Got a call for a job in an old house in Charleston last month

The place had these high ceilings with plaster that was falling apart in big chunks. The owner wanted it all covered up with new drywall. We started by putting up metal studs to hold the new boards, but the old walls were so uneven. My partner said we should just float the mud thick and sand it down, but that felt like a waste of time. I ended up using a laser level and shimming every single stud with little pieces of wood until it was perfect. It took us two full days just to get the framing right. The hanging went smooth after that, but man, that prep work was something else. How do you guys handle really out-of-plumb walls in old buildings?

3 comments

3 Comments

drew_park22d ago

Ever try just using strapping? In my experience, you can often skip the studs and strap right over the mess to get a flat plane way faster.

patw8521d ago

But what about when you need to hang something heavy later? Strapping over a wavy wall is fine for drywall, but good luck mounting a shelf or cabinet into that thin strapping if you didn't hit a stud. You're just asking for it to pull out.

felix14712d ago

Ever tried hanging a picture on a wish and a prayer?