Bathroom Remodel, Keep Existing Plaster Walls?

9 years ago

Hi, we have a house built in the 40s with plaster walls. we are remodeling a bathroom and removing a bump out which will need to be patched. A few contractors have quoted the project and want to tear our all the paster and redo the bath room in drywall.

My question is, can we just patch the areas where the bump out is removed with drywall, and skim coat the existing plaster walls? Seems expensive and unnecessary to remove all the plaster.

Thanks!

This post was edited by circa83 on Sat, Nov 15, 14 at 16:02

Featured Answer

PRO

Joseph Corlett, LLC

9 years ago

circa83:

Contractors are looking for sure fire successes. If they tear out and drywall, they know nearly exactly how long it will take and that the results will be excellent.

If I were your contractor, I'd be assessing your level of sophistication and fussiness. If you rated high on both counts, I'd tear out too.

Send your contractor an email stating that you understand that plaster has undulations that drywall does not and that you won't throw a hissy fit because they don't match. You've got to do something to reduce his risk of rejection.

Comments (6)

Plan9
9 years ago
Is the plaster in good condition?

If so, just patch where the bumpout will be removed. Tearing out plaster is an extremely messy job, and adds undue cost (and plaster dust for weeks throughout the rest of the house) if not necessary.

And I disagree about the undulations, unless it is a bad plaster job.

In fact, when I get around to my next bathroom remodel, not one inch of the plaster will be removed beyond what is necessary to access the plumbing, because to get a drywall job of the same quality would cost a fortune.
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dahoov2
9 years ago
Oh boy, I read this and think, OMG I will be going through this as well in a couple months. My house was built in 1959. It has plaster walls (thick too and some texture). I will have a heck of a problem... I'm adding and addition. I'll be fine with drywall in there, but two things... one is I'll be moving a door when I have the master closet removed (new closet will be the addition along with master bath). I want to move the door about 2 feet to the left because I want to put in a king sized bed and have two night stands. Right now it's only good for a queen and two night stands. So the hallway and bedroom inside will need to be patched 2' wide by whatever high... PLUS I'll be taking out the closet center wall (two side by side closets with a separator wall). That will leave a strip about 5" wide by 8' high... that will need to be patched. And then I'm taking a window out, moving the opening over about two feet and making it larger for a door to the bathroom. Leaving about 48" high by 2' needing to be patched! WOW. I'm guessing they'll want to redo the entire bedroom in drywall then? What about my hallway though? I will have that 2' wide piece. I don't want to do my hall because then that continues to the living and diningroom downstairs! LOL

I shouldn't laugh but now I'm sweating buckets because my budget was already tight!!! How good are plasterers matching plaster with random texture on walls? I hate them but don't want to pay to end up having to do the whole house in drywall. Besides, the plaster has sound barrier benefits I think.
Vertise
9 years ago
Is the plaster flat and smooth or undulating with character, making it a tougher match?

I would not do drywall, changing the character of the house. I also would not want anyone but a professional plasterer working to mesh the two areas together. You need to get the right skillset in there, with someone who is 'sophisticated and fussy' at restoration work, or it will look like you know what.
dahoov2
9 years ago
If you're responding to my post and not the originating one, mine is kind of swirled but it's imperfect. There are 50 plus years of "character" in the plaster. I will see what they offer I guess. I might have to factor in money at some point on this addition because I have a max budget. I do NOT want to have to get another loan!
KATHARINE GORJUP
4 years ago
My 1963 2 story 4 bdrm is always cold as its got plastered walls. I needed to replace the shower fixture but after opening up the wall was/am unsure how to proceed (I have a corrugated plastic board siliconed for now ). It appears all the tiles will need to be removed as matching is unlikely. How can I insulate this outside bathroom wall without topping up with drywall (which would decrease sq footage)