My goal:
- Get a wall smooth enough for wallpaper without replacing the wall
My situation
- I have a wall that's been patched about 100 times in the last 50 years or so. I can't say why (I live in NYC), there's zero record on what the wall has gone through, but given that it's a top floor apartment, I'll go ahead and say past roof problems caused most of the damage, the rest would've been the work of previous tenants. The wall is made up of what looks and feels like a sandy plaster/mortar mix or old cement board (Can't confirm lathing but some areas might have a steel diamond mesh lathe) under drywall.
My idea:
- The only way I can think of fixing this without completely redoing the wall (trying to avoid garnering any/much attention from the landlord or going through the next 3 months with management just for approval) is to chisel the really bad parts off either with a normal chisel tool, or use a saw blade or spiral drill bit if it takes too long (Whichever turns out works best), then follow the same process used to set veneer stone outdoors, just drywall instead of stone…
Ex:
https://youtu.be/YPfjBmjnJSE?t=234
Anyone ever gone through a situation like this? maybe you know a particular type of mortar best for this operation (if you have any suggestions other than "regular").
I've had to do some unusual restoration work in the past, but this is a first for me.
Best Answer
Drywall. Thin (1/4 inch is available) drywall. It can be screwed to the subsurface or glued if there is not easy access to wood or steel framing. Tape the seams and the edges, a few coates of joint compound, and it is smooth sailing.
If the subsurface is not level enough, a few shims, also glued to the wall should let you get a fairly flat surface.
This is not structural, just a solid surface for paint or wallpaper.