Does smoke-damaged drywall in Valley Village have to be replaced?

Sometimes it can stay. Light soot on painted board can wash off, and a shellac-based primer seals what remains. When odor returns after that, the soot has worked past the paint into the paper facing and the insulation, so we take both out and clean the framing before new gypsum goes up.

Where is Type X gypsum needed in an Valley Village house?

A Valley Village garage with a bedroom over it needs 5/8 inch Type X on its ceiling. Without living space above, the garage ceiling and the wall shared with the house need only regular board of 1/2 inch, fastened on the garage side. We add Type X elsewhere by request, wherever you want more protection.

Which flooring suits a slab in Valley Village?

Tile and vinyl plank both stand up to water on a slab, which suits kitchens and laundry rooms. Engineered wood can go on concrete in drier rooms if it is glued down and the slab tests dry. When moisture readings run high, a membrane or vapor retarder is laid down first.

Flooring, Drywall & Interior Finishes in Valley Village

Valley Village flooring and drywall from Fernhill Builders: leaks found and dried, wet board replaced, and floors chosen for kitchens, baths and laundry.

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Leaks behind a Valley Village wall travel down to the floor, so we treat both together. A slow drip from a supply valve or a washer hose can wet the bottom of the drywall, soak the baseboard and swell the subfloor beneath. We stop the leak, open the wall above the stain, and dry studs and subfloor with fans and a dehumidifier until a meter says they are dry. Only then do new board and flooring go in.

Board near wet rooms

Gypsum near water needs help. Moisture-resistant board goes behind sinks, tubs and the washer, and shower walls get cement backer under a waterproof membrane that laps into the shower pan. That pan slopes toward its drain so standing water clears. At the floor line, we hold the board slightly off the subfloor so it cannot wick, and caulk where the tub meets tile. Openings for pipes are sealed so steam stays out of the wall cavity. Shutoff valves behind an access panel make the next repair simple.

Floors in kitchens, baths and laundry

Wet-room floors need a finish that water cannot get under. Porcelain tile over a membrane, or rigid vinyl plank with sealed edges at the tub and toilet, both work. Engineered wood fits the rooms away from plumbing. Under any of them, a subfloor that swelled from a leak is cut out and replaced with new plywood, then screwed to the joists. A washer on an upper floor sits in a pan piped to a drain, so the next leak goes somewhere safe.

About our Flooring, Drywall & Interior Finishes service Services in Valley Village