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Repairs for Chirstmas guests: My son the Master Caulker

We're having a house full of family guests this Christmas and we're puttin' on the dog. The wife says, "No 2 x 4's in the guest rooms."

Our house is vintage 1950, a post-war minimal traditional. After 60 years it has some sags.
P1050541-2010-12-01-Fixing-Ceiling

This is actual sheet rock, not wallboard, not gypsum board, not plaster. It's like concrete, attached to the ceiling joists with nails. We have 2 rooms left with the stuff. The other sagged first and we've fixed it.

I've been supporting this one with 2x4's for a year. I'm a guy. I don't care. I could wait another year or 2.
P1050539-2010-12-01-Fixing-Ceiling

I'm sure the proper thing to is rip down the ceiling and put up a new one. But it's way cheaper to screw the old one up there and camouflage the cracks and ripples with mud and flat ceiling paint. I mean, do you want a 60 year old house to look brand new?

Fortunately my son has been helping. Today the caulk.
P1050620-2010-12-07-DK-Caulks-Bedroom

He was wearing his "blacks" today, a sure sign of an artist.


This is a "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" style project, if you get my meaning. David is obviously NOT caulking the ceiling.

P.S. This is an 8' 3" ceiling in a 178 square foot room