Click on photo for a better view of the texture of this "knockdown".
Since some of you have asked, I'd like to tell you about knockdown (what I know) and why we chose it.
Our whole house except this kitchen has been re-drywalled. It was a huge job, we just went room by room. I think high ceilings are especially difficult for the do-it-yourselfer. We actually drywalled OVER all the old plaster in our lower level rooms with the high ceilings, then we drywalled one 12" piece (shown below in this picture) down onto the wall and trimmed out the raw lower edge with the wooden trim shown here in the dark red...
For all the horsehair plaster walls we tore down all the plaster and re drywalled all of them. Upstairs, we did walls AND ceilings because the ceilings were lower and therefore easier (but still not a piece of cake!) plus we needed to install ceiling lights (there were none!) and light switches and outlets (there were no light switches and one outlet per room!!).
Had we known this method, we could have gotten all the ceilings done this way and saved ourselves some major time and trouble. If your plaster is sound, you can do this. This will not work for falling down plaster that's pulling away from the lathe.
It saves you KNOCKDOWN....maybe that's why they named it that? Anyway, from what I could tell (the man had plastic over both doors, and I couldn't see through very well, but from what I know this is what happens.)
I paid $175 and he got started around eight and was done by noon. I have heard that an advantage is that in these old houses, if you need to have insulation sprayed in, you can cut holes in the wall to do that, get them patched, and then this can be done and your holes will not be visible.
It all looks wonderful when it's done and will look even better painted. I learned about it after a neighboring farmhouse had a furnace fire and soot was all throughout their home. The restoration company did this in the whole upper level of their farmhouse, walls and ceilings and I was so impressed by it, I filed away the information on it in case we needed it. I'm so glad I learned about it because this particular ceiling would have been a nightmare for us. Like I said, this is just what I know about it, I could have missed a step or two and be wrong, but it was fast and easy and like I said, saved us DAYS of work and looks nice and crisp, too.
Our whole house except this kitchen has been re-drywalled. It was a huge job, we just went room by room. I think high ceilings are especially difficult for the do-it-yourselfer. We actually drywalled OVER all the old plaster in our lower level rooms with the high ceilings, then we drywalled one 12" piece (shown below in this picture) down onto the wall and trimmed out the raw lower edge with the wooden trim shown here in the dark red...
Had we known this method, we could have gotten all the ceilings done this way and saved ourselves some major time and trouble. If your plaster is sound, you can do this. This will not work for falling down plaster that's pulling away from the lathe.
It saves you KNOCKDOWN....maybe that's why they named it that? Anyway, from what I could tell (the man had plastic over both doors, and I couldn't see through very well, but from what I know this is what happens.)
1. Wallpaper comes off. (We didn't have that.)
2. Loose paint, chips and cracks need to be scraped off/fixed.
3. He scrapes, patches, removes hooks in the ceilings, anything that gets in the way.
4. He can go around existing light fixtures, but you'd want to remove the globe or tape over anything that you didn't want splattered.
2. Loose paint, chips and cracks need to be scraped off/fixed.
3. He scrapes, patches, removes hooks in the ceilings, anything that gets in the way.
4. He can go around existing light fixtures, but you'd want to remove the globe or tape over anything that you didn't want splattered.
5. After patching, the patching material dries for a bit and then he gets out his machine and sprays on a very thick coating of DRYWALL MUD.
6. He lets that dry a bit and does the first layer of texturizing.
7. Then he lets it dry a little longer and comes in and does his final texturizing. (Knockdown will have to have primer and paint and for this surface he recommended flat paint.)
8. He picks up all the tarps and plastic and he's done. It needs to cure for 24 hours before you prime and paint.
6. He lets that dry a bit and does the first layer of texturizing.
7. Then he lets it dry a little longer and comes in and does his final texturizing. (Knockdown will have to have primer and paint and for this surface he recommended flat paint.)
8. He picks up all the tarps and plastic and he's done. It needs to cure for 24 hours before you prime and paint.
I paid $175 and he got started around eight and was done by noon. I have heard that an advantage is that in these old houses, if you need to have insulation sprayed in, you can cut holes in the wall to do that, get them patched, and then this can be done and your holes will not be visible.
It all looks wonderful when it's done and will look even better painted. I learned about it after a neighboring farmhouse had a furnace fire and soot was all throughout their home. The restoration company did this in the whole upper level of their farmhouse, walls and ceilings and I was so impressed by it, I filed away the information on it in case we needed it. I'm so glad I learned about it because this particular ceiling would have been a nightmare for us. Like I said, this is just what I know about it, I could have missed a step or two and be wrong, but it was fast and easy and like I said, saved us DAYS of work and looks nice and crisp, too.
For a bonus, you get to see photos of "daddy's little helper" who could not stop the curiosity no matter WHAT and Duke seemed to be totally enthralled with the drain pipes and supply lines under the sink, especially when they were sticking up out of the floors all by themselves. Then, when the cabinet was set and the door shut, he kept staring at the door! So we opened the door to show him the pipes were still there. Tonight, when Lem started to plumb under there for a temporary sink until the counter top man gets done, Duke had to "help" by watching the whole procedure. (He actually got on daddy's nerves by being underfoot and in the way but I had to take a picture before we took him outside for awhile until the job was done).
DOGS! The little dog has shown his disdain for kitchen remodeling jobs by choosing to tinkle on things like daddy's ladder, his tools or his basketful of items from the hardware store. He is NOT daddy's little helper!!!!
DOGS! The little dog has shown his disdain for kitchen remodeling jobs by choosing to tinkle on things like daddy's ladder, his tools or his basketful of items from the hardware store. He is NOT daddy's little helper!!!!
Tomorrow, my poor husband will get a vacation when he GOES BACK TO WORK!!!!!
I know this man has given his best in time, talent and SWEAT to get the most he could possibly get done in one week, and I am SO GRATEFUL!
2 comments:
May his vacation (chuckle) be enjoyable & relaxing. TTFN ~Marydon
Hi Joni,
Thanks for explaining things. Curious minds (and people who still have a long way to go on their cottage) needed to know!
Our upstairs is unfinished. We do not have drywall....we have some thin sheets of some 1940's product that is unknown to mankind upstairs. We need to insulate and drywall. I was hoping knockdown might be an answer for us. I appreciate you taking the time to explain the process. Your kitchen looks great....keep posting pictures! Your husband and mine must be related. My husband used all his vacation time one year to sand our shingles, one by one and repaint our entire house. Another vacation he rebuilt our front entry from a three salbs of cement to a beautiful brick entryway. Get your hubby a massage in appreciation for all of his back breaking work! He'll love you for it!
Smiles,
Nancy
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