Walls and Ceilings - Skim Coating or New sheetrock Over Old?

After reading a few posts concerning refinishing old, painted walls, I would like to hear some opinions as to which refinishing method would be easiest with good results.

I want the finished product to look like new, sheetrocked walls with the knocked down texture as seen in many new homes. As an added note, I plan to rewire this room, the kitchen. I can see where new sheetrock over the old would make it easier to install the wiring, as I can cut the old
sheetrock as required but I dread the taping and mudding. Is skim coating easier to apply and finish?

Thanks!

Larry

Hello,

I would definetly not recommend trying to skim coat an entire room.. Mudding and taping new sheetrock joints is a lot easier that skim coating the whole place. The main reason that you would skim coat instead of going over existing rock with new rock is because of the hassle of spacing out all the electrical boxes, but since you're doing electrical work anyways, I'd go over the old with new.

Good Luck!

Larry
let me understand your home is drywall? It's not Plaster, and you would like to put a knock down texture on these walls plus you have electrical your doing, well if your like most electrians you'll have big holes in the walls,
I would go for the rerocking the walls, depending on the room size I would use 12' or 16' sheets then you only have one seam,and tape the corners, I would still three coat your seams and corners, make sure your last pull of the mud is done with a 18" knife this way you won't see any lines,
then you can do you knock down finish
Good Luck
Frank
Frankawitz Custom Painting &
Plastering Repairs