Drywall Question

[TowPro]

I am working on a double wide mobile home. The construction is 2x4 stick built but the wall covering is 1/4" drywall with a vinyl covering that looks like good wall paper. Where the 4x8' sheets meet there is matching 1" strips nailed over the joints.



I want to paint the walls, but don't want the strips left on. When you look at the sheets they don't have the recessed edge like normal drywall for the tape and compound. If I just use compound over the joints I am afraid it will crack over time. Should I attempt to tape these joints? I have done 4x12 sheets in the past where you run them horizontal, they don't have the recessed edge either but we still taped them and they looked good.



Anybody done this before? I did a test spot in a closet to see if the compound sticks and everything looks good.



The alternative is to remove all the wall covering and install 1/2" drywall, but that's about 3X as much work then finishing what is already there.



Plus the money saved on drywall could go torwards trimming out the windows like they are supposed to be.

 

[Alan Reagan]

I think if you tape over the vinyl, over time the compound may tend to crack and turn loose and you might have a pretty big mess later on. You may want to consider leaving the joint strips on. It's the adhesion to the vinyl that would concern me. Plus, the walls or frame flex it might cause cracking in the joints.

 

[Paychk]

How about latex caulk, it will hold paint, and flex some too.

 

[TowPro]

Do you think it can be sanded after it drys to feather the edge? This might even allow me to do it without the tape.

How about latex caulk, it will hold paint, and flex some too.

 

[daveshoe]

You have three problems to solve here--adhesion,crack repair,and obtaining a uniform finish over the entire wall. The first is paint adhesion. Talk to a good paint store like Sherwin Williams on what primer will bond to the vinyl wallcovering. IF and I do mean IF they can give you the green light on this, I would follow all their advice on washing/degreasing the wallcovering and then apply primer over it before doing any taping. Drywall mud will certainly adhere to primer much more readily than to vinyl. To keep the joints from cracking,apply fiberglass mesh tape over the joints and then roll on a coat of bonding agent called Durabond to the tape. This will really make the tape stick to the drywall,and actually is used by plasterers to bond plaster to questionable surfaces. Durabond [one word]smells just like Elmers Glue and is tinted pink.

I would then bed in a coat of dry mix joint compound also available at SW paints and embed paper tape right over the mesh tape. Cracking problem should then be solved. Not to confuse you, but this product is called Dura Bond [two words] . The dry mix compound is much stronger than ready mix mud and dries chemically like plaster as opposed to air dry like joint compound.

To provide a uniform appearance over the entire surface,a textured surface is in order. Texture can be cheaply made from topping compound thinned with latex paint. I think the easiest surface to apply may be ''popcorn'' sprayed on with a gun,and then knock it down with a 24'' taping knife. The idea is to let the surface partially dry, and the knife will partially flatten or ''skip trowell''the surface. A 24'' knife lets you apply the very light pressure critical to success. Skip trowelled is also much easier to paint than the rough stuff.

Probably the biggest key to your success is to do the prep correctly,and practice on an unimportant room or wall before going hog wild on the entire project. Try that closet from start to finish before you tackle the rest.

I have used these and similar methods to repair old plaster walls with good results. Good luck,and PM me if you have further questions.

 

[TowPro]

Thanks for the info so far, keep it coming



Anybody tried No coat ultra tape or Ready Patch

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I just talked to the co that makes Ready patch, they said your working time is short and it gets real hard, but they said try it, it will not crack, and even if you do get an expansion crack just re-apply it and touch up the paint.



Look at it this way, if what I want to do don't work, I will have to replace (or cover) all the walls with new drywall. I got no choice (according to the wife)

 

[JPope]

Following up on what daveshoe said, if the material in the joints is differenent than what is one the vinyl, the finish appearance will look like streaks, due to the absorbancy difference. Good primer will make it look uniform!!!



And consider some type of reinforcement in the open joints if you mud them in!! the final width of your joint compound can make butt joints work well (10" width minimum)

 

[Byershome]

Hang 1/2" drywall on top of it (vertical) and be done with it. Yeah it will cost more but you will be adding some fire protection and strength to the wall and in the end the job will hold up longer and look better. Trying to patch the seams and paint the vinyl is going to be an endless headache. Also that vinyl usually has some texture to it that will show through unless your finish can cover it.

 

[daveshoe]

Hang 1/2" drywall on top of it (vertical) and be done with it. Yeah it will cost more but you will be adding some fire protection and strength to the wall and in the end the job will hold up longer and look better. Trying to patch the seams and paint the vinyl is going to be an endless headache. Also that vinyl usually has some texture to it that will show through unless your finish can cover it.

That is why you need the texture paint over the repaired surface. I have gone over some pretty rough stuff with excellent results. Of course,we are now talking a little beyond common handyman skills here. I just repaired a ceiling today. There was plaster missing down to the wood lath in places. I mixed up thick plaster[perlite] for the missing plaster,mixed up veneer plaster for some damaged finish coat,and then mixed up some secret formula sand finish modified with retarder to go over the entire ceiling. After trowelling it on

1/8'' over the ceiling surface,I used a sponge to raise the sand to the top and create a swirl effect. One fourth the time and one tenth the cost of a new drywall ceiling.

The splatter guns do enable the average person to achieve a decent looking uniform texture finish. You could also consider showing this thread to a drywall finisher and ask him what they would charge if you did all the primer work and had the mesh tape glued on. I have seen professional finishers skim the entire wall instead of just the joints

I will not dispute Mr Byers statement,but I will add that correctly finishing new drywall can present a real challenge to a handyman. A knock down texture after two bed coats would still be a good option--or find a drywall finisher that will moonlight on your project.

 

[Byershome]

"but I will add that correctly finishing new drywall can present a real challenge to a handyman"



Which is why I would recommend hanging the drywall vertical to eliminate most(if not all) of the butt joints and leave only tapered edge joints to finish making the job far easier to do. I just think going over the vinyl wallpaper (with paint textured or not) is just a future problem waiting to happen. Wall papering over it might be an acceptable alternative that would minimize surface deficiency problems and bonding issues. Wall papering is not an easy project for the inexperienced either.

 

[swmnkdinthervr]

Thanks for the info so far, keep it coming



Anybody tried No coat ultra tape or Ready Patch

#ad
?



I just talked to the co that makes Ready patch, they said your working time is short and it gets real hard, but they said try it, it will not crack, and even if you do get an expansion crack just re-apply it and touch up the paint.



Look at it this way, if what I want to do don't work, I will have to replace (or cover) all the walls with new drywall. I got no choice (according to the wife)

Be careful of the material you choose... some is tough to finish/sand! If your trailer is stable I'd consider using fiberglass mesh tape on the joints when you finish them to help avoid cracking... one thing prime before you finish the joints so your compound will stick to the vinyl coating.