I’m looking for suggestions on ways to re-finish concrete block walls.
The ladies at church want to remodel their restroom in the Parish Hall (circa 1964). Walls are concrete block with tooled joints that have been painted and re-painted over the years but still look like concrete block, rough surface texture and not flat and smooth.
They are wanting to make a dollar do the work of two or even three. They liked the look of plywood “bead-board” panels but not my estimated material costs for furring, 3/8″ drywall and the panel (1/4″” thk and $28 for a 4′ by 8′ sheet). I’ve seen panels without the drywall but none of them were flat. All I can think of now is drywall and a lot of taping and mudding.
Any suggestions? We are located in South-Eastern Pennsylvania, building is dry and heated, no condensation problems and reasonable ventilation.
Replies
Get a pool plaster trowel and cover it with topping compound.
Or drywall glued on,painted, and add 1x4 vertical trim.
Thanks, this sounds possible. Would it need some kind of lath fixed to the wall first?
Drywall mud sticks to most anything, its only affected by moisture. Ater the first coat is dry, do not sand, just scrape the lines and bumps withe the edge of a new trowel and mud a little more then touch sand.
What about FRP? Grind down any bad spots on mortar joints and mislaid block, glue it up with appropriate adhesive, use the joining strips and corners designed for it. Never paint, cleans like teflon, does not show handprints.
My sentiments exactly.
I think a church, even one where money's tight, should look good. I don't think any of those plastic panels look good. If it were me, I'd not do anything and save up a bit until there was enough money to do a nice looking job.
I think what you proposed is a very reasonable construction to get a nice look. In fact, I'd add an inch of foam board insulation to the outside wall, if there is one. Church basements tend to be chilly, and that's a room where chilly is undesirable.
Were you proposing beadboard as a wainscot with drywall above? That wouldn't cost much. They could do the priming and painting themselves.
My counsel to them is to chip in a little money and build when there is enough to do a nice job.
Thankfully the lowel level is only half below grade and has piped hot water under-floor heating. I think you're right about the insulation on the one outside wall. Wainscoting would make a good compromise, especially as the ladies already asked for a chair-rail in the sitting area.
I think I will try and twist a few arms and try for more money, they already get my labor for free.
What I have done with similar budget constraints is to slap drywall up and paint the wall two-tone. Use chair rail to separate the paint schemes. The lower paint should be darker and the upper a light shade. Paneling can always be added later when money comes. If you want to see a picture let me know I can dig one up from the depths of electonic archives...