bathroom remodel


  #1  
Old 11-05-02, 07:56 PM
samkak
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Posts: n/a
bathroom remodel

Hi--I just found this website, and glad I did. First time to post a message, so hope I do this right.

Planning to remodel our older bathroom and need advice. The walls have old marlite paneling that was applied with liquid nails about 30 years ago. I'm sure if we try to take it off, the drywall behind it will come w/it. Any suggestions?? Can I apply new paneling or drywall over the old marlite? Also may consider wallpaper. How would I prepare the marlite wall. I really don't know what to do. Just know it has to have an update, but don't want it to turn into more than I can handle. And really don't want the drywall sanding, dust, etc. mess either.

Would really appreciate any ideas.

Thank you very much.
 
  #2  
Old 11-05-02, 09:33 PM
L
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Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Arlington, WA
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Welcome, samkak, and you did just fine.

You're right, if you try to remove the Marlite, you will destroy the sheetrock it is attached to. That will mean resheetrocking the bathroom, and the mess that comes with that. That's the downside of going that route. The upsides are that it would give you a look-see at the framing of the walls and an opportunity to repair any water damage or dryrot that may be lurking there, a chance to replace the 30+ year old insulation (assuming that at least one of the walls is an exterior wall) that is too full of dust and dirt to be effective anymore (assuming there IS any insulation!), and a clean surface to work with that, done properly, should last at least another 20 to 30 years.

The upside of wallpapering or paneling over the Marlite is that you avoid the remodel mess. The down side is that within 5 years you will probably be unhappy with what the bathroom looks like and be faced with this situation again.

If it were my bathroom, that Marlite and the sheetrock behind it would be at the local landfill by this time tomorrow!
 
 

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