The
author of that article is a HammerZone visitor, who decided to
write an article about his project. I don't have any direct
experience with this problem, but I do know that drywall mud will
stick to many things.
First, the easy question. If your
wood windows are experiencing water damage from condensation, I
recommend applying a coat of polyurethane (if the windows are bare
wood) or, painting with a good quality oil-based primer, followed
by a semi-gloss latex paint. A little sanding to remove gray
weathered wood is recommended. I have also had luck with applying
a bead of Alex Plus caulking between the glass and the wood, after
the primer has dried, but before the final coat of paint. This
caulking is easy to smooth with a wet finger or a damp paper
towel.
As for the paneling... since that
article was written I have received a huge packet of painting
information from a representative at Zinsser, which makes a very
impressive line of primers for many purposes. One of their
pamphlets is "Tips For Painting Paneling" It recommends
Zinsser's B-I-N Primer Sealer, which will stick to many surfaces
including the glossy surfaces that are found on paneling. If it
appears that the surface is already okay, it may be that you are
seeing the leftover wallpaper adhesive. I would recommend removing
wallpaper adhesive with Zinsser's DIF Wallpaper Remover. That
stuff really works! I once tried removing thick wallpaper glue
with just water and elbow grease... I never did get it all off.
What a mistake.
Zinsser also sells the Bondex
line of Texture Paints. I have no experience with these products,
but they are designed for what you are doing... covering walls.
Check out www.zinsser.com
for info on finding a dealer near you. I know Home Depot sells
their line of primer.
As for filling in the lines
between the bricks, I would try this: Mix up some drywall mud, and
apply it with a trowel or wide putty knife to the lines, and then
strike it off with a putty knife, leaving only the groove filled
with compound. After this first coat has dried, you should be able
to apply texture paint or drywall mud. There are special rollers
for applying thick gypsum compounds... they look like the same
material as those 3M plastic-fiber abrasive scrubby pads,
For filling the grooves, I would
use the "setting type" drywall compound, as it won't
shrink near as much and hardens much faster. There are different
setting times available, try the 90 minute for a good balance
between fast hardening and decent working time.
For the final coat, you can use
pre-mixed mud or setting type.
As for using watered-down drywall
mud... sure. I always dilute my drywall mud to get a smoother and
creamier consistency. But MIXING it is the trick. I bought this
huge mixing paddle tool, about 4" in diameter and 2 feet long
(which goes in an electric drill) at Home Depot for $17. And it's
worth every penny! I use it for mixing mortar and other things.
But... it requires a fairly powerful drill. There are smaller
versions of this same mixing paddle that may better suit people
who don't own big 6 Amp professional-grade drills. I'm currently
writing an article that pictures this mixing paddle, in a day or
two it'll be on-line.
If you try to mix water into
drywall mud and stir it by hand... well, GOOD LUCK! My arm hurts
just thinking about it. I flat refuse to mix anything that thick
by hand (maybe I'm getting too old!)
When I add water to drywall mud,
what I look for is mud that will still stick to my taping knife
when I scoop some up and hold the knife upside down. If it's too
thin, it drips all over the place, that's the only drawback to
adding too much water.
Whatever you do, you really
should prime the wall first. If you don't, and that plaster
covering starts to flake off in six months because the wall flexed
a little, you won't be able to go back. I once painted paneling
without any de-glossing or primer... and the next day the paint
would peel off IN SHEETS if I just scraped it with my finger nail.
Boy, did I regret that paint job!
I'm not sure that I would leave
the baseboard on while applying the goo. I would try removing the
baseboards and window/door casings, applying the compound, and
then later scrape off the high points so the trim will sit on an
even surface. This would leave a much cleaner line of contrast.
You might find that removing baseboard is less work that masking
it off. And you can sand/re-paint the trim while it's off. I
always remove trim, and I always re-finish it while it's off, then
I caulk the gaps and touch up the nail holes later.
Plus, while the window trim is
off, you can insulate and/or caulk between the jamb and the wall.
This can significantly reduce cold air infiltration around the
windows and doors.
I'm sorry if it sounds like a lot
of work, but a quality job takes time. If Zinsser says paneling
can be painted, then I am confident that it can also be covered
with a gypsum-based compound. But I know one thing from the paint
business... nobody will ever honor a warranty if you don't prepare
the surface properly... that's why I insist on using the right
primer.
Please keep us posted on how
things work out.
Bruce W. Maki, Editor.
