In another thread in this forum, you’ll know that I’m repainting my kitchen cabinets. I’m also (eventually) going to have new, inexpensive laminate counter tops installed.
The backsplash was made of a laminate glued to the sheet rock, and was coming loose at one end. Well, you know how scabs are? I pulled on it a little bit, and it was coming off just fine… Until snap! the laminate broke and cut my hand.
To make a long story short, the laminate is now off, but the sheet rock is either covered with impossible to sand glue, or in some places the laminate pulled away the paper covering off the sheet rock.
What are my options, keeping the following in mind?
I don’t want to spend a lot of money on it. It’s a 40+ year old house, and to put in tile backsplash, and granite countertops, etc. etc. would update the kitchen beyond the value of comparable houses in the neighborhood.
I’m thinking about putting 1/4 sheet rock or 1/4 wood panel back there over the damaged/glue covered sheet rock. From there I would order the new counter tops with back splashes.
Crap I don’t know… I just want some suggestions. Anyone?
Ok this says a lot. If you don’t want to have the full Monty and do tile/granite. Do a nice formica for the countertop and a nice tongue and groove bamboo or maple wood paneling. Don’t chince because you may not want to upgrade in your neighborhood, but you would presumably want to sell you home at some point right? So a nice hard or soft wood paneling on the backsplash would look quite nice.
When I moved into my house the previous owner had glued cork board to the walls with this same glue.
The cure was to take 36 grit sandpaper on a belt sander and remove the glue, and top layer of the plaster. I then went back and skim coated the wall with joint compound.
At that point you could finish the wall anyway you want.
You could cut some lauan ( or luan) ply,nominal 1/4",and laminate verticle grade HPL (i.e.,Formica ) to it.If thickness is a concern,find luan door skins and put the HPL on that. The ply would eliminate removing all but the biggest lumps.
Typically counters are scribed to fit the wall so slight irregularities in plane shouldn’t matter.
I wouldn’t think a tile backsplash would be too much of an investment - well, depending upon the tile, of course. Another option might be a vinyl wallpaper. You could use some thinned joint compound to fill the uneven areas, or maybe get a textured wallpaper?