How to Smooth Rough Interior Walls?

Hello, I just recently moved into my first home and I plan to renovate it as I live there. My interior walls have a very rough finish, it is quite an old house (built in 1960). The previous owner has painted the walls with a sickly brown but I can still see a very rough surface. How can I create a smooth wall surface for my walls? Would I coat it with plaster or something and then sand it down? It is sort of like rough sandpaper but not gritty. It seems to be a board like hardboard or something?

Here are some pictures to show the roughness, it's even rougher than it looks in these pics (click the links to see full size pics and see closer up of roughness etc):

Close up:

full size pic here: http://homedeals.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/closeup-wall.jpg

same but with different lighting:

full size pic here: http://homedeals.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/closeup-wall2.jpg

I would also like to do something with the horrible wall diverders (I'm not sure of the proper name, maybe skirting?) . But I was thinking maybe I could just place board in between these dividers so I could make all the wals flat and smooth. Here is some pics to show you how ugly it looks:

Pic of walls near front door:

full size pic here: http://homedeals.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/wall-dividers1.jpg

Wider angle:

full size pic here: http://homedeals.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/wall-dividers2.jpg

Here is a quick mock up in photoshop on how I would like the wall to look (without dividers)

full size pic here: http://homedeals.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/walls-without-dividers.jpg

probly easiest to do a full dry line with gyprock

Sanding, lots of sanding.

I would give it a once over with a rough sander. Then a layer of top coat, and then sand it again with fine sandpaper.
Also remove the dividers and see what’s underneath.

Hi Monsoon,
Th erough walls add character, a bit like a good timber.

Given the age of the house, it's probably asbestos. If so, I wouldn't recommend sanding them. I'd get two experts in - to be sure, to be sure - and if confirmed get them to quote on removal. Then replace with Gyprock, OR, you could just remove the dividers, and either nail timber battens on then put Gyprock over the top OR simply glue Gyprock sheets over the existing wall.

Regards,

Project 1080

The project: 10 IPs in 80 mths.

I also think it looks like asbestos, but the dark brown edging in one of the photos with the corner showing looks like it could be masonite.

I would get someone in to check before sanding, drilling or cutting any holes. The house we live in had some asbestos plus some masonite in a room that was added later than the original, so it is possibly one or the other (or both).

PS. Just had another look and it seems the dark brown strip may be a door jamb, and not unpainted masonite.

If the walls are asbestos, one way to fix it without the big spend is to take off the strapping timbers and have a plasterer tape and smooth over the gaps, including the corners. Sounds like a big and/or fiddly job if you have a whole house to do but it will make a big difference to the "fibro" look.

Why'd you buy it if you think it is so ugly

We have both asbestos and masonite in the far back part of the lean-to on our house. Masonite is so soft it is hard to sand it flat, it is too easy to 'dig in' holes.

Your best bet is to get professionals in to remove the lot, dividers and all, and gyprock over the frame. Very expensive.

Or, you could just repaint in a nice colour and learn to live with the roughness.

thanks for all the great replies and ideas. I just want to mention something important. On the building inspection it says the home has wall linings of Plasterboard & Asbestos. I rang the guy who done the inspection and he has always been very unapproachable when asking for additional info on the inspection, I always get a sigh for the 3 or 4 times I have rung him. I called him a few days ago as I also thought it is asbestos and he said no it is definitely not and it was only ever used in wet areas. He said the laundry would be asbestos and maybe the bathroom but definitely not the lounge.
I'm still not sure though and I'm worried that I could start sanding or hammering holes in and get sick. I haven't read all the replies so far as I wanted to post this and I will now. I like the idea if putting gyprock over it all.

Pft, they used asbestos any old where. Like, the entire house, or just random bits of it. Its not like everyone would be jailed if they dared use it outside a wet area. It was magic stuff. I only have the one wall out of it (divides bathroom and laundry), one in masonite with the exterior some unidentified 70s (we found newspaper from the late 70s in it) fibreboard that is probably asbestos but might not be, and the rest stone. And one of my internal rendered walls was once exterior so it makes your rough walls look like a newly polished billiard ball.

But the easy check, scrape off some paint somewhere right into the sheets with a knife, if its dark brown soft stuff its masonite. If its any shade of grey/white be afraid, could be *anything*.

I think your walls are Fibrous plaster sheet. This was used between lathen plaster and todays plasterboard.

One hint from Rod at plasterbrokers

Treat cracks in the joins of fibrous plaster much the same way as you would a cracked join in plasterboard.

The only thing is the join in fibrous plaster is not rebated, so you can assume any previous attempt to fill them will cause a "lump" like a butt joint in plasterboard.

When fibrous plaster was jointed there was no tape the used to face scrim with hemp. So one way to get back to a reasonable flat surface it to get into it with some heavy duty sand paper and a belt sander. (just along the join and only if you really need to). If you hit fibre STOP. you cant sand any more. If you break through the to the fiber the sand paper will cause the fibres to raise up and it is very hard to coat over them.

If this happens, I have found scorching them is the best way to get rid of them. Take care don't burn the place down!

This can be found on the woodwork forum

http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=35613&page=2

and our very own JIT also features in this thread

Cheers

i am going to say somthing a bit different here and go against the grain, but the corner bead gives it away for me, the wall surface's are asbestos, the old type of fibro.
Anyways! sand this back with a med and then a fine paper on a sanding pole , using the yellow type of papers, then seal with acrylic undercoat, add three cover coats of a satin/flat interior paint, the surface won't look as rough with a flater paint finnish.

Ok I had a look at each room by unscrewing a wall screw or chipping until I can see what is underneath and this is what I seen:

Lounge & rooms = bright white color, looks to have fibres in it and it's not too hard once it's chipped to revel it.

Laundry & Kitchen look to have a Grey colour

Bathroom, bit hard to tell, it looks like it is the same as Laundry & Kitchen but will be easier to see in daylight.

This house is an old RAF home in Raymond Terrace NSW built in 1960

I would get a builder in to confirm what the walls are made of. I also think the quarter round beading in the corner makes it look like asbestos. We had asbestos in an original bedroom and the ceiling in that room is still in situ. We removed the walls and replaced with plaster board. Scares me silly when I think of the times we have fiddled with asbestos in the past 30 years without knowing back then what we were playing with .

I wouldn't touch a house with asbestos now, but if I bought one I would get the professionals in and get the lot removed (unless it wasn't planning on doing a reno, in which case I would leave it well alone).

Don't use the chap who has told you it is not asbestos. I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him. Get in someone new. Any older builder will know. Pay him for his time and get an answer before you do anything more.

This stuff can kill you, so don't mess with it.

monsoon said:

Lounge & rooms = bright white color, looks to have fibres in it and it's not too hard once it's chipped to revel it.

Laundry & Kitchen look to have a Grey colour

Click to expand...

And that's where the chipping stops - and no sanding, mmkay? Pretty much guaranteed you have an asbestos house there. Time to call in the professionals. You can't make the call on what it is (besides it not being masonite) so don't mess with it anymore.

ok, yes I think you people are right, I will get a builder into confirm what it is.

and that building inspector, what a joke they are! They never even checked the garage either and when I moved in I found it is full of black fluffy caterpillars and I have to cut down a couple of trees to get rid of them. It's not a big deal and I have found someone to do that at a good price. But I can't believe I paid nearly $500 to them and they can't even tell me which parts have asbestos plus the after-report support was appalling, they made me feel like I was very unwelcome to question issues on the report. Now I have to pay proper builders to give me the advice they should have given me. If I do find out there is asbestos in other parts besides the laundry & bathroom I'm going to give them a call and let them know what I think of them. The damn report they gave me was mainly about the stupid fence that even a kid could tell is going to need to be torn down as its very old and falling over and they made a big deal out of the stupid pergola at the back. I wanted the report to be about what the home is made of and all that plus the garage but it seems it was the pergola and the rotten fence that they prioritized..

Anyway, thanks everyone, I will update this thread when I get the builder in.

The give away for me was not only the corner beading but the screws and washers as well. plus the gazillion coats of paint, why screw if you could nail, and you can not push nails through asbestos products. i would like to be wrong in this case , but think of it like this the builders that built this place are perhaps not with us any more.

RumpledElf said:

And that's where the chipping stops - and no sanding, mmkay? Pretty much guaranteed you have an asbestos house there. Time to call in the professionals. You can't make the call on what it is (besides it not being masonite) so don't mess with it anymore.

Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more with this advice - and I hope you wore a ventilated mask or at least wet the walls before chipping bits off. I don't mean to scare you but asbestosis is not dose related! That means one person could work with it for weeks & never manage to get a fibre in their lung and the next person could have one small exposure that seems innocous but ends up, well, you know where. It only takes one microscopic fibre. Don't risk it.

here's an idea "try" to drive a nail into the surfaces of 1, the corner bead, and two the wall surface , use a pair of pliers to hold the nail.
If the surface is hard like glass and breaks the wall then its asbestos/old fibro.
if it goes through then its either, old plaster or masonite, the col described already sounds like it is not masonite.

Why don't you enhance it? I'm sure interior decorators have a bright idea pn how to do it. Or do google search and look for unique design.

Ms Jade said:

Couldn't agree more with this advice - and I hope you wore a ventilated mask or at least wet the walls before chipping bits off. I don't mean to scare you but asbestosis is not dose related! That means one person could work with it for weeks & never manage to get a fibre in their lung and the next person could have one small exposure that seems innocous but ends up, well, you know where. It only takes one microscopic fibre. Don't risk it.

Click to expand...

thanks for the warning, I'm a little worried now but I did wear a basic white mask before I chipped it and I only made a light attempt to see what the wall is made of. I have now placed "No More Gaps" over it.

here's an idea "try" to drive a nail into the surfaces of 1, the corner bead, and two the wall surface , use a pair of pliers to hold the nail.
If the surface is hard like glass and breaks the wall then its asbestos/old fibro.
if it goes through then its either, old plaster or masonite, the col described already sounds like it is not masonite.

Click to expand...

I don't think it's that hard, so maybe it's not? I'm not too keen to try it again as some people are saying to leave it alone and get a builder in which is what I think I'll do.

Why don't you enhance it? I'm sure interior decorators have a bright idea pn how to do it. Or do google search and look for unique design.

Click to expand...

How do you mean enhance it? I don't want to spend money on interior decorators and I want to do it myself. What do you think of putting plasterboard/Gyb board over the top of it all. This would do two things, cover the asbestos (if it is there) and smooth it over and get rid of the ugly dividers/skirting.

I got an Asbestos specialist in and they confirmed I have it in the laundry, kitchen & outside along under the roof.

I'm glad it's not in the lounge & bedrooms so I'm keen to get started and start decorating these rooms.

Now I would just like to get some ideas on how to get these walls smooth. The main thing is I think the dividers/skirting looks big clumsy & ugly. What would be the best solution to make these rooms better (please see photos in first post)?

Should I put some gyb board over the walls or would this get expensive & time consuming? Maybe I could take all the dividers down and use some filler to cover up any gaps, or even replace them with new, modern looking ones? What would you do? Remember this is quite a cheap house so I want to keep material expenses down as much as possible.