Drywall guy back with questions on prep. - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Will · 07-26-2005, 12:06 AM

I asked some questions like a week ago and you guys were foolish enough to reply with good information, so I am back to ask more..

Since I am now doing remodels and having to take over some of the painting jobs.. Before this I worked strictly new construction so some of these things over old stuff is new to me..

Working on the small remodel job now that I was actually asking the paint questions for. Ceiling right now is currently textured with a slap brush that has been painted, they want a new textured ceiling(knockdown). Lights got moved, some of the ceiling wasn’t done so great so they wanted all new.. I originally quoted to just put 1/4 new drywall over it to start fresh.

Well I guess their budget got way blown on other parts and they are trying to do any grunt work they can to save money. Since they don't feel comfortable laying he new drywall on the ceiling they are going to try and remove the texture..

So here is my question, they tried scraping it and they are beating up the paper pretty bad. Tearing I guess the top layer and making it all fuzzy. They also said it took forever to do even a small area. I stopped by to look at it today and in a small area next to theirs I just took one of my rasps and knocked it all down. It isn't smooth but a texture is going over this.. It went very quickly though.

I told them I would try to find out if they could just do this so they could save the money in having me hang new.

So, can I just have them do this and get it somewhat smooth with no ridges and then just prime with GARDZ and texture over it? It is stuck down very well. And will GARDZ fix up that area they beat up enough so I won't have any problems? The area isn't all the way through the paper, but as he scrapped off layers of the paper kept coming off as he was trying to get it smooth..

I have done about a million textured ceiling, but every single one was new construction and the drywall was new..Never done this before with having to remove one.

Thanks for any advice.

AAPaint · 07-26-2005, 01:24 AM

Why not do a simple skim coat to give you a nice surface to work with? Cheap way to go too, and you'll get a very nice finish product. However, if you're doing a knockdown, and it's not perfect you shouldn't be able to tell. Personally, I'd recommend the skim coat because it's really the best way to go.

Will · 07-26-2005, 02:51 AM

Well to skim it, it would need at least scraped to get all the bigger tips off or I could never get it flat. The same time it takes to do that they could take it down to darn near flat with the rasp. It would need primed before the skim as well, I was mainly just concerned about the frayed paper section and if primer would be enough on that before either a skim or texture.. scrap/prim/texture would be ok on the rest..

I think the best thing might be to just rasp it all semi flat, prime.. Test the texture, if it doesn’t look right just turn it into a skim coat.. That skim coat wouldn’t then need primed again would it? Since just more compound is going on top..

They do want to leave it unpainted in the end..

Thanks again

Dale · 07-26-2005, 08:17 AM

...leave it unpainted in the end??

AAPaint · 07-26-2005, 12:30 PM

Yes, that would work fine. If it's easy enough to remove, then have them remove it. You will still have some rough looking areas like the paper you mentioned. Just skim that spot and any other bad ones I guess. However, when you put the new texture on, be careful that your blade doesn't skip on the peaks and bumps left over or you'll see the trowel marks in the knockdown.

Once primed and skimmed, you shouldn't have to prime that again.

Dale, it's not uncommon for textured ceilings to NOT be painted. When they're done they are pure white anyway. The only time I paint one is if they don't want a flat sheen or if it's an old house with yellow ceilings that needs it. Done right, the texture will cover everything and they'll have a nice white ceiling no prob. :Thumbs:

Will · 07-26-2005, 06:29 PM

I personally like the unpainted textured ceilings. Makes it super easy to do any touch ups in the future as well.. Just throw some more on or if you have like a vaulted ceiling and it ever cracks you can simply wet it and fill in with whats already there.