I use real plaster to patch small holes, but ive got a much larger hole that needs to be addressed and dont know if drywall is sometimes used in those kinds of repairs or not. When repairing lath and plaster walls, it is highly advisable to get into the habit of using similar materials. This is the time to decide whether youre going to update your walls or match the existing finish for a seamless repair. Add as much plaster as is needed to fill the area, so its almost but not quite level with the surrounding plaster. Plant washers about 8 to 12 inches apart on both sides of the crack. It can, however, require a bit more extra time and skill than patching a hole in drywall. The bonding agent acts as an emulsifier to bond the new plaster to the old without the hitormiss method of wetting the old lath and plaster. The original lath must be secure, otherwise the weight of the patching plaster may loosen it.
Put on the plaster most commercial patching plasters require a thorough wetting of the surrounding plasterwork, though some do not read and follow the instructions to be certain. Major wall damage on a plaster and lath wall, of the kind of damage that goes all the way through both the plaster and lath, usually requires that sections of the wall be removed and replaced. Be sure the wood lath strips are securely nailed to the wood framing. Apply nylon directly to the feathered plaster, lath and feathered drywall, overlapping all strips.
Sold by stock your home and ships from amazon fulfillment. Apply adhesivebacked mesh tape around the perimeter of the patch. Packaged in a two gallon plaster pail it covers 500 square inches. Completely remove the lath and plaster, denail and clear away. Anyway, what you dont do is 1 replace the plaster with drywall a hanging offense in this part of the u. Patching plaster to use in deep holes that extend down to the lath look for one specifically made for repairing old. Plaster magic is costly for us because we do a lot of plaster repair, but if you are a newby, then just the instruction are probably worth the price, at least for your first job.
Spray lath and feathered plaster with a light coat of water and apply a thin coat 18 in. Please note the specific item you have requested may not be in stock at the time of your visit. Repairing holes in lath and plaster walls can range from being very difficult to quite quick and simple. Allpurpose joint compound is a building material drywall finishers use to spackle, or mud, a drywall installation. Soundproof drywall, though, rivals lath and plaster walls in terms of soundproofing. Homeowners can repair lath and plaster walls by themselves using drywall materials and tools. Often strips of plasterboard are fixed in between the. Once your plaster is set and dry, and youre all done your project of patching plaster, youre ready for the final stage. While lath can be made of metal and stone, you will most likely encounter wood lath. This will give the next layer of plaster something to hold onto. Nylon tape works best, however, i have used both paper and nylon. Economical, plaster patching product for everyday household repairs to plaster and drywall.
Restoring original plaster how to repair lath and broken plaster. When the scratch coat, or first coat of plaster, is applied. Use a pva polyvinyl acetate plaster bonding agent around the edges of the failed plaster and on any exposed lath before taping the crack. Let the base coat dry, then brush on some liquid bonding agent. Using patching plaster, fill the deep holes down to the lath left, then scrape the patching plaster with a putty knife, leveling it with the edges of the hole. Seattle patching lath and plaster patching lath and. For decent sized holes the best thing to use for repairs is called big wallys patching plaster. Step by step, rory walks through the repair process, from replacing missing lath to laying the final skim coat and restoring that vintage plaster to.
I have traditional plaster on lath in my 1927 house. The screw pulls the lath against the plasters back side while the washer gives the screwhead a wide clamping surface. Old plaster is made from much different materials than current drywall joint compound. Lathandplaster was the wall covering of choice before drywall became popular, so if your house predates world war ii, it probably has plaster walls. With plaster washers and wide fiberglass mesh, old plaster walls can be made smooth and solid again. Use your 10inch drywall knife to smooth the surface of the wet plaster. Spread patching plaster into the damaged area with your putty knife, putting the plaster directly on the exposed lath. Use a 6inch drywall knife to spread a thin layer of veneer plaster over the patch. More serious repair problems include delamination, bulging walls, and key failure, where plaster has broken loose from its grip on the lath. Furthermore, the brown coat of plaster is quite tough and is eating up all the blades ive used to try to square the holes off. There are several ways you can address the repair, depending. Finally, if youre not feeling comfortable tackling your first plastering job just yet, watch this great tutorial over at 21st century caveman. We just bought a home that has lathplaster walls with several cracks in. Pull loose plaster tight to the lath with plaster washers.
Traditional lime plaster was used for wall coverings until wwii. Use a 6inch drywall knife to spread a thin layer of. Skim plaster over the drill holes and patch with three very thin layers of joint compound you should still be able to see the plaster surface through it, scraping ridges and bumps. A few companies that specialize in finishing drywall may be able to repair plaster walls, as well. By the time that is done, it is well beyond a spackle patch job, it requires replastering. Plaster can be defined as a mixture of lime and sand or cement and water that is applied over walls and ceilings on top of lath, to form a smooth hard surface that can be painted over once dry. Wood lath consists of a series of horizontal wood strips, approximately 2 inches wide, with a small gap between each slat. If you do have lath behind the void, then skip to step 2. Let the first batch of plaster set up, approximately 12. The plaster that oozed between the laths is called keys and actually plays an important role in the plaster and laths ability to absorb sound. Use a flat trowel to apply plaster base coat over the exposed wood lath. If there is still lath in the damaged section, then the repair is even simpler, but thats not always the case. Loose, damaged plaster can also be rekeyed when the goal is to conserve decorative surfaces or wallpaper.
How to patch plaster walls old house journal magazine. Lath and plaster walls provide a room with better soundproofing, as opposed to drywall walls of an ordinary thickness 12inch. Slip a 2inch plastic washer over a 1 58inch drywall screw, and drive it into the lath through one of the adhesivefilled holes. If laths themselves are damaged, an entire section of the wall may need replacing. A look at how we patched damaged areas of lath and plaster on the walls and ceilings before plastering. Scratch the surface of this first layer of patching plaster with the corner edge of the putty knife to provide texture for the next layer of patching plaster to bond to. How to repair cracks in plaster walls todays homeowner. Reroute any wiring, if required and repair any damage, holes in the timberwork etc.
White popcorn rollon texture decorative ceiling finish. If the plaster gives more than 18 of an inch when gently pressed, plan on. Patching plaster how to repair your walls property. How to repair plaster walls this old house youtube. Stucco on brick i understand, but dont have experience with the plaster on brick. If the screw cracks the plaster as it goes in, predrill through the plaster. For example, if your project entails installing a small patch to repair a section of cracked plaster, you can use all. My husband and i are trying to restore our apartment in an old prewar building. Its sometimes easier to repair damaged plaster walls with drywall than it is to try to replaster them, though, because applying plaster has become. Many older homes may still have some walls and ceilings made of plaster and lath instead of the now standard drywall or wallboard. Allpurpose joint compound adheres well to most surfaces, so you can use it to make repairs on plaster walls.
When making any repair to lath and plaster, the same type of materials, or similar, to the original construction should be used. Sick of paying tons of money to fix minor things around your house. When it has dried a little, score the plaster with a nail, as shown at right. Countless homeowners and local companies have benefited from the cost effective and expert service provided by our company. However, its often just the plaster thats damaged, with the lath still in place. If you have holes or cracks in your plaster walls or ceilings, repairing them isnt difficult. Leave as is or decorate with varnish, wood stain, or paint. It was applied in a 3 coat process over thin wood furring strips called lath that. Repair sagging, cracking plaster walls and avoid the mess of demolition. Patching plaster is a rewarding diy project that can be done in a weekend and is a great way to save yourself some extra money. You need to remove all plaster that is moisture damaged. The instructions ive seen for patching plaster all assume that theres intact wood lath behind the plaster, but here, the rock lath gets the same holes as the plaster. Lath and plaster walls have a slightly better insulating r.
Before you can worry about repairing cracks or holes in plaster, make certain the plaster is still secured to the lath. Dry mix would work of course, though i would expect that premixed patching plaster would be available in most areas. Both of these are the foundation to the plaster and they must be sound. The contractors patching plaster is approximately twice the size of our painters patching plaster. Once your plaster is mixed apply it with a putty knife and press it firmly into the supporting lathe. The dap store locator finds the 15 nearest retail locations to the address you specify. The walls have small to mediumsized areas where some of the plaster is missing and there are numerous jagged cracks in the walls. Patching plaster everything you need for perfect plaster. As houses settle and move with age, the casualty created is the inevitable crack in a plaster wall. In this video, this old house host kevin oconnor discusses patching plaster with a pro. Tuck the patching plaster under the edges of the existing plaster and into the key ways the spaces between the lath.