I had several water leaks in the ceiling and I had to replace a section of the drywall in the ceiling. The drywall is 1/2 inch thick. I installed it, its flush to the existing drywall. But now I realized on the existing drywall theres about 3/16 of an inch of compound/primer/paint, I dont know what it is. Any suggestions on how to get the new dry wall to be flush with the existing drywall?
any drywall experts out there?
- Thread starter newtohobby
- Start date
hard to believe that there's almost a 1/4" of drywall compound on the sheet... you sure you shouldn't have been using 5/8" drywall instead of 1/2"?
Anyway, assuming that the rest of the ceiling is the same as the edge you're looking at, you should replace the 1/4" with 5/8" and then add drywall compound to feather out the remaining difference over a foot, foot and a half.
Anyway, assuming that the rest of the ceiling is the same as the edge you're looking at, you should replace the 1/4" with 5/8" and then add drywall compound to feather out the remaining difference over a foot, foot and a half.
scrape back whatever material is on the existing ceiling from the edge of your new piece, tape and compound the joints between the existing piece and your new piece, if you buy a small box of Sheetrock 45 it dries in 45 minutes and you can apply another coat fairly quickly, don't try to fill it in in one coat, take your time, just use a trowel to smooth it, I suggest you use a premixed compound on the final coat. each layer should extend a little furthur till the repair disappears. if the repair area is small, say under 16 inches square, sometimes it is easyer to fill the entire area flush with compounds to the existing, larger areas speading the seam till it disappears after matching up with the existing height. sand smooth, prime and apply to match existing
Bingo!
You should never use half inch for ceilings, over time you can start to see the drywall slightly sag in between joists as they are not as strong as 5/8 in.
If you're patching the trick is to choose a thickness and shim so the patch winds up just the teensiest tad shy of the overall surface (not the drywall under it), then you finish it to an even level with your plaster/paint, hoping you have the skill to make it an invisible match. When you tape the edges, it will make matching levels easier if you shave back the surface of of the existing ceiling (and maybe of your patch piece) to allow for the tape and plaster. Make sure you clean and sand that surrounding surface so your new plaster will adhere.
But if you are now a full 3/16" shy of where you want to be, over a large area, you will have to decide whether you're better off re-installing the drywall, developing some real old-fashioned plastering skills, or hiring a plasterer.
In older houses you'll often find the dry wall (or a similar purpose-made product) used to carry a final skim of finished plaster so that all the new and old walls would all be plaster under the paint, rather than the paper of new drywall. That may be what you've discovered. You have to decide how critical your eye is; most of us wouldn't spot the difference on a ceiling.
But if you are now a full 3/16" shy of where you want to be, over a large area, you will have to decide whether you're better off re-installing the drywall, developing some real old-fashioned plastering skills, or hiring a plasterer.
In older houses you'll often find the dry wall (or a similar purpose-made product) used to carry a final skim of finished plaster so that all the new and old walls would all be plaster under the paint, rather than the paper of new drywall. That may be what you've discovered. You have to decide how critical your eye is; most of us wouldn't spot the difference on a ceiling.
what OJ said ^^^^ but also, it does sounds like you've got 5/8" on the ceiling. Maybe you measured at the factory edge where it is slightly recessed to allow for taping and mudding and installed 1/2" in error?
Yes, 1/2" should never be installed in a ceiling, not just for the appearance, but people always want to hang shit from the ceiling and 1/2" just isn't strong enough......
But just thinking, is it 1/4" thick all the way around? The new drywall will also have a recessed area to allow for mud and tape and if that is butted up against a square factory edge (with mud and tape) it could be 1/4" difference.
Yes, 1/2" should never be installed in a ceiling, not just for the appearance, but people always want to hang shit from the ceiling and 1/2" just isn't strong enough......
But just thinking, is it 1/4" thick all the way around? The new drywall will also have a recessed area to allow for mud and tape and if that is butted up against a square factory edge (with mud and tape) it could be 1/4" difference.
good advice captain obvious lol.....
SHall we start the debate over mesh or paper now?
I'm sure the existing stuff is 1/2" thick. This house was built in the late 80's and they were late and rushed everything. Haven't that said, the builder when out of business.
Then the 3/16" additional you're seeing is a skim of plaster, either continuous all across the ceiling or just localized where you had damage. Like maybe from damage before, and another patch job where the drywall was set so low compared to the rest of the ceiling that it took all that mud to level it out.
FIRST: Are you really sure you solved your leackage issues? Unless you're enjoying your drywall adventures and want more, this would be the time to take the patch off and be really sure.
SECOND: 5/8" would have eaten up more of that 3/16" so you'd have less filling, but unless you take what you've done down and re-shim or go to thicker stock, filling—and getting it smooth and flat— is all you have to do to your low patch. There's been advice above, and the interweb and your library are full of how to's w/ pictures.
One more tip from me. Do not try to fill 3/16 in a single pass especially with CGC pre-mixed mud. It'll sag and distort from all the water up there and take forever to dry. I'd use a first pass of sandable Sheetrock dry mix which is stronger and cures chemically in under an hour, then sand back any bad bumps that are not below the level of your finished ceiling, and finally skim thinly w/ the no dust CGC to finish. And sand. And skim. And … Prime when you think you're almost there. Any divot you can't see after the primer doesn't really exist.
FIRST: Are you really sure you solved your leackage issues? Unless you're enjoying your drywall adventures and want more, this would be the time to take the patch off and be really sure.
SECOND: 5/8" would have eaten up more of that 3/16" so you'd have less filling, but unless you take what you've done down and re-shim or go to thicker stock, filling—and getting it smooth and flat— is all you have to do to your low patch. There's been advice above, and the interweb and your library are full of how to's w/ pictures.
One more tip from me. Do not try to fill 3/16 in a single pass especially with CGC pre-mixed mud. It'll sag and distort from all the water up there and take forever to dry. I'd use a first pass of sandable Sheetrock dry mix which is stronger and cures chemically in under an hour, then sand back any bad bumps that are not below the level of your finished ceiling, and finally skim thinly w/ the no dust CGC to finish. And sand. And skim. And … Prime when you think you're almost there. Any divot you can't see after the primer doesn't really exist.
Mesh....and i know of hordes of folks who don't use tape or any other type of edging especially corners.
Further to what OJ said about NOT using pre-mix. That stuff is really for final finishing coats. I've used it thicker and it tends to crack because it's so soft. (small jobs not worth mixing up a batch).
I'd go with a bag of 90 (90 minutes of use) and mix it thoroughly with COLD water. If you want to quicken the hardening process use warm or hot water. DO NOT ADD WATER WHEN IT STARTS TO HARDEN!!!!!! I cannot stress this enough.
90 tends to be harder and stronger than pre-mix so put on THIN COATS so smooth you don't have to sand between them. Start off with a small 4" or 6" trowel for the first coat. Then a 10 or 12 for the second, then 14 or larger for the third and final coats (of pre-mix).
Remember: what you're trying to do is feather out the joint over a large area so it is less noticeable. That is why you use progressively larger and larger trowels.
I'd go with a bag of 90 (90 minutes of use) and mix it thoroughly with COLD water. If you want to quicken the hardening process use warm or hot water. DO NOT ADD WATER WHEN IT STARTS TO HARDEN!!!!!! I cannot stress this enough.
90 tends to be harder and stronger than pre-mix so put on THIN COATS so smooth you don't have to sand between them. Start off with a small 4" or 6" trowel for the first coat. Then a 10 or 12 for the second, then 14 or larger for the third and final coats (of pre-mix).
Remember: what you're trying to do is feather out the joint over a large area so it is less noticeable. That is why you use progressively larger and larger trowels.
Never mind...my wife has helped my with drywall, and she does a better job then some professionalsOr maybe got his wife to do the job for you instead.
Just saying!
