ceramic tile on ceiling - I don't want tile there anymore!

[moosictchr]

Okay, I've just ripped out my entire tub surround (which was itself surround by tile), found damage and will be ripping everything out and putting up new cementboard. (Oh yeah, I've never done this before! ha ha!) Anyway, there was tile on the ceiling, too, which I don't want anymore. I'll be putting up another tub surround and would like to have the ceiling just flat and painted. There is of course adhesive there. Do I sand it down and smooth it out and level out the surface (if so, with what?) or do I have to take the whole ceiling down? Beyond the tiling is just the plain ceiling... Please help!

[Lawrence]

If you have a relatively smooth surface after removing tiles then I think you can skim coat and paint. It can be kind of a crappy job to take the ceiling down.

[moosictchr]

It's pretty bumpy....what do I skim coat it with?

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Probably easiest to just add a layer of drywall (greenboard) and tape and paint it.

[jolt]

You can install new sheet rock over the existing drywall without removing it. You might want to score around the damaged area and pull the paper from the drywall in that area. Use 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 drywall screws and construction adhesive applied to the existing drywall to secure the new wallboard. Trying to flash coat over the existing damage will be hard to hide and maybe more susceptible to damage from the high humidity in the bathroom.

Used this method to repair quite a few bath celings and it works great, just make sure to mark so that the drywall screws are placed into the studs.

[krw]

Wouldn't these be too short. Standard drywall screws are 1-5/8". I'd think you'd want to go to at least 2" with another layer of sheetrock in there.

[Lawrence]

Drywall mud.