Covering an Interior Cinder Block Wall
#1
01-08-10, 03:42 PM
Covering an Interior Cinder Block Wall
I have a condo in a highrise (3rd floor) in Hawaii and some of the interior walls are ugly painted cinder block 
. I want to cover it somehow 
.
Does anybody have suggestions for how to fill in and smooth over 2 small walls where there is too little clearance for drywalling?
For the three larger walls where I can drywall, should I just screw the drywall to the cinderblock, or should I attach furring strips to the cinderblock before attaching the drywall?
Here are some relevent points specific to my situation that should be considered:
1) insulation is irrelevant, the condo is open air
2) it's above grade, so moisture is not an issue
3) the wall is painted and probably has had many coats of paint since 1964 when the building was constructed.
4) the grooves between blocks are 1/4" deep.
5) there are two small walls (4x8) that it would be impossible to drywall over because there is not enough clearance to allow it
.
6) there are 3 larger walls that could be drywalled, but I want to minimize the amount of space taken up by drywalling because the rooms are small.
thanks for your help!
. I want to cover it somehow 
. Does anybody have suggestions for how to fill in and smooth over 2 small walls where there is too little clearance for drywalling?
For the three larger walls where I can drywall, should I just screw the drywall to the cinderblock, or should I attach furring strips to the cinderblock before attaching the drywall?
Here are some relevent points specific to my situation that should be considered:
1) insulation is irrelevant, the condo is open air
2) it's above grade, so moisture is not an issue
3) the wall is painted and probably has had many coats of paint since 1964 when the building was constructed.
4) the grooves between blocks are 1/4" deep.
5) there are two small walls (4x8) that it would be impossible to drywall over because there is not enough clearance to allow it
.6) there are 3 larger walls that could be drywalled, but I want to minimize the amount of space taken up by drywalling because the rooms are small.
thanks for your help!
#2
01-08-10, 04:58 PM
Were it mine I would first look to see if there is any way that moisture can migrate through the walls -- at the mortar joints or in the webs of he blocks. Once I knew for sure the walls would stay dry I would plaster them. For me that is easier than either furring it our and drywalling or trying to drywall right to the block. And if there are moisture issues you sue want it furred. But I would paint it with a good bonding agent then plaster it. Gypsum plaster is easier to work with but in some markets it is hard to find. Portland cement plaster is easier to get than gypsum plaster in some locales, is probably cheaper and gets hardr and stronger.
You can trowel Portland cement plaster almost as smooth as a lime/gauging finish on gypsum plaster.
You can trowel Portland cement plaster almost as smooth as a lime/gauging finish on gypsum plaster.
#3
01-08-10, 05:20 PM
Moisture is definitely not an issue on the small wall that cant be drywalled, because it is completely on the interior. Maybe I can start by trying to plaster both sides of that wall and see how it goes. Don't I have to hang chicken wire to plaster the wall? And, just to confirm, you are indicating that you can plaster over paint, right?
Originally Posted by tightcoat
Were it mine I would first look to see if there is any way that moisture can migrate through the walls -- at the mortar joints or in the webs of he blocks. Once I knew for sure the walls would stay dry I would plaster them. For me that is easier than either furring it our and drywalling or trying to drywall right to the block. And if there are moisture issues you sue want it furred. But I would paint it with a good bonding agent then plaster it. Gypsum plaster is easier to work with but in some markets it is hard to find. Portland cement plaster is easier to get than gypsum plaster in some locales, is probably cheaper and gets hardr and stronger.
You can trowel Portland cement plaster almost as smooth as a lime/gauging finish on gypsum plaster.
You can trowel Portland cement plaster almost as smooth as a lime/gauging finish on gypsum plaster.
#4
01-08-10, 05:56 PM
Just following along, but not my speciality. Just a thought. I have used the cup shaped diamond grinders. They come in 4" and 6" sizes ($40 to $80) and would smooth those walls down to just valleys, and the little valleys would be very easy to fill. Any bumps that stick out create an issue of feathering or thicker plaster.
You could rent a right angle grinder and even if you went with an inexpensive stone disk you would get good results. Extremely easy to use.
Bud
You could rent a right angle grinder and even if you went with an inexpensive stone disk you would get good results. Extremely easy to use.
Bud
#5
01-08-10, 06:08 PM
He'e
Of course it's better to use metal lath or woven wire. But it's hard to nail that to block. If there is no moisture problem or potential problem then bonding agent over the paint should work. Granted, the bond of the whole job is only as good as the bond of the existing paint. The bonding agent will bond the new plaster to whatever is there. If whatever is there lets loose then so does the new plaster.
Bonding agent is the key. The best is Plaster-Weld or Weld-Crete both by Larsens Product. There are other brands. Don't mistake acrylic admixtures or concrete fortifiers for Bonding agents. They are not the same.
Of course it's better to use metal lath or woven wire. But it's hard to nail that to block. If there is no moisture problem or potential problem then bonding agent over the paint should work. Granted, the bond of the whole job is only as good as the bond of the existing paint. The bonding agent will bond the new plaster to whatever is there. If whatever is there lets loose then so does the new plaster.
Bonding agent is the key. The best is Plaster-Weld or Weld-Crete both by Larsens Product. There are other brands. Don't mistake acrylic admixtures or concrete fortifiers for Bonding agents. They are not the same.
#6
03-01-10, 07:31 PM
Hey Pali!
Fellow Hawaiian here, and Im also looking to cover up some interior cinder block. How did your project go? I keep reading about furring and putting up drywall, but plastering sounds much easier if moisture isn't an issue. Please let me know if you had success!
Fellow Hawaiian here, and Im also looking to cover up some interior cinder block. How did your project go? I keep reading about furring and putting up drywall, but plastering sounds much easier if moisture isn't an issue. Please let me know if you had success!
#7
03-02-10, 05:31 AM
You should attach furring strips to the wall first then attach the dry wall to the strips with short drywall screws. The strips can be held on to the walls with with construction adhesive but also use a few masonry nails to hold them in place. If you go to the "I did it myself" section on this site and search for "bath on a budget" you can see how it would start. As far as plastering and expecting it to look good don't count on it. Plastering is an art and is very difficult to get smooth. If the area is small then I would try skim coating it with joint compound. That you can do because it can be sanded smooth. Anything else will dry too hard.
