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Blue Board as Drywall

| Posted in General Discussion on January 15, 1999 08:48am

*
I have a number of sheets of blueboard left over from a veneer plaster job. I would like to use them up on a large closet/storage room project, but without the two coat veneer plaster work. Does anyone out there know if I can just skim coat the blueboard with drywall compound and have an acceptable surface for painting. Will the skim coat bond ok?

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  1. Brewskie | Jan 08, 1999 09:03pm | #1

    *
    Try some EasySand90 or DuraBond90 instead.

    This stuff will set, instead of just dry out, to achieve its hardness. And it sands easily.

    The PVA in the face of the Blue Board will work great with these materials. But you should still tape the joints and everything as usual.

    Brian Ewing

    Craftsmen Square

  2. Guest_ | Jan 09, 1999 03:32am | #2

    *
    Gene,
    I've in similar instances used blueboard for drywall. I just taped the joints and screws. Paint bonded well. The surface paper of blueboard is courser than drywall and will show texture differences compared to compounded areas. In a closet / storage area - as long as the owner or you don't care about the slightly dissimilar surfaces.

    My vote: Just tape - no skim (compound or setting compound.....)

  3. Patrick_M. | Jan 10, 1999 03:34am | #3

    *
    . . . uhh Brian?

    The Durabond 90 that I've been using for some years now doesn't sand. . . period, hell you can hardly scrape the stuff which is fine for the applications it was inteded for: first coat on corner bead, first fill in large holes, setting tape if you're really careful. Is it Durabond 45 that you're referring to or is this another instance of regional terminology/slang?

    Seldom plastered

    -Patrick

  4. Guest_ | Jan 10, 1999 04:11am | #4

    *
    Can't sand Durabond. Easy-Sand is sandable version of Durabond. Number is minutes to set - so for a real thrill try some Durabond 15 someday!

    1. Guest_ | Jan 10, 1999 04:23am | #5

      *Hey Pat know what you're talking about on the Durabond 90. We've been using a sponge to wet sand 90 and then skin coating with easy sand. Helps fix those quick patch holes instead of having to return or wait to finish. We skim coat blue board with easy sand (taped of course). But in a closet you might get by. Paint a small spot and check the results.

  5. Brewskie | Jan 10, 1999 09:58pm | #6

    *
    I had the opportunity yesterday to experiment with both Durabond90 and EasySand90 side-by-side. Not a scientific study mind you......just a side-by-side comparison.

    I discovered that Durabond90 is easier to apply then EasySand. However it set faster than EasySand even though they are both "rated" at 90 minutes set time. Durabond90 set in about 30 minutes before it became unworkable and EasySand90 set in about 45 minutes. I know that certain environmental conditions will hasten set time so this may be normal, given the temperature and humidity of the room. Both areas tested were not more then 5 feet apart so they both had the same environment (pretty much).

    I'll find out which is easier to sand in a few days. But I think the Durabond stuff is better when compared side-by-side this way. You just need to work a liitle faster with it.

    Brian
    CraftsmenSquare

    1. j_menz | Jan 10, 1999 10:30pm | #7

      *Dura 90 can be power sanded if it must, best to avoid high spots though. Ridges left between trowel passes can a cut down with a carbide scraper. The workability of either Dura or Eazy is optimized by machine mixing. I use a 1 1/2" head and feel this makes all of the mix equally wet but still seldom get near the claimed 90 minutes of working time. According to US Gypsum guidelines Durabond is the only bathroom, wet enviornment approved joint compound. If you've used Diamond plaster or similar sucessfully Durabond will be a cakewalk.

      1. Chad_Sutter | Jan 12, 1999 12:05am | #8

        *Don't you guys pay any attention to building codes? Painted blueboard or even thinly skimmed blueboard we're talking about expanded polystyrene, right?) is not a code approved finish surface. Spend the twenty bucks and install some drywall over it before your building catches fire and goes up in a ball of black smoke!

        1. Chad_Sutter | Jan 12, 1999 12:05am | #9

          *Don't you guys pay any attention to building codes? Painted blueboard or even thinly skimmed blueboard we're talking about expanded polystyrene, right?) is not a code approved finish surface. Spend the twenty bucks and install some drywall over it before your building catches fire and goes up in a ball of black smoke!

          1. Chad_Sutter | Jan 12, 1999 12:06am | #10

            *Don't you guys pay any attention to building codes? Painted blueboard or even thinly skimmed blueboard (we're talking about expanded polystyrene, right?) is not a code approved finish surface. Spend the twenty bucks and install some drywall over it before your building catches fire and goes up in a ball of black smoke!

          2. Chad_Sutter | Jan 12, 1999 12:06am | #11

            *Don't you guys pay any attention to building codes? Painted blueboard or even thinly skimmed blueboard (we're talking about expanded polystyrene, right?) is not a code approved finish surface. Spend the twenty bucks and install some drywall over it before your building catches fire and goes up in a ball of black smoke!

          3. j_menz | Jan 14, 1999 01:53am | #12

            *I thought the blueboard mentioned was the veneer system base, not insulating panels. Gene, clarification please.

  6. Guest_ | Jan 14, 1999 05:16am | #13

    *
    Chad,

    No. Not EPS. Blueboard in this instance is a 1/2" gypsum board that has a different paper than regular drywall. It has more texture so that you can skim coat it with veneer plaster.

    Steve

  7. Patrick_M. | Jan 15, 1999 08:48am | #14

    *
    So Brian. . .

    Have you had a go at sanding that Durabond 90 yet?

  8. Gene | Jan 15, 1999 08:48am | #15

    *
    I have a number of sheets of blueboard left over from a veneer plaster job. I would like to use them up on a large closet/storage room project, but without the two coat veneer plaster work. Does anyone out there know if I can just skim coat the blueboard with drywall compound and have an acceptable surface for painting. Will the skim coat bond ok?

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