# 3/8" drywall question



## Draftsman69 (Jul 31, 2012)

I'm new here so I'm combining my introduction with a question. I bought an old house that has tongue and groove boards on both sides of every wall in the house. Would 3/8" sheetrock screw down smoothly or would it sort of transfer the texture of the wood beneath it like 1/4"? The tongue and groove stuff is in good shape, but in some places one board's edge may stick up higher than the next. Not much, but I don't want to start installing it and look back and hate what I see.


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## DannyT (Mar 23, 2011)

wouldn't this be the time to remove all the tongue and groove and maybe update the insulation and maybe electric while the walls are open? you can drywall over it if you want. just remember that wood expands and contracts with temp and humidity changes and probably not at the same rate as drywall does. but it's your house and if you want to leave it for the next owner it's up to you. i would do it right.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

If that's a concern then why not just use 1/2" instead of 3/8"?
If you use drywall adhesive you can use far less screws that may pull the drywall so tight the flaws may still come through.
I apply the glue to the drywall in a rectangle 2" from the edges then form a big lazy S in the middle. When the drywall hits the wall I roll over the whole sheet with a hand floor roller to spread out the glue then screw it in place.
Do not install it tight to the floor, lift it up about 1/2" off the floor.


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## Draftsman69 (Jul 31, 2012)

No we paid to have an independent building inspector look it over and all that is fine. Besides we live on the Gulf Coast and the tongue and groove solid decking on all the walls really adds a lot of rigidity to the house. It was built in the late forties and has survived all the hurricanes since then. It just need to know if the 3/8" s/r will look good. I've always installed 1/2" and thicker. I have no experience with lesser thicknesses.


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## Draftsman69 (Jul 31, 2012)

joecaption said:


> If that's a concern then why not just use 1/2" instead of 3/8"?
> If you use drywall adhesive you can use far less screws that may pull the drywall so tight the flaws may still come through.
> I apply the glue to the drywall in a rectangle 2" from the edges then form a big lazy S in the middle. When the drywall hits the wall I roll over the whole sheet with a hand floor roller to spread out the glue then screw it in place.
> Do not install it tight to the floor, lift it up about 1/2" off the floor.


 Thanks I will try that. Much appreciated.


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## tony.g (Apr 15, 2012)

Draftsman69 said:


> I bought an old house that has tongue and groove boards on both sides of every wall in the house.


If that was my house, I'd leave the t&g boards exposed; plenty of character.


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## Draftsman69 (Jul 31, 2012)

tony.g said:


> If that was my house, I'd leave the t&g boards exposed; plenty of character.


I sort of like it too, but my wife wants it to look more formal. If she's happy, I'm happy. Besides I have a really nice guy's den/football room at the back of the house just off the kitchen, so I got mine as well.

Thanks anyway!


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## tony.g (Apr 15, 2012)

Draftsman69 said:


> If she's happy, I'm happy.


that's some of the best advice i've seen on this forum!


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## woody4249 (May 4, 2012)

tony.g said:


> that's some of the best advice i've seen on this forum!


:thumbup: Wisdom is a wonderful thing


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## jimhamp (Apr 26, 2009)

*newbie...howdy*

i had the same boards on a house i remodeled and there was no insulation in the walls. i would visually confirm the presence of insulation in the exterior walls.

we removed the boards from our wall and replaced with drywall. we left the boards on the ceiling and painted white, after removing and flipping to hide the tacks that held cloth.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Another idea is to just install sheetrock at the bottom of the wall, and leave the wood at the top.
Add a chair rail or panel cap at the top of the sheetrock.
Want it fancyer then you could add judges moulding on the sheetrock. (Google it)


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## md2lgyk (Jan 6, 2009)

Wow, I learn something new every day. Been DIY remodeling for almost 40 years and have never heard of, let alone seen, 3/8" drywall.


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## tony.g (Apr 15, 2012)

md2lgyk said:


> Wow, I learn something new every day. Been DIY remodeling for almost 40 years and have never heard of, let alone seen, 3/8" drywall.


 
Excuse my ignorance here - this may be down to language difference.
By 'drywall', do you mean 'plasterboard' (ie a gypsum plaster core with paper binding wrapped all around the long sides, and intended for skim-coat plastering?)
We have 9.5mm thick board (equiv. to 3/8") which is supposed to be used just for ceilings, while 12.5mm (1/2") is for stud walls, though lots of builders skimp and use the thinner stuff for walls as well.


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## mae-ling (Dec 9, 2011)

YOur 9.5mm on the ceiling, is htere something under it as well (like plywood) How close are the ceiling joists/trusses.
Here we use stronger stuff on the ceiling then the walls Either a special 1/2" ceiling board or 5/8" then regular 1/2" on the walls.


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## tony.g (Apr 15, 2012)

mae-ling said:


> YOur 9.5mm on the ceiling, is htere something under it as well (like plywood) .


 
Nope: it's just nailed direct to the underside of the floor joists, which are at 16" centres, with 1 1/4" galvanised nails, and then skimmed.

Roof trusses are 24" apart and, except in Scotland, are never boarded over. 

Breather felt is nailed on top, then 2x1 tiling battens, then concrete interlocking tiles.

Fortunately we don't have serious climate issues, or earthquakes, or termites etc.

(speaking of annoying creatures, we do have difficult Building Inspectors, 
but that seems to be a world-wide problem).


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## md2lgyk (Jan 6, 2009)

tony.g said:


> Excuse my ignorance here - this may be down to language difference.
> By 'drywall', do you mean 'plasterboard' (ie a gypsum plaster core with paper binding wrapped all around the long sides, and intended for skim-coat plastering?)
> We have 9.5mm thick board (equiv. to 3/8") which is supposed to be used just for ceilings, while 12.5mm (1/2") is for stud walls, though lots of builders skimp and use the thinner stuff for walls as well.


Yes, I mean plasterboard (gypsum wallboard). I think "drywall" is actually a brand name. But I did not notice that your aren't in the United States. The most common size here, except for firewalls, is 1/2" for both walls and ceilings. I have seen 1/4" but only in mobile homes.


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