# Resurfacing Old Drywall



## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

Depends on what route you're going.... smooth and paint? Texture and paint?
repaper?

DM


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## KevinACrider (Feb 21, 2008)

Smooth it down and paint it, if possible. Texture as a last resort. I refuse to repaper anything.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

No reason to thin the joint compound if you are going over raw seams. It will take more than one coat anyway. Also the walls must be washed to remove all of the old wallpaper adhesive before you can skim coat or paint.


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## KevinACrider (Feb 21, 2008)

I don't know how many seams are raw and how many are just mudded and not sanded but it's probably a pretty even mix. I won't know better until all the wallpaper is off.

I just want to fix all the pitting, lumps, etc and give a nice smooth wall for paint.


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## redmanblackdog (Jan 7, 2011)

First, the problem sometimes and i hope you don't have it is that the wallpaper can pull the face paper off of the sheetrock. If this happens it is a real problem and I would go over all of it with new rock where possible. But if you get the paper off and you with no problem then you need to first address all of the areas that need mud. I would clean the wall first, then you need to finish mudding the job they didn't do to even out the surface of the wall. Then if you still need to skim the wall to make it look nice, I would use finish mud with sanding after. If possible I would use finish mud to skim with. It is easier to sand. Keep apply mud and sanding until you like the smooth finish.

Do not try to save money on the primer. To thin will hurt the look of the paint. The primer seals the surface, and sets it up for the paint. If you decide to texture. You need to prime before and after texture to get the best results.


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## bjbatlanta (Jul 16, 2008)

You'll no doubt have areas where the face paper tears. (Or you'll be extremely lucky and I'd go buy lottery ticket). Get as much of the loose paper off as possible. Sand the entire area. Prime the surface with KILZ or ZINSSER and mud the bad areas/joints with as many coats as necessary. Then "glaze" coat the walls with some thinned compound. Sand, prime, and paint.


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## masterofall (May 27, 2010)

_If your going to mud the whole wall use a taping joint compound for the first coat as the glues in it will give you better adhesion. Go to a finishing compound after that_


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