Keep plywood walls?
#1
08-21-09, 03:07 PM
Keep plywood walls?
My house currently has plywood, not wood paneling, used as the only wall material inside the house as well as on the ceilings. It looks like they floated a very thin layer of drywall puddy over it. The exterior has nothing but weatherbords nailed to the frame. There is no insulation. The walls were plaster, but that all got taken out in the last 40 years. The house is 170 years old and less than a mile from the ocean(hurricanes). Everyone has told me to leave the plywood up and just put drywall over it because the plywood is what's giving the house sheer strength. I guess I'm just looking for more feedback on whether to leave the plywood and drywall over it, or if I can take it down?
#2
08-21-09, 03:58 PM
I'm sure there is some truth that the plywood gives the house strength..... but no insulation
what about the electrical?
There is no problem with installing drywall over the plywood. You can even use 1/4" or 3/8" drywall if you want - it's lighter and easier to install
what about the electrical?There is no problem with installing drywall over the plywood. You can even use 1/4" or 3/8" drywall if you want - it's lighter and easier to install
#3
08-21-09, 04:50 PM
You can cut holes for new wiring and then then fill the walls with insulation before applying Sheetrock. You will have to consider how to handle door and window trim. Most houses like yours they just but the Sheetrock against the trim leaving it looking half buried. I don't like that look. You can extend the width of the jambs with spacer strips then reinstall the trim. If you are installing new windows which would probably a good Idea you of course replace the jambs.
#4
08-21-09, 06:14 PM
Hey, thanks for the replies! You really can't tell that there is plywood unless you dig into it, but for safety/fire concerns I'm wanting drywall. And, it would be nice to get that wood out of there, but if it helps and isn't hurting to much I guess I might as well keep it in?
As far as electrical go, it's pretty current, at least most of it is newer romex. There is still some old wiring that I'm going to take out, which I can run without cutting too many holes (the baseboards are about 8" tall with nothing behind them but the framing).
I'm probably not going to bother with the insulation. These houses are so close together, they stay pretty shaded. My upstairs power bill was $85 last month and that's after I took the insulation out of the attic (I had a rodent problem along with about 200lbs of other animal waste...not pleasant)
Ray, you're right about the trim work. In the two rooms that still have plaster, the trim shows about 1/4" to 1/2". Where there is just plywood it ranges from 1" to 1 1/4". I haven't figured out if i'm going to just cut around the doors/windows or pull the trim off and build it out.
As far as electrical go, it's pretty current, at least most of it is newer romex. There is still some old wiring that I'm going to take out, which I can run without cutting too many holes (the baseboards are about 8" tall with nothing behind them but the framing).
I'm probably not going to bother with the insulation. These houses are so close together, they stay pretty shaded. My upstairs power bill was $85 last month and that's after I took the insulation out of the attic (I had a rodent problem along with about 200lbs of other animal waste...not pleasant)
Ray, you're right about the trim work. In the two rooms that still have plaster, the trim shows about 1/4" to 1/2". Where there is just plywood it ranges from 1" to 1 1/4". I haven't figured out if i'm going to just cut around the doors/windows or pull the trim off and build it out.
