Old vs. New Sheetrock

Many times when we are remodeling a space, we may not be replacing all of the sheetrock in a room, but perhaps just one or 2 walls or a few patches. One question some people ask is why the old sheetrock doesn’t look as nice and smooth as the new sheetrock. It’s important to properly set expectations on what the finished product is going to look like.

Depending on the age of a home being worked on, the existing walls may be plaster or highly textured from the previous sheetrock job or just years of wear and tear and coats of paint. It is understandable that new finished sheetrock will be a lot smoother and cleaner than the old walls. It is not realistic to expect old walls to look like the new walls unless the sheetrock is replaced or they are fully skimmed and sanded to look like new. Any time you are marrying an old item with a new item, there will be some difference.

If you are beginning a project, talk with your contractor about the possibility of differences in the wall finish. Make sure everyone is on the same page about what the final expectation is. That will avoid any conflict or finger pointing in the end. Questions? Email me at Jessica@webbercoleman.com