While patching electrician’s access holes during a kitchen remodel, I managed to mirror reverse one fairly large patch piece – it fit perfectly at the edges, the hole for the receptacle box was in exactly the right place, etc….just that the wrong side faced out. Dang!
After a moments temptation (“heck, you’re gonna skim coat it anyway”), I put the offending piece into the scrap pile and I re cut another with the “good” side out.
That raised an interesting question – would the wrong side out have actually made any difference once taped, primed, and painted or skim coated?
The good side is white, the other is tan.
The good side’s long edges are tapered to facilitate taping (not an issue with a patch).
Is the good side’s paper stronger than the other? Less porous? smoother? holds plaster better? All of the above? None of the above? None of us knew the answer. We should know the answer. Who better to ask than “Breaktime”?
Mike D
Replies
That is a good question, I have no idea.......
Tan side seems a little rougher to the touch, seam taper issue. Strength of paper is an unknown for me.
If you are going to skim coat the whole area, probably does not make a difference.
I was gutting a house in the Lower 9th ward in New Orleans. We we pulling drywall out of the house and if you got lucky, you could remove half and whole sheets.
I pulled one piece off of a wall and found wallpaper on the "back" of the sheet. You could not pick out this piece versus the adjoining sheets but I am not sure you can judge appearance on a wall which has been underwater.........
Jim
It's an interesting question. I know that the back does not take paint/primer as well and without skim-coating, it may need an extra coat or 2 of primer with a little sanding to get the same smooth finish as the front.
Also, the manufacturing process may not easily allow both sides to be the same and/or it's a cost-saving technique.
On small patches (say 2' X 2') I have used the back side many times. Sometimes because I forget which way I'm looking at it and sometimes because the front is damaged. I simply skim-coat the entire surface and then treat it the same as any other piece. I can't tell the difference. I wouldn't hesitate to use the back for larger pieces, but then it becomes a question of practicality.
On a separate note, did you know that drywall has a "grain"?
"Did you know that drywall has a grain?"I've heard that, but I don't remember if it's stronger lengthwise or from side to side. I have a picture showing which in one of my "how-to" books.
It's stronger lengthwise... not that it's ever really mattered for the kind of residential, non-seismic work that I do.
"grain"?
wheat, rye, or oats?
Whatever, so long as it's distilled.
A strong nation, like a strong person, can afford to be gentle, firm, thoughtful, and restrained. It can afford to extend a helping hand to others. It's a weak nation, like a weak person, that must behave with bluster and boasting and rashness and other signs of insecurity. --Jimmy Carter
its pretty funny when you walk into a new house to tape it, and there's the one backwards piece of drywall sticking out like a... backwards piece of drywall. lol. usually on the ceiling.
Gypsum weed!
I have used it back to. Different texture paper, but as long as you skim coat it over - no problem.
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where ...
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One interesting factoid, if in fact it is a fact, that I have heard about plaster skincoating.Usually blue board is used to bond to the veneer plaster. And if you don't have blue board (or forgot) one uses regular board with a bonding agent OR can use regular board installed backwarks because the gray paper will bond better..
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
Yep, that's how the plasterers here in Des Moines were doing before we could readily get blueboard.Have some jobs that go back quite a ways that are still looking great. no chunks of plaster falling off the walls or ceiling.
Barry E-Remodeler
Yes, rouygher and has more tooth, but plaster board also better for plaster because it won't such the moisture out of it too fast
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Bonding agent? What did you use?
Mike D
I have not done it. But IIRC Plaster Weld is one brand..
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
Well, I've done it.
It was a sidewall in a closet which I had cut into one of the dead spaces in a gambrel-roofed house.
My mates ribbed me for "mis-cutting" that sheet, but really, I was just being cheap and lazy, since I could get both closet sides out of one 8' sheet.
It painted up just fine, but yeah, I probably used a bit more primer.
AitchKay