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Discussion Forum

drywall vs. skimcoat over blueboard

| Posted in General Discussion on May 26, 2004 10:05am

I’m building a new home – my first – and as a longtime owner of old houses, I really love plaster.  I’d like to consider doing skimcoat over blueboard as an alternative to traditional sheetrock, but I don’t have any first hand experience with it.  How does it compare to plaster over lath and how much (compared to drywall) can I expect to pay?  My builder dismissed the idea as being elitist and not worth the cost (over 2x drywall.)

Thanks in advance for any input. 

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  1. MojoMan | May 26, 2004 11:29pm | #1

    Where are you located? This is a regional thing. Around here (Eastern Massachusetts and other near-by parts of New England). Blueboard and skimcoat is the standard residential wall finish. Skimcoat plaster is done by skilled craftspeople. If you don't have folks in your area that really know how to do it, it's probably not an option. If you do, it's a great way to go.

    Al Mollitor, Sharon MA

  2. User avater
    EricPaulson | May 27, 2004 12:54am | #2

    I hope this thread grows. I'd be interested in price as well. Can't they make sheetrock that doesn't look like graph paper?

    Eric

    1. MojoMan | May 27, 2004 02:15am | #6

      I had a basement plastered this winter. My sub charged me about $1.35 per square foot of wall (Not much ceiling area...suspeneded ceiling.). That included the material, the blueboard, hanging the board, the plaster, the corner bead and a smooth plaster finish. I had to hump over 100 4x8 sheets arond the house and down into the basement and get rid of the waste.

      These guys are amazing. A crew of four 'hangers' hung all the board in one day. It took them only about as long as it took me to get the board in the basement, and like most basement jobs, there was lots of detail with closets, soffits, a bathroom, a stairway, etc. It took the plasterers (4) about 2-1/2 days to plaster it all. 

      No sanding, no dust.  Ready to prime and paint.

      Al Mollitor, Sharon MA

      1. User avater
        EricPaulson | May 27, 2004 03:51am | #8

        You got a sweet deal for sure. Do the tape the joints and corners?

        Taped rock for $1.25 is a deal if you can find it.

        Eric

        1. MojoMan | May 27, 2004 04:30am | #10

          Mesh tape on all joints and inside corners. Steel corner bead on outside corners.

          Al Mollitor, Sharon MA

  3. User avater
    Mongo | May 27, 2004 01:02am | #3

    If this is going to be your home, then make it YOUR home.

    Veneer coat over blueboard is an excellent finish. Compared to drywall it's better visually, more pleasing aesthetically, better acoutstically, more durable, etc, etc.

    The cost will vary with popularity, as Al mentioned. In areas where it's common, the price can almost be the same as drywall. Usually it's about a 30% premium. In areas where you are, it may indeed be twice the price.

    Realize that the installation is faster, and goes up with less mess. No sanding, etc.

    I'd shop around, though, just to get a warm fuzzy. Your builder is resisting, so he may be ballparking the price up to try to scare you off.

    Be elitist,

    Mongo

    1. User avater
      CloudHidden | May 27, 2004 01:51am | #5

      Here in NC, I got quotes be/t 4 and 5/sf! That was 4 years ago.

  4. RW | May 27, 2004 01:47am | #4

    I agree. It's a great finish, and it's common as frog hairs here. I've done it, and it is, certainly, not for the average yahoo with a trowel. Fortunately, when I did it, I had plenty of experience and brains available to keep things smooth. And yes, for a place where not many know what it is or how to do it, I think twice the cost of drywall sounds cheap. Having had that hawk in my hand, I agree that you really want someone who knows what they're doing. Their speed and mine are two entirely different animals. And plaster isn't forgiving to the slow.  Is that a safe way of saying been there, done that, not going there again?

    "If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." - Mark Twain

  5. davidmeiland | May 27, 2004 02:26am | #7

    I have a fair amount of experience with getting plastered (ha ha), and the cost of 1 coat of USG Diamond Finish over blueboard was about 40% more than the same amount of level 5 drywall. That was when I had a sub who was fairly priced and really good (it was fascinating to watch), and did great walls that looked just right in older homes. The done-in-one-day-with-no-dust part is a huge plus, but the main thing is that the walls are harder and resist dings a lot better. The occasional hairline crack does open up but, hey, it's plaster. Having a skilled guy on the trowel is everything, and knowing what primer to use if painting is also key--USG actually makes a primer for the plaster products. Now I've moved and have not found a plasterer in these parts... too bad.

  6. ed2 | May 27, 2004 04:23am | #9

    helps sound deaden    haven't seen anything here about texture    did a house w skimcoat plaster, smooth walls and ceilings    plaster dudes did rough drawn coats in the closets, looked good   if known about it might have had walls done that way in couple rooms   saw house w rough ceiling, looked sharp

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