation and all of that by removing the exisiting ceilings so we ruled that out and my contractor does not want to do the scraping (without charging us extra I presume) so the two options left are to try and mimic the textured ceiling where it needs it or put in new drywall over everything.

Are there any drawbacks to putting the new drywall over the existing ceiling? I presume it just crushes the textured part under it?


----------



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

the only real drawback on a ceiling would be if the walls were textured. Then that transition would be really hard to get right.


----------



## Eagle One (Feb 11, 2011)

Well, our existing ceiling IS textured (snowflake pattern). Would you then not recommend that option?


----------



## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

You will be fine overlaying the old ceiling with fresh drywall.


----------



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

No if the walls are textured. He will probably use 1/4" but he should knock the points off first.


----------



## Eagle One (Feb 11, 2011)

I don't think he was going to knock anything off the existing ceiling. I was wondering how the points would affect the new drywall. When you nail that new sheet up on there, wouldn't the texture cause some damage (potentially depending on how large the points are)?


----------



## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

You need to knock down the high spots---this is a bathroom---

How much extra work would it be to demo the old and start fresh?

PS--use 1/2" for the overlay--it will stay flatter---1/4" is so flexible that it will show every wave and need serious amounts of glue to stay flat---


----------



## Eagle One (Feb 11, 2011)

Good point on the 1/2" overlay. It is actually two bathrooms so more work involved to tear down ceiling. Contractor doesn't want to do it though. I am actually fine with the textured ceiling if we can mimic it well enough. Any good trick to that?


----------



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Depends on what kind of texture on how hard it is to mimic a pic would help because there is so many and the same one will be called different names in different areas.


----------



## Eagle One (Feb 11, 2011)

Ok, will try to post a pic next.


----------



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

The problem I see with 1/2" overlay would be the weight. Most codes call for 5/8" on ceilings, now add 1/2" and you have 1 1/8" of drywall. Next time in the box store pick up 2 sheets together this is a lot of weight.


----------



## Eagle One (Feb 11, 2011)

That is another good point about the weight....I was a little concerned about that too. I am attaching a pic of the ceiling texture. If we can mimic this close enough, I think the preference would be to do that rather than try to add another layer of ceiling.


----------



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

That looks like a paint roller cover run thru drywall mud while it was still wet. If you have an old roller laying around try some on a piece of cardboard and see how close it looks.


----------



## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

Might want to water down and mix the mud good first.


----------

