Re-taping or Repairing Old Drywall

[jmiah717]

I have basically two walls that are drywall and two walls that are cinder block. I'm trying to make an effort to make my garage an nice workspace that maybe it'd be nice to hang out in and drink a beer and watch some football. The problem is the house was built in the early 80's and the drywall on the two walls and the ceiling have not been touched since then. There's been some water damage in some places but structurally, the drywall seems great. It just has a lot of tape that looks like it needs to be replaced and maybe it needs mudded again? I'll try to get some pics but I'm wondering what you all would do.

Rip out old drywall and replace with new, retape and remud, something else? I can't put anything over the drywall on the side attached to the house due to the firewall...I would have preferred to do the whole garage in MDF.

Thoughts? I'll try to get some pics tonight when I get home.

 

[rlitman]

If the spackle was poorly applied, you can always add more before a repaint.
If the tape is peeling due to being done wrong (like it didn't have spackle under it in spots), it can be replaced. If it is peeling due to water damage, you should replace the sheetrock.

 

[jmiah717]

The drywall is unfinished but a lot of the tape certainly looks like it is peeling. I haven't tried to peel it off yet, but I imagine it will come off pretty easily.

 

[forAK]

The drywall is unfinished but a lot of the tape certainly looks like it is peeling. I haven't tried to peel it off yet, but I imagine it will come off pretty easily.

If it is peeling, then it wasn't mudded correctly. Peel it off and re-tape/mud again. If the rock is sound, just leave it.

 

[jmiah717]

So, one of the issues is that I don't know how to mud or tape correctly. I assume that it's not rocket science, but it always seemed like there was a method to it and an art that I'm not schooled in.

 

[EOC_Jason]

So, one of the issues is that I don't know how to mud or tape correctly. I assume that it's not rocket science, but it always seemed like there was a method to it and an art that I'm not schooled in.

It's not rocket science... Watch a few videos... Just take your time and be sure to let it dry good before sanding.

Are you going to texture & paint it afterwards? If you see any nails popping up, pull them and replace with sheetrock screws (or you can run a screw that overlaps the head to hold it down if you can't get it out without messing up more sheetrock).

 

[Wood'nMetal]

I can't put anything over the drywall on the side attached to the house due to the firewall...I would have preferred to do the whole garage in MDF. .

Why can't you overlay the whole garage in MDF if that's what you want to do?

Before I spent much time messing with old drywall work I'd probably overlay it with 1/4" or 3/8 drywall and finish it right.

 

[ptgarcia]

My garage is in the same state of repair. The previous owner nailed up drywall and did a sub-par job taping then never painted it. Now, the drywall is so bad that when I tried to paint it to buy a few more years out of it the paper pulled away from the gypsum and stuck to the roller. I said "f"-it and now I'm saving so I can pull it all down and start fresh. That will give me the opportunity to run electrical in the walls at the same time.

 

[johnnyradiant]

I'd leave up the old and put a on over top. A lot of garages are left with tape and only one coat of mud on the nails and such because in most places that is all that code requires. It doesn't stand the test of time but it meets their building standards at the time of inspection. The original stuff will still work as a retardant to fire spread and by adding a second layer of even standard 1/2" drywall you will get even more fire protection and sound deadening. Round here silverfish are pretty plentiful. Places like one-coat garages and mechanical rooms look pretty weird in the taped corners if the place has any silverfish chillin.

Figure on three coats with very very little sanding in between coats to knock down the highs and each coat gets feathered out further and further. Also figure on a few spots needing a little touch-up of mud here and there after your three coats. Your little tape joint when done will be in the 12" wide neighbourhood when done with a careful final sanding. If striving for a really good job when your aquired skill set isn't quite honed you can cheat - once you get really close but still have some areas that you keep sanding down to the paper - a no-no, you can put some primer/sealer paint on and then when dry hit the area again with filler and sanding. You're unlikely to over sand past the paint and it gives you a secondary starting point to feather your mud out from. You won't get there with a 6" putty knife or spatula. You will need to graduate up to a nice trowel. Most people's garage's don't require such refinement as they are only garage's but if it is place you hangout in or work out of by all means mud away. A single light source, especially at a low angle will help find the imperfections, often many times easier than a daylight bright fluorescent lit room.

 

[ddawg16]

If it is peeling, then it wasn't mudded correctly. Peel it off and re-tape/mud again. If the rock is sound, just leave it.

This ^^.

As long as the drywall is not crumbling, it's fine.

On the cinder block wall you have two choices. Paint it or cover with drywall or OSB.

Better yet, pay a stucco guy to put a nice smooth stucco coat on it.

If you decide to use drywall or OSB, make sure you put a vapor barrier between the block and OSB/drywall. Personally, the stucco coat is the best option.

 

[flan]

Could be water damage causing the peeling tape too

 

[TractorJeff]

I had some guys come over to redo a hallway in our house. They tore out the old drywall(which I didn't agree with), then put up new drywall with tape and mud after watching a few YouTube videos. Came out great!

 

[jmiah717]

Any thoughts about just throwing OSB over the drywall? Will that break code or is code good as long as I leave the drywall in place?

 

[ddawg16]

An adjacent wall to the house has to be 5/8" Type X drywall for fire protection.

If the drywall is already there, and it's not an adjacent wall, you are not gaining anything. If you are worried about how the drywall looks, wait until you put up OSB....

 

[Mustang1167]

Look into having a plasterer skim coat the walls. I just had some work done and it turned out great. Guy was a true professional and it was cool to watch him work.

 

[mike93lx]

Don't use mdf. It is like a sponge and will absorb any water, including humidity, resulting in swelling and mold.

 

[readhead]

The drywall looks bad because it was fire taped which is all that is required for inspection. Plus it is probably discolored which adds to the bad look.

The drywall should be sound. Cut off any loose tape and apply new tape in those locations. Once that is dry start coating the seams, angles and spot the nails or screws. The first coat will show up any more loose tape as bubbles. Cut those out and retape. Coat a couple more times or until you are satisfied. Check YouTube for some techniques. Apply texture if desired. Since there is some water damage and discoloration apply a primer like Kilz or similar and then a finish coat of the color of your choice. I presume the source of the leak has been repaired.

As long as the fire rated drywall is there and sound you can cover it with anything. I think MDF would be a poor choice but it's your garage so do whatever makes you happy. With probably fifty bucks worth of tools and material you should be able to make the wall look new again and have some new tools and skills for working on the rest of the house. Get to work.

 

[NUTTSGT]

So, one of the issues is that I don't know how to mud or tape correctly. I assume that it's not rocket science, but it always seemed like there was a method to it and an art that I'm not schooled in.

Not many places better to learn to to finish drywall than the garage.

 

[Commendatore]

There's also no shame in hiring it out if you try to do the drywall and it goes poorly.

Just kidding, there is a little shame. But you can lessen that by basking in quality work from someone who knew what they were doing. [emoji3]

 

[WQ59B]

Unpainted spackle/tape will let go over time- it's not always 'done wrong', sometimes (often) its just humidity/moisture over the years- spackle is permanently water-soluble.

I've been in my house from new ('92), and the unpainted common garage wall has shed a few lengths of tape in the last 3 or so years. There has never been any leaks/water damage. Seen it in numerous other houses also.

- - - - -
The test for old drywall is to spackle it in a number of areas. If the moisture in the spackle ends up bubbling the paper when it dries, the paper layer is basically shot. You could try and prime it all as is, then spackle (then re-prime the spackled areas)... but maybe then it's better to rip it out & replace OR cover over with 1/4-in.

 

[jmiah717]

So, I guess the biggest current question is whether it's worth the time and effort to mud, retape, and paint instead of putting something over top. The choices would be plywood or drywall. Seems like it would look far better and be way easier to deal with if I just covered up the old with something new. What would be the issues with doing that? I've gotten some other great ideas in here though that I may try instead. This won't happen soon, more so planning for the future project.

 

[finn]

Our old house, built in 1984 had the same issues. I replaced one sheet that was water damaged from moisture and road salt evaporated from the car and stripped and replaced probably thirty feet of tape that had become loose.

Three coats of mud, sanding, and some cheap white builders paint and it looked great.

The paint really lightened up the formerly dingy garage, too.

No place better to learn to do drywall than a garage. No hallways to drag new sheets through and cleanup only involves a broom and open garage door.

 

[forAK]

So, I guess the biggest current question is whether it's worth the time and effort to mud, retape, and paint instead of putting something over top. The choices would be plywood or drywall. Seems like it would look far better and be way easier to deal with if I just covered up the old with something new. What would be the issues with doing that? I've gotten some other great ideas in here though that I may try instead. This won't happen soon, more so planning for the future project.

Just re-tape/mud and then prime/paint. Done. Save your money and time. Waste of time and money to cover it up. Plus your outlets and switches will need to be brought out to match the new depth if you covered it, the trim around doors....