Is this ceiling job too much for me?

[Pjalst]

I have a textured drywall ceiling that has a crack running all the way across from one side to the other. The crack is fairly straight so I believe there is a bad seam or tape job. I tried scraping off the texure with a sharp putty blade, but thats not doing the trick. Since I also want to install recessed lighting in the room I think I should just remove the entire ceiling and re- drywall the whole thing. I've never done anything like this before, but I am pretty handy. I will also have the help of a buddy. My question, is this something a first timer can do, or should I seek professional help? I will leave the wiring of the lights to an eletrician.

[HayZee518]

Replacing the drywall can be quite a nightmare for one that's not done it before. But there's always a first time. With the textured skim coat you have on the existing drywall, the pieces coming down are going to be heavy!! Check with your building inspector for the thickness required on the ceiling. Rent a drywall jack, in the long run you'll be glad you did. A 4X8 or a 4X10 piece of drywall is heavy even with a buddy helping you. Allows you to position the sheet overhead easily.
Recessed lighting are called "cans" and are easy to put up. There are metal hangers supplied that nail into the joist members. Wiring is just paralleled to each other and onward to your switch(s)
On the sheetrock joints. Apply some mud to the joint, use a quality paper joint tape and press it into the mud. Now trowel using a 8 inch knife to press the tape into the mud and get as thin a coating as you can. Let this dry, then go over the joint again with the mud. Keep it thin. When you get the drywall up you'll notice a depression where the sheets join. This is the area where the mud has to be built up to match the rest of the sheet. The final layer will be feathered out to match the rest of the sheet(s) Work in thin layers - takes longer but you'll not have to sand as much. - Tom

[armataz]

theres a simple fix as well,if the ceiling is in good shape other than the crack, you might try a tube of Flexx caulk. it is made for filling cracks in joints caused by settling its extreamly flexible and paintable . just run a bead into the crack and paint over it and the crack will dissapear.TAZ

nuthing like being woken up at 12:AM to unstop some one elses toilet.

[Pjalst]

Would anyone suggest applying new drywall over the exsiting ceiling? other than the crack the ceiling is in pretty good condition. Maybe I should just try the flex caulk.

[HayZee518]

Flex-caulk seems the way to do. However should you decide, a 3/8" drywall skin applied over existing ceiling/ wallcovering isn't a farfetched idea. Sheets are resonably light in weight and the buddy concept will work great here!