Cinderblock Wall - Drywall sheet or "mudding"?

Users who are viewing this thread

Hapaloha

New Member
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Hawaii
Hi, I am in the process of getting estimates from local contractors on fixing my cinderblock walls so the walls are smooth.

2 out of the 3 contractors I've spoken to so far have said that they would do the walls by attaching drywall to my cinderblock walls. 1 contractor said that he would "mud" the walls.

He said that the advantage of mudding the walls are that 1) no need to raise the electrical sockets and that its 2) quieter.

While he seemed very confident about the end result, the only concern i have about mudding the walls is that I feel like the smoothness would be at the mercy of whoever that is doing the walls. I feel like the end result of the drywall would be less risky.

Am I wrong to be nervous about "mudding"? Or is drywall the better way to go?
 

99k

Radon Contractor and Water Treatment
Messages
460
Reaction score
2
Points
0
Location
Fairfield Co.,Connecticut
Website
www.78radon.com
Are these walls exterior foundation walls? I had a customer "mud" the walls and it was a disaster because the water would push the mud off the wall and the mud was also soluable by water.
 

Hapaloha

New Member
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Hawaii
Hi, thanks for the quick response.
These are interior walls. I had someone come in and measure the "moisture" and it was fine.

How do you feel about glueing drywall directly onto the cinderblock wall?
There seems to be many different ways to do this. I don't know what's the best one to choose.
 

Jadnashua

Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
Messages
32,770
Reaction score
1,190
Points
113
Location
New England
If, by mud, they mean plaster, you'd end up with a nice, smooth surface. Mud in relation to a tiled wall would be a coarser mix of mortar,and might need to be thicker.

Someone who knows how to plaster skim-coat a wall could make it look really nice, and have a quite thin layer.


So, it all depends on the skill of the installer.
 

99k

Radon Contractor and Water Treatment
Messages
460
Reaction score
2
Points
0
Location
Fairfield Co.,Connecticut
Website
www.78radon.com
Hi, thanks for the quick response.
These are interior walls. I had someone come in and measure the "moisture" and it was fine.

How do you feel about glueing drywall directly onto the cinderblock wall?
There seems to be many different ways to do this. I don't know what's the best one to choose.

I think of "mud" as drywall compound. I would not glue drywall directly to cinderblock but would instead attach firring strips to the wall and then attach dryway.
 

Cookie

.
Messages
5,580
Reaction score
8
Points
0
Location
Home
I would put a waterproofer on the outside, the exterior, of those walls if you can.
 

AZ Contractor

In the Trades
Messages
89
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Phoenix, AZ
I would fur out the walls and install the drywall on the furring strip.

Do you mean add extension rings on the electrical boxes and not raising them? Extensions are very cheap.

Why would it be quieter?

If you're concerned about sound, you can add insulation between the furring strips.
 

hj

Master Plumber
Messages
33,602
Reaction score
1,041
Points
113
Location
Cave Creek, Arizona
Website
www.terrylove.com
mud

A thin layer of plaster/mud would be no straighter than the block walls. A good plasterer could level the wall surface, but it would be much more expensive than sheet rock glued to the surface, or attached to furring strips. He said quite (meaning very) thin, not quiet thin.
 
Last edited:

PEW

DIY Senior Member
Messages
484
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Our entire home is block walls plastered, including interior walls. Outside walls, plastered block, rigid insulation, brick. Makes for a very solid, quiet home. Also very easy to heat and AC!

You may find it hard to find good plasterers. In our part of the country they are far and few between. A couple of years ago we did a major addition, using the same construction method as the rest of the home. Had a dickens of a time finding someone to plaster. Finally found one who does commercial work, got an excellent job.

I would vote for plaster.
 

MaintenanceGuy

In the Trades
Messages
106
Reaction score
1
Points
0
Location
Pennsylvania
If the walls aren't wet and don't get wet, I see no problem with gluing drywall right to the block.

I personally could do a much nicer job with drywall and joint compound than I could trying too skim coat a block wall. Somewhere on the block wall is a tiny bump of concrete that would make skim coating a nightmare.

But, if you're talking about plastering instead of just a skim coat, somebody who knows what they're doing can make a wall that's as smooth as a new car's finish. It will cost about what a new car costs too.

If I was doing it, I'd probably hang furring strips with a ramset gun and construction adhesive. Screw drywall to the furring strips and then tape and finish the drywall.
 

Jadnashua

Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
Messages
32,770
Reaction score
1,190
Points
113
Location
New England
Costwise, drywall beats out plaster skim-coat unless you are lucky. Lots of people can do a decent job with drywall, but it takes a master to do a nice plaster job. Extending all of the electrical boxes, trim around windows and doorways, maybe having clearance problems with HVAC ducts or a radiator all could make that untenable, though, and make the plaster skim-coat look cheap. You wouldn't want to skim coat it with drywall compound...that stuff does re-emulsify if it gets wet, and would be (possible, but) difficult to get a nice smooth surface. Somebody that could do it with drywall compound could probably do it with plaster, which would give a superior job.
 

Alectrician

DIY Senior Member
Messages
688
Reaction score
0
Points
0
There is nothing wrong with floating out the block. Most guys wouldn't want to go thru the effort as it is more time consuming than texturing a fresh sheet of drywall.

I have laminated drywall directly on to block many times using mud as the adhesive and never had a problem with the installations.
 

Alectrician

DIY Senior Member
Messages
688
Reaction score
0
Points
0
I did an experiment YEARS ago. My drywall guy told me that it was common to use drywall mud to laminate drywall directly onto block.

I didn't believe him so he did one area (10x8) with mud and I did another (10x8) right next to it with construction adhesive.

I remodeled the building about 10 years later and his drywall bonded better than mine. Ever since then I don't hesitate to do it.
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks