# 3/8 drywall



## buletbob (May 9, 2008)

you will be fine with 3/8. why not use 1/4" sheetrock.


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

It will not crack = Guaranteed. (as long as you install it as you would normal sheetrock, by placing butt seams over your studs. You will obviously need use longer drywall screws, and remove your trim-moldings. (tho, we have also installed it on some jobs, while leaving 90% of the molding in place)

FWIW: We have done many, many of these types of remodels over the years, using both 3/8" and 1/4". 

I suggest that you use the 3/8" over the 1/4", due to the fact that there are so many irregularities in such older plaster walls. We have had better overall finishes by using the 3/8". The 1/4" will tend to show more of those humps, bumps, and ripples....Where-as, the 3/8's lays much smoother and more uniform, hiding the old wall issues better.

Just realize that you will have to build out your trim and molding to match the 3/8" and also install spacers for your electrical outlets and swithc plates.


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## buletbob (May 9, 2008)

Not to Butt heads with ALANTIC, His way has brought him good results, dealing with home owners and trying to meet there demands as with bugets, ect, ect, what we do is come to the job and come to a cunculison thats right for you and I as a contractor with reguards to call backs.The ideal way would to gut the room and bring everything up to standards. If money is an issue then read on. If the plaster is secure to the wooden lath and not loose what we have done , and this is where the 1/4" comes in. we spread drywall compound over the existing plaster with a 1/2 notched trowel. install the sheetrock over the compound . by doing this the compoud will fill in the hollow voids that are in the wall cutting down on any visable lumps in the wall. if there is any loose areas in the plaster that you had noticed or was concerned about then install a few drywall screws in that location into the drywall and through the plaster into the stud, then install a back band around all doors and windows to cover the cut edge. You must rip off the back band the amount needed. If there is already a back band then remove and rip and then install. if the casing is going to be removed then you can still cut a rabbit on the back of the casing, instead of building the casing out. this way you don,t have to deal with the casing infringing on the barrel of the door hinges and changing the window stops.from not meeting the window casing.
P.S. I am not saying there is a right way or wrong way to this project. Because Each home is completly diffrent from the other. I my self have performed this task many times with great results. But if the walls are that far out no mater what you install over it, its going to show 1/4" or 3/8".
our company was founded by my grandfather in 1921 and when dad retired and I took control of the company I have never had a complaint of any problems with the drywall lifting. Like I said earilyer each job Must be inspected to come up with a souliton for the repair, with limited insight from your post (pictures) it is hard to come to a resoulition. Good luck with your project. BOB


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

buletbob said:


> Not to Butt heads with ALANTIC, His way has brought him good results, dealing with home owners and trying to meet there demands as with bugets....


This is true. The majority of the overlays we do are on older homes, with limited budgets (owners), Boston area triple-deckers, and older rental units. If you were going to approach the project with a larger budget, then the process would be to remove all the bad plaster to the studs, etc, etc...which we have also done.

FWIW: I am completely in agreement with everything buletbob stated. His experience shows.

The method of overlaying is definitely a cost-efficient method over complete replacement. 
To Clarify: What I am talking about are older plaster walls that are cracked with minimal issues that will cover. I definitely agree that more serious and significant lumps, bumps, and ripples should be taken care of before the overlying process. If areas are missing or falling apart, then those areas can be removed, and patched-in with 1/4" or 3/8" S/R sections, in order to make the wall surfaces all unified in thickness, and which allows the overlayed 3/8" to lay flat.

FWIW: We too have had 100% success rates in our overlays, and have never had a call back in over 25 years. As a matter of fact, we were in a unit about 2 years ago, that we overlaid 10 years previously (some of the walls), and we had a hard time finding (picking out) the walls that we overlaid.

Example of a completed overlay project:
1/3 of molding left, 1/3 of molding removed and re-installed, 1/3 of new trim installed. This was a rental unit (cost-efficient project). I know, "before" pictures would help....


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