Drywall is something that should be finished in some way or another. Most people tend to use paint but is it possible to use epoxy?
Epoxy is an excellent choice for drywall, especially in the shower or other areas of high moisture. It provides a solid, washable, and impenetrable surface that can be made to look beautiful in your own, specific way.
Not only is epoxy a good choice for drywall, but it can also be added to almost any vertical surface. Most people tend to think about using it on walls that are made of concrete or cinder block but sheetrock is perfectly fine for the use of epoxy.
That being said, there are some things that need to be considered before you undertake such a project.
Can You Epoxy Over Drywall? (How To)
One important factor that cannot be underestimated is the need to plan the project out carefully. The last thing you want to do is start on a big project and realize that you are not fully prepared from the start.
When you put epoxy over drywall, you will find that it is much easier to do a large area than to do a smaller area. At the same time, however, if you run out of epoxy or if you are not prepared to do all of the areas at once, you will find that the end result is lackluster.
Epoxy provides a great surface for drywall. It can beautify a room while at the same time, providing a surface that does not allow the growth of any mold or fungus. It works well in the shower or any part of the home that you want to make especially beautiful.
Should You Epoxy Over Drywall?
We already discussed the fact that it is possible to apply epoxy to drywall. That doesn’t mean that it is going to be the right choice for everyone. How can you make that determination?
You should consider all of the many benefits of applying epoxy over drywall. When you think about the pros and cons, it can really help you to make the choice as to whether it is a good idea for you and your household.
Here are the pros of applying epoxy over drywall:
Color – Although you can certainly use any number of different colors when it comes to painting, you have a much wider variety of options that can be applied with epoxy. This is due to the fact that you can easily mix and match different colors to create beautiful patterns and designs that will make your home unlike any other.
Of course, the same thing can be done with paint, but using epoxy is a much better choice because of the durability and options that are available.
Durability – Have you ever freshly painted a room and within a few days, you begin to notice small marks and scratches where the paint is no longer fresh? It’s easy to damage paint but not so easy to damage epoxy.
If you are looking for something that is going to last the long term and you can actually live with it, then epoxy is a choice to consider. When it comes to scratches, abrasions, bumps, and other issues, you will not do better than epoxy.
Cleaning – Although it is possible to clean a painted wall, it will not be anywhere near as easy as it is to clean an epoxy wall. You can wipe them down with any type of cleaner or disinfectant to ensure that your entire room is clean from top to bottom.
Moisture – In areas of the home where moisture is a problem, applying epoxy over drywall is an excellent choice. Once the epoxy is on, moisture will not get through to the drywall. That is what makes it so good for use in the bathroom and in particular, the shower.
Let’s take a look at the downside of applying epoxy over drywall:
Time – It doesn’t take long to paint a room but it will take a considerable amount of time to apply epoxy, especially if you are not familiar with the process. If time isn’t an issue, then you can proceed with the epoxy.
Fumes – Undoubtedly, there are going to be some heavy fumes associated with applying epoxy over drywall. You may even want to wear a respirator to cut down on your exposure. As long as you have a ventilated area, however, the fumes will dissipate quickly.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on September 6, 2022.
Cost – There is a considerable amount of cost associated with applying epoxy over drywall in comparison with using paint.
As you can see, there are both good and bad associated with applying epoxy over drywall. It’s a personal decision, but it’s one you can live with.
How To Epoxy Over Drywall
At this point, we are going to talk about how to actually apply the epoxy over drywall. This process will begin with the mixture of the epoxy itself. You will find more preparation steps in the next section.
The first step in applying epoxy over drywall is to mix the epoxy. This should be done according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When you mix the epoxy, you will have to work with it quickly so that it doesn’t dry before you have an opportunity to apply it to the drywall.
After mixing the epoxy, you will have to mix in the thickener. When you do so, the clear liquid that you have in the container is going to become opaque white. That is why you have to add the color.
At the primary color to the epoxy and mix it thoroughly. You can then begin applying it to the wall using a wide drywall knife.
Put the epoxy on a piece of hard plastic and then scrape the epoxy directly from the plastic onto the wall. You can then begin covering the wall with the primary color.
It doesn’t matter what direction you go for the primary color. The real key is to get it as smooth and even as possible. If it gets too thick, spray some metallic color on it to thin it with the alcohol or use acetone.
After the entire wall has been covered and smoothed out using the primary color, it’s time to begin adding the secondary color. This is done by taking the secondary color on your fingertips (with gloves) and applying it in the same direction on the wall.
It really doesn’t matter which direction you choose. Most people tend to go at an angle but the real key is to use the same direction with each application.
You will notice that the secondary color is going on thick and there may be chunks or even drips. That is fine because you will then use the wide drywall knife to scrape the secondary color and apply it evenly to the primary color.
You don’t want to completely blend the secondary color with the primary. You just want to give the accent color and you can even spray on a third color or more if desired to add even additional options.
If you aren’t happy with the color at first, you could always scrape it off with the scraper to the greatest extent possible and start with the primary color again.
Continue to work with the wall to give it some texture. You want to float things as much as possible to get it smooth, however, and if there are any drips, continue to work with them and feather things out.
If you’re working with a larger area, you will find it much more convenient. Smaller areas can work just as well with epoxy over drywall, but you will have a lot of downtime in between steps.
What Tools You Need To Epoxy Over Drywall
Here are the tools that are necessary for applying epoxy over drywall. Having them on hand and readily available will help you to keep things moving so you will end up with a beautiful job.
Sandpaper – If there is an orange peel or other texture on the wall you need to sand it until it is smooth.
Sticks – Use paint or mixing sticks
Buckets and Cups – Use graduated mixing cups and buckets.
Blowtorch – If there are bubbles on the surface, you will need to use a blowtorch to remove them. Be careful that you don’t burn the wall and never light the torch next to the wall.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on September 6, 2022.
Plastic – Having plastic sheets on hand will help to protect the other surfaces from splashes and spills.
Wide Knife – A wide drywall knife will help you to spread the epoxy, especially the primary color.
Foam Brushes – These can be used for smaller areas where the wide knife doesn’t reach.
PPE – Use PPE to protect your health and safety. This would include disposable gloves, safety glasses, a half-mask respirator, and long sleeves.
What Preparation You Need To Epoxy Over Drywall
There is not much preparation needed for applying epoxy over drywall, but in some cases, you may have to prepare things just so.
You want to start with a clean, smooth surface when applying epoxy over drywall. This may mean applying drywall mud to the seams or floating the entire wall. If there is any orange peel texture on the wall, you should sand it smooth.
Since you are dealing with a vertical surface, you will not be able to move the epoxy around in a similar way to what you would do on the floor. You will even use a thickener, which means you will have to work with the epoxy to get it smooth and for the proper coverage.
You can add metallics by spraying it on the wall if the epoxy is too thick. Acetone will also help to keep things thin.
Epoxy can be used in high moisture areas over drywall. It’s an excellent choice for the shower, basement, or other parts of the home where you want a beautiful wall but want it to be impenetrable.
Related Articles
Can You Epoxy Over OSB? (How To)
ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on September 6, 2022.