Patching and Plastering - sheetrock over ceiling

Hi All, Does anybody have any experience sheetrocking over existing sheetrock on a ceiling? There is more than likely 5/8 sheetrock already on the living room ceiling, which is in bad shape. It looks like the old paint (or paper from the rock) is cracking all over it. The previous owners put up a drop ceiling to cover it. I want to remove the drop ceiling then cover the crappy sheetrock with 3/8 rock using construction glue and really long screws. Is that a good solution?

I'm a little worried about having 1" of sheetrock on the ceiling. I hung 3/8 over 5/8 in another room that is much smaller than the living room. After a year, it's still hanging. So, I'm guessing it will work.

I don't want to go through the mess of having to rip down the old sheetrock and deal with the attic insulation. Paul

You can definitley do it. it is called laminating and we do it over old plaser all the time. If it were me I would fix the drywall before covering it up. Would you be up for doing that?

Thanks for the info coops. Why would you want to fix the existing drywall if we are going to laminate it? I don't know if I'd be up for fixing it. It depends. What do you have in mind?

How big is your ceiling?? That would be a deciding factor for me. I would not laminate the ceiling at all but repair any cracks, scrape away any loose material then skim the ceiling with mud.

I think going out and buying sheetrock then bring it to your house then hang it then get rid of the mess and then finish it is a waste of time compared to fixing your existing ceiling.

The ceiling is roughly 20' by 12'. The entire ceiling (I mean there are no good spots) is covered with cracks. Most folks don't understand what I'm saying until they see it. I don't know how it got that way? Old paint? Cheap paint? 50 year old drywall?

I'm with you. I don't want to waste my time laminating. But it seems like the only good solution for me. It would take alot more time and skill to scrape and then skim coat the entire ceiling.

Is it possible to post a picture? Sounds like plaster- if so you may have serious structural problems to fix first. If wallboard, are the cracks just from the wrong paint over paint? The size, length and number as well as location of the cracks make a big difference.

Be safe., G

If it really is sheetrock I guess I would try to fix it as well. Then again I would rather hold a knife over my head then hold rock. ;)
I'd like to see a picture too. Like others have posted, sounds like plaster or bad paint job.

To my untrained eye, it looks like a bad paint job. I posted some pics Ceiling - a set on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/psimon/sets/72157621629935313/)

Ok thanks for the pics!! I get it now. that is either plaster or badly water damaged sheetrock. Now I say the you should laminate over the ceiling with new. First poke around up there and see if its brittle and crumbley.

How old is this house?

This looks like plaster applied too thin over wood lath.
What happens if you scrape some of this loose stuff? What is under what we can see?

Actually, I guess you can do what you suggest whether it's plaster or drywall. What do you have for ceiling joists?
I would be a bit concerned about hanging too much weight on the joists.

But if yu want a good looking ceiling you should use 1/2" not 3/8". Half will give you a bit more straightness. 3/8 will conform to the existing waves and the ripples will show.

If this is plaster there is yet another way to fix this but it isn't too amateur friendly.

The house was built in the mid to late 50's.

It is absolutely drywall on the ceiling nailed to the joists. I used to own a house that had plaster on lathe for ceiling and walls. So, I know that much. I've been thinking about using 1/2" instead of 3/8" because I can get longer 10' sheets. That way I'd only need 2 instead of 3 for the 20' stretch.

Just for the record, the ceiling was laminated with 1/2" sheetrock. Used 10' pieces with liquid nails then screwed them on top of the existing ceiling. There are more pics (http://www.flickr.com/photos/psimon/sets/72157621629935313/). Thanks for the help here.

Good work.

Thanks for the progress report.