can I drywall our house?

[Nickell]

Hello. My wife and I just purchased a 1975 double wide on a wood framed basement. We are thinking about getting rid of the wood panelling and replacing it with drywall. We would also like to drywall over the ceiling (it is long tile with plastic runners). The interior walls are 2x2 and I am not sure about the trusses (I think they are 2x2 as well). I am worried that the structure will not be able to support the added weight of the drywall and we will run into problems. Does anybody have an opinion about this? Also, what thickness drywall should I use (I have heard many different things: use 1/2" on walls and 5/8" on ceiling; use 1/2" everywhere; some people have reported using 3/8", and I just ran across an article that suggested using 1/4" in trailers).

[JD]

Hi Nickell,

If you have established that these are indeed 2x2 walls (1-1/2" studs) I would not use sheetrock. The older mobile homes I have seen with 2x2 wall studs did not use 2x6 floor joists. I would be very concerned about the added weight. You could use luan panels on the walls. These could be primed, textured and painted. If the ceiling panels can be salvaged, that would be your best bet there.

JD

[Maureen]

Hi Nickell,

I own a '73 home with 2x4 walls, 2x2 roof trusses and 2x6 floor joists. I wouldn't consider placing drywall up anywhere. I'm also on a foundation, still wouldn't do it.

There are other options out there! Mark offers a technique in his book about renovating old walls to make them look like drywall. For your ceilings, you want to add the least weight possible. A drop down ceiling might work. But, you've have to look into the weight issue. You can also disgiuse the ceiling in many ways, using light weight products.

Since you're on a basement type foundation, you also have to take that into consideration. Weight is still an issue.

Maureen

[Yanita]

Hi Nickell,

Check out the albums, link in the blue/grey task bar above. Someone has a pic of their ceiling redo, they used textured wallpaper that looked like old tin ceiling tiles and then artfully painted it.

Welcome to the site...I too caution the added weight to your home.

Have a great day!

~Yanita~

[Greg]

Nickell, Hi & welcome. As the others have said, weight is a major issue. Yes it can be done, has been done and is some cases major problems have come from it. I have always said that with enough planning and money ANYTHING is possible, You have to make the decision if it is feasable or not. Greg

[Guest]

This topic makes me wonder how my 79 matamora is built. It seems to have 2X3 walls on 24" centers. The side walls have a sheetrock with a plastic like woodgrain on the interior. It looks like maybe 1/2". The space between each sheet of sheetrock is covered with a plastic strip as is the top. I assumed these were designed to let the panels move around a little without cracking. The ceiling is 3/8" sheetrock attached to what I think are 2X2 trusses. I haven't got a good look at the trusses yet since there is no access to the "attic" space.

[Nickell]

Thanks for the help everyone. I think we will stick with the panel board and probably fill in the gaps then paint over. As for the ceiling I might try spray foam in the larger hole (about 5" around) then using filler over it and trying to mimick the textured pattern. I will also fill the small holes and then paint over. Thanks again, this site is awesome!

[Yanita]

Hi,

When we changed the location/removed a few lights here of course we were left with the holes. I repaired them by just a very quick squirt of the spray foam and then mudded over that. The final coat of mud I used a 4" roller dampened and rolled thru the mud before it was completely dry. It gave just enough texture that once I painted the ceiling nobody else noticed it was a patch.

LOL, of course I can sit here and spot every patch, but I think that is because I know they are there!

Have a great day!

~Yanita~

[JD]

I just did an estimate for a guy that was asking about putting sheetrock over all the walls in his large double wide. He had a nice real wood paneling where you could see grain texture as well as the dark grooves. He was fixing the home for resale and said he wished he could just paint the walls, but there were a couple of badly damaged panels in the living room/great room and in one bedroom. He also had one walk-in closet in perfect condition. After measuring it, I showed him where he could salvage all the panels in the closet and it would be enough to repair his walls. Then he would only need to replace the panels in the closet. Since it was a closet, I told him to just replace the paneling with paneling that is available locally and then paint that. This saved him a bunch of money and work.

JD

[Maureen]

Great tip JD!

We have that same type of paneling. It's as close to wood paneling as you get these days!

I didn't have to salvage any of it yet, but I will once I get the boys out of the house! They have a walk in closet in that bedroom. That bedroom has seen 9 years of little boys growing into young men. They aren't always careful! Not to mention Ryan's dog destroyed one panel by trying to eat it. Actually, she just scratched the heck out of it.

This really works for me! I plan on taking that walk in closet and turning it into a full walk in pantry for the kitchen.

All I have to do is get rid of all the kids that Ryan's grown up with. Now that he's all grown up, and they have also... they've adopted us and have no plans on leaving for the next 8 years! They're all working and going to school for associate degrees. Most are looking at masters degrees. They can't afford rent here at $600.00 a month for one room each, so Ryan's taken them in!!! They're paying rent and for the most part quiet. But, I don't think I'll ever get my true office space.

I sort of feel like a frat house mom at this point LOL! Gotta love all those twists and turns that life gives us these days..

Maureen