[Shop-talk] Covering sand textured ceiling?

[Wayne]

I grew up in a 1917 vintage house with plaster over wood lath. Have lots 
of experience patching plaster cracks, and I've spread a little drywall 
mud over the years. It's been years ago (1980s) but I think it's still 
relevant to current materials: plaster cures (crystallizes) and expands, 
like cement; mud dries and shrinks. Mud is NOT good in large layers or 
cracks.

We had a kitchen ceiling cave in from a water leak above. Dad's initial 
thought was rip it all out and drywall the ceiling. But we were still 
able to find a guy that was an expert plasterer. He laid a couple coats 
on it, didn't have to do much if any sanding, and it was ready to prime 
& paint. I don't remember exact details (been 25 or so years ago) buy I 
think he used something like tile backer-board or metal lath to replace 
the water damaged stuff, and laid a skim coat over the whole thing.

If you can still find a plasterer, I'd try them. Heard there's been some 
resurgence in the trade. Some high end houses go for a full skim coat of 
plaster over drywall, instead of just mud joints that dang near always show.

-w

On 12/21/2012 9:35 AM, Tim wrote:
>> My whole house has a sand texture ceiling- not a sprayed on coating
>> like
>> popcorn, but 1/4" - 3/8" thick plaster type stuff with very coarse
>> grit sand
>> on the surface. Impossible to scrape off. Also impossible to match
>> when you
>> patch a hole of which I have many. So i need to cover it. Laying
>> drywall over
>> it is easiest but I'd need to do a lot, plus the light holes. So I'm
>> looking
>> into covering it.
>>
>> Tried tonight with watered down mud and it should go in 2-3 coats. but
>> I also
>> thought using actual plaster might work, and in one coat. Will plaster
>> adhere
>> to this stuff? Doesn't seem to be painted and I only need 1/4" max. Or
>> should
>> I just use more drywall mud? I'm decent with the technique so it won't
>> take
>> forever, but I only want to do it once.