# Sheetrock over paneling



## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

Has anyone done it?
How did it work out?


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

Well that is "Bass'ackwards". The sheet rock serves a few functions, the two primary being fire inhibitor to the vertical support structure (Called *Studs*). And to serve as a smooth foundation for wall paper or paint or paneling. It also is a source of horizontal shear structural strength. Also know that any moisture coming through the outside of the wall could likely cause the wood paneling to *expand and swell*, which will push the sheet rock off the wall. 

I would strongly recommend you not do this. *It appears that you need a good man, who is skilled with his hands and tool*.........:banana::banana:


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

Lol, have one in mind? ; )

Thanks for the tip!


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

If the wall is insulated and has a properly installed vapor barrier, there's no reason why you couldn't cover paneling with drywall.

Just make sure it's attached to the studs with screws or nails that are the correct length.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

Not sure what your goal is.........but have you checked to see if there is Sheet Rock existing now under the paneling......???


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

It is a a 100yr old home.
I am afraid of what I would find taking all the paneling off. I have very limited funds. 
The electric needs to be updated, so I thought the holes made for doing that , could be covered by sheetrock. The paneling is hideous.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

Homeowners insurance co. and lender (Money) and/or fire codes may have an opinion that you need to consider.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

The closing date is Sept 9th, I can't rip things apart just yet. : )

I am paying cash.

I am waiting for the town code inspection report.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

Very possible that electric was non existent in that area, when the home was built. And was added decades after original construction. I think the Rural Electrification Act of 1936. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rural_Electrification_Act I grew-up in the area where you live, often in very old homes. Just down the road from you.



roadless said:


> It is a a 100yr old home.
> I am afraid of what I would find taking all the paneling off. I have very limited funds.
> The electric needs to be updated, so I thought the holes made for doing that , could be covered by sheetrock. The paneling is hideous.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

A former neighbor huh? Look me up if you visit your ol stomping grounds!

The house has fuses, which can be OK for code, but I know I will need to install some gfi in the bath and kitchen to get a Certificate of Occupancy. Depending on what else needs to happen, I would prefer to just update the whole house electrically. 
It comes down to time and money. 
The good news is that the house is only 720 square feet.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

Don't figure to ever visit America ever again.



roadless said:


> A former neighbor huh? Look me up if you visit your ol stomping grounds!


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

Sorry to hear.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

@Roadless, 

You can put DW over panelling BUT you have to know where your studs are and what's under the panelling. Like the others have said, you need to do some poking about. Likely the house is Plaster & Lath on studs, then assorted wallpaper & the panelling which you see today... but in 90 years a lot can go on, so who knows.

CGFI may not be as easy as it appears, depends on the house wiring, 
oldest is knob & tube which you would have to replace altogether, then comes un-grounded double copper, that would need upgrades / replacement... Then there is the Aluminium wire question (at one point it was popular for a little while but got seriously botched on most installs, causes all sorts of bad thing, alum wire is tricky)

There are many what if's and possibly this, that or... all of which can & will make you crazy. 

On closing and taking possession, you want to inspect a few things... Pull plug & switch cover's and see what kind of wiring, is it grounded (one bare copper wire showing), copper wire or, cloth/fibre covered or pvc coated. Next pull the cover off the panel and look in there... and you'll see how everything leaves the panel. (NB Here if you have fuses, gotta upgrade to breakers). The type of covering and materials point to the age of the installation. Also if you see a new wire with a ground wire, it may not be hooked up, as the wire was likely added later. To that end, get a proper circuit tester similar to what I show below and test every plug, make no assumptions !









Find a couple of out of the way spots where you can cut an inspection hole to look inside the walls to verify what & how it's built... There may be spots in closets, behind cupboards etc which may give you that access without having to cut anything open.

Once you know what is there and how it was done, then you can really start biting into the project.

Hope it helps, Good Luck and have fun in your new place.


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## Jolly (Jan 8, 2004)

Save yourself some money and paint the paneling.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

Thank you for the info Steve.
I am itching to get in and poke around.
The plan is to do just what needs to be done to move in and be safe, and take my time as money allows to get it the way I want.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

I see no advantage to sheet rocking OVER the paneling. Would be far better to remove the paneling and re-vapor barrier the structure, if it even has any vapor barrier currently, then sheet rock. You may well find that the studs have extensive dry-rot or termite damage. (You could be putting lipstick on a pig, better to know the current quality of the studs). A lady should always want good strong studs, to keep her safe. Rotten studs should be replaced......but, you know that......:banana::banana:


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

I hear ya Jolly, I have done that before and it came out quite nice.
My concern is what will happen to the paneling to update the electrical.
Just exploring options.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

In a perfect world with more funds you are absolutely right Sourdough. 
It may come to that.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

roadless said:


> In a perfect world with more funds you are absolutely right Sourdough.
> It may come to that.


I agree with a few who suggest taking off paneling then sheet-rocking. Always good to see what you got. Not sure it will cost you more, if you are able to do it yourself (remove paneling). If old, it wasn't nailed with pneumatics, which likely means less nails...will pop off once you get a side worked free. Then the following ones will come off easy as you have an edge to grab...
When you are talking paneling, are you talking about thin veneered paneling?


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## Shin (Mar 25, 2014)

Well, I suppose it might be a little more sound proof and insulated if you put it over the paneling, which likely has something behind it too.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

When you are talking paneling, are you talking about thin veneered paneling?


The kitchen has thin veneer paneling, but the living room has thicker paneling.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

roadless said:


> When you are talking paneling, are you talking about thin veneered paneling?
> 
> 
> The kitchen has thin veneer paneling, but the living room has thicker paneling.


Should be easy to do it yourself...I am a DIY proponent, and it is one of the easier things to do (ripping off veneer)...now, putting up drywall is another matter. But again, doable with some research and basic tools (i do my own, but if I build for someone else, I get in the pros, as they can do it in no time).


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

Do you have photo's of the new place? Congrats by the way!!!


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

Thanks Laura!
Yep, I have pictures, but didn't want to post ......it might just confirm that I went off the deep end!
The outside is ok, but the inside is a mess.
I will be going from a rough trailer on leased land to a very rough house on my own land.....progress! : )


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

How much land?????


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

Not much 1/2 acre but it will be mine!


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

One large room in our 100+ year old home was very similar, to what you describe. I removed the baseboard, window and door casing, and put drywall right over the paneling. Ceiling had those 12" x 12" staple up tiles, and I covered it with drywall too. When complete, put extension jambs on windows and doors and re-trimmed the room.

It's been fine for 20+ years. Your biggest concern is making sure you get the screws into something solid.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

I'm glad to see that it can work!
Thanks for the info.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

roadless said:


> Thanks Laura!
> Yep, I have pictures, but didn't want to post ......it might just confirm that I went off the deep end!
> The outside is ok, but the inside is a mess.
> I will be going from a rough trailer on leased land to a very rough house on my own land.....progress! : )


That is more than progress...that is huge! :thumb:
The ability to do whatever you want whenever you want (subject to big brother rules and regs) makes it so worthwhile. 
I read some story about some kids who extolled the virtues of renting, and while they were able to save money and invest it, I think they lost out on years of self reliance and self taught ability to do homesteading things. I live in a world of those who do it themselves, and those from the city who've only used a hammer to hang a picture. When a problem crops up, the city folks spend oodles of money hiring someone. The homesteader does it themselves. That reward of doing it yourself is priceless. 
Unlike a renter, I am more apt to try something new. Personally, I can't wait to start planting specimen trees and an orchard (plus get a garden again). I have the canvas...

All the best!


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

Thank you for your kind words and vote of confidence, much appreciated. 
My savings, such that it is, has been a sense of security for me since my divorce. 
To spend most of it on a fixer upper is a huge leap of faith.
I can live with all kinds of funky things until I have the funds, but I am just hoping that I have enough left to make it safe , have heat and get the Certificate of Occupancy.


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## sammyd (Mar 11, 2007)

roadless said:


> I hear ya Jolly, I have done that before and it came out quite nice.
> My concern is what will happen to the paneling to update the electrical.
> Just exploring options.


Who cares what happens to the panelling if you're gonna rock anyway.
Rip that old stuff off right to the studs and do it right.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> Rip that old stuff off right to the studs and do it right


That adds a huge amount of labor that often isn't necessary.

Houses that old with lath and plaster often used rough cut lumber and relied on the plaster to level out any uneven areas.

Also, removing plaster is labor intensive and creates LOTS of hazardous dust and debris.

If the walls are in good shape and are insulated, there's no real advantage to extra demolition.


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## ihuntgsps (Mar 10, 2008)

If it were me I would pick one room at a time and tear out the plaster/lathe/paneling.

This lets you know what condition your framing is in and then you can more easily rewire, plumbing, insulation, etc. prior to sheetrock install. 

If the studs are of varying thickness it is easy to fir them out so you have a straight wall to sheetrock. 

Enjoy your new home!


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

It comes down to time and money, both quite limited right now.
I need to do just what is necessary to bring it up to code and get the Certificate of Occupancy.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

If you could get an occupancy permit with gouged up paneling, I'd just leave it. 

Get moved in and take it a room at a time. Strip the paneling, drywall/lath and plaster, upgrade the electrical, add some insulation, hang a few sheets of drywall and move on to the next room. As time and money allows.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

I agree haypoint, the paneling is the least of my concerns in the big picture, just trying to see what my options are.


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## DW (May 10, 2002)

My parents lived in an OLD house, covered the plaster & lath w/paneling and then years later painted the paneling...it looked great.


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## Shin (Mar 25, 2014)

DW said:


> My parents lived in an OLD house, covered the plaster & lath w/paneling and then years later painted the paneling...it looked great.


That's what I have here, except I'm planning on painting it, haven't done it yet -- hope it turns out great too!


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## Tammy1 (Aug 31, 2011)

My parents just moved into a 100 year old home. We were ripping off the wallpaper and realize there was paneling under the wallpaper. not plaster. The situation was a little unique because there was also a smooth layer of wallpaper, (not thick, but strong). When wet you could see through it. They had someone come in and spray texture over it. Then they primed and painted it. Looks like a wall with drywall. 

Its a home with lots of trim, big floor trim and crown molding so I'm assuming that helps with the look. All trim was removed before the texture was sprayed.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

For limited funds, you can simply finish the paneling with drywall joint compound. Fill the grooves (if there are any) and tape and finish the corners and any seams. Any loose paneling edges need to be nailed down with finishing nails first however. This can all be done for perhaps $10, paint not include. Then prime and paint. This can be done. I have done it! And it looks just as good as any finished wall if done right. If you want a tutorial on this, send me a PM and I will forward it along.


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## ForestToFarm (Feb 28, 2016)

Speaking from experience. The best option is to remove what ever wall is under the paneling. Do all your rewiring and fix what ever problems you find. Then sheet rock.

If you are paying to have all the work done I have done many remodels in years past. It takes twice as long to work around old useless wall coverings than to tear them out. Maybe you and a freind could at least tear the old stuff out? Also you can access any adjoining rooms as well. You can also seal any air leaks that are sure to exist because old homes were built with huge air leaks everywhere. Then insulate it properly. That fix alone will save big bucks over time in heating and cooling if you plan to live there long. 

Sometimes when people tell me they can not afford this or that I say you can not afford not to do it. You just have to see the bigger picture.

Just my two cents worth.


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## 1948CaseVAI (May 12, 2014)

I agree with ForestToFarm. When I bought my house 20 years ago it was completely papered. Every wall, including inside the closets, right down to switch plates, was covered. The paper had been put directly on the raw wall board with no sizing. 

I tried to remove it - for about 30 minutes. Then I got frustrated, got a big hammer and went to town and tore nearly all of it down. I had a dumpster delivered the next day (surprisingly cheap) and my daughter and I took a day to clean up the house and fill the dumpster. Then I hired two "undocumented" workers to re-rock (they were also surprisingly cheap - but I was on the police department at the time so that helped) and within about 10 more days I had pristine painted walls. From start to finish was less than three weeks, and this is a three bedroom, three bath home.

The bonus was that I was able to update a shower faucet and install more outlets while the rock was off.

Edited to add that we did not live in the house during that work. You could do it while you live there, you just have to do a room at a time.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

In a perfect world ,it would be great to do that. I am using much of my savings just to get the small house. I have to be very frugal.


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## ForestToFarm (Feb 28, 2016)

roadless said:


> In a perfect world ,it would be great to do that. I am using much of my savings just to get the small house. I have to be very frugal.


My point is you are planning to sheet rock anyway. That cost will likely be more with the older wall covering in place. They have to work around all the old crap that exists. 

You want new electrical. I can tell you as a electrical contractor my cost would be far cheaper if the walls were open than trying to rewire behind old crappy walls and trying to get my boxes set to the proper depth. You would pay me possibly twice as much if the walls are covered.

What this means is you will get out cheaper in a long run tearing out the old walls in my opinion that is unless you have people doing the work for free or you are doing it yourself.

As I said, assuming you are paying standard prices to get the work done, you can not afford not to tear it all out. Ask your electrician how much to rewire with walls open verses walls covered. Ask the sheet rock person how much to hang if covering old paneling verses rocking over studs after tearing out the old stuff. You may be surprised.

How is the sheet rock going to work out around the doors and windows and base trip if you cover the old paneling?


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

Fortunately I do have some connections or I wouldn't be able to do this at all. For now I need to do just enough to satisfy the township inspection. Unfortunately that includes a new heating system. I work at a vocational school so I can get the furnace at cost, the Instructor and some students will do the install for food! My daughter's friend will be doing just enough to get it to code and I believe a student will, under the supervision of an Instructor, will do further upgrades as a senior project.

The walls and other cosmetics will certainly come later.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

A complete tear down would be nice, as you could redo the electric and insulation, but when all is said and done, it might cost thousands and take a long time to finish. I wish we had the luxury of doing this in our home - but we had neither the extra money nor another place to live in during the renovation, so we didn't. And if you update electrical, it probably means upping your service to higher amperage, and for that you want a qualified electrician to help, and that can really cost you.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

I close tomorrow. I will then find out exactly what I need to have done to satisfy the town inspector. 
Right now my main concern is to have heat and the electric be safe!


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

Fingers Crossed for you Roadless.... Let us know how things pan out OK.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

Thank you Steve! 
Much appreciated. &#55357;&#56842;


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