1000 sqft Cutie in Pt Townsend, WA

[ron]

Hi, nice to be here, looking forward to gathering (and sharing) some useful information.

About the backwards mounted drywall: that was suggested in some other discussion somewhere as a method to get the plaster to stick better, but I won't be doing that. Once it's primed the structolite should stick ok.

My understanding (from reading the earlier posts in this thread) is that there's such a thick coat of structolite that the seams (taped with fiberglass tape) just disappear. I was just going to do it just as Chuck described. Am I missing something?

[jwv]

My .02 worth on the backwards drywall.

We did this for earthen plaster and where we did plaster it was fine but on some areas we decided to do clay paint and it has been a pain because of the seams. They weren't taped, we taped them using clay instead of joint compound, they were visible. Took off the tape and tried to fill with clay, it cracked.  Had we gone ahead and mudded and taped with joint compound we would have been OK, I think.  I will go back and plaster these walls at some point.  

Judy

[glenn-k]

Judy's problem is part of what I thought could happen.  I read on a site somewhere, where they were doing art walls that anything under the surface of the - I think clay plaster- would transfer to the front so they would bury lath strips etc. then plaster over them and the clay would crack and break in the desired designs.

Chuck is the one here that knows the most about Structolite and its qualities.

[Amanda_931]

I may have to try that, since I have a clay plaster wall that isn't very happy.

[ron]

So I think what I'm hearing actually confirms my belief that I won't have to taper the seams. Judy mentioned having success with that method when she was plastering (a thicker finish, I believe), it was the clay paint that had problems, which sounds like a much thinner coating that would need reinforced seams. The structolite will be 1/8 to 3/16 thick, and it's pretty strong stuff, right? I mean, it's purpose was to hold up shower pans. I had to demolish some of the stuff where it was used to create sort of a freeform "baseboard," looked like it had been formed by hand, about half an inch thick, and I had to chisel it off the drywall, it tore a bunch out with it.

This sure will be interesting. I keep looking up at my vaulted cielings and I just kind of go into a daze, I start holding my arm over my head, it starts hurting after about 2 minutes, I think uh-oh, what am I getting myself into . . .

[glenn-k]

No matter which way you put the board, I would still use some of the self stick netting type seam tape over all of the joints or they will very likely crack there and transfer the crack to the surface.

[Pala]

Hi Ron,

Sorry I haven't checked this board in a while.  I hope my response is still helpful.

I noticed a suggestion elsewhere to mount the drywall backwards, with the paper backing facing out as a rougher surface for the plaster to stick to. What do you think of this?

I'd say no.  Seems to me that the brown backside is more "slickery" and doesn't absorb the pre-spray as well.  The proper side-out worked fine for us.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to get the hopper gun, it seems like you have mixed feelings about its usefulness. Will it really help?

It worked best on large, unbroken vertical surfaces.  Somewhat helpful on ceilings, but a bit awkward.  There is a 45deg attatchemt for the hopper basket; Use it.

In the end, applying with a 24" trowel loaded up heavy worked just as well.  With no cleaning and no overspray.

I've got a 960 square foot house, with vaulted ceilings, some new drywall, and some existing, textured walls that have been painted. I was planning to prime those (with the PVA, same as the fresh drywall).

I'd pick up some scafolding for the vaulted area.  You need to work within an arms reach of the stuff.

I'm trying to do this by myself, so I know it will be a dance to mix and plaster. Is this possible? Where would I best employ a helper, mixing?

You can do it.  Don't try to cover too big an area at a time if you're solo.  Yes help mixing and hod carrier will free you up to concentrate and develop your technique.  More people just meant we could cover more "ground" at once.  

Take your time and all your hard work will be payed back in a sweet custom look.

Thanks for the help, Ron.

You Bet!  Good luck.
chuck.

[Pala]

My understanding (from reading the earlier posts in this thread) is that there's such a thick coat of structolite that the seams (taped with fiberglass tape) just disappear. I was just going to do it just as Chuck described. Am I missing something?

Yep, after taping you just treat it all as one surface.  No additional attention to the seams.  You'll use all that attention on the corners and window sills.  

[Pala]

So I think what I'm hearing actually confirms my belief that I won't have to taper the seams. Judy mentioned having success with that method when she was plastering (a thicker finish, I believe), it was the clay paint that had problems, which sounds like a much thinner coating that would need reinforced seams. The structolite will be 1/8 to 3/16 thick, and it's pretty strong stuff, right? I mean, it's purpose was to hold up shower pans. I had to demolish some of the stuff where it was used to create sort of a freeform "baseboard," looked like it had been formed by hand, about half an inch thick, and I had to chisel it off the drywall, it tore a bunch out with it.

This sure will be interesting. I keep looking up at my vaulted cielings and I just kind of go into a daze, I start holding my arm over my head, it starts hurting after about 2 minutes, I think uh-oh, what am I getting myself into . . .

You end up with a big thick coating on it all, so no tapering.  You get extra thickness at the field joints because the sheets themselves are tapered.  I spose this makes the joints stronger and resists cracking.

In the structolite itself are perlite chunks 1/8 - 3/16".  At first we thought we had mixed it wrong.  But then you see that these chunks are your leveling/measuring device.  You just keep adding stuctolite untill the trowel stops skipping on the perlite.

I won't lie, it's a lot of work.   Take your time, if you can.  Don't get too tired that you won't want to experiment with some sculpted shapes or niches.