Brennan owns Preservation Plastering in Brattleboro, Vt., and maintains a YouTube channel with many plaster repair how-to videos.įollow the photos and captions for a step-by-step look at Brennan’s process, which includes products for a patching system he developed called Big Wally’s Plaster Magic. To show you how the pros do it, we’ve adapted a video called “How to Repair Lath and Broken Plaster,” by Rory Brennan, who has been repairing plaster for 30 years. Plaster is not easy to repair and is pretty expensive to install, but there are good arguments to be made for opting for lath and plaster over drywall. Plus, without the proper prep work on loosened plaster, any patch is doomed to failure. The most durable plaster repairs are made with plaster, not joint compound. No problem, the drywallers will handle it, right? Wrong. To mount an HVAC duct, we’ve cut through a plaster wall with a recip saw, sending plaster flying and leaving the lath flapping. If the plaster no longer holds to the lath underneath, our technicians will reattach the. You can scrape this back to leave you approximately 1/16” (2mm) ready for the top skim coat which can be blended with the surrounding area using a damp sponge as previously described.We’ve all seen it, and we’ve all done it. Sometimes repairing a plaster wall actually involves lath repair. Repair or replace any damaged laths as before using Plasterboard or wire mesh, cutting them back to the nearest joist.īefore you apply the first coat of plaster, make the wooden areas damp using a wet sponge then trowel on the first base coat, don’t build this up too thickly, scratch key the surface then allow it to set, and then apply a second thinner base coat. I find these Bole safety glasses very comfortable to wearĬut the plaster back far enough to remove any loose or blown areas allowing you to work with a sound and solid surface. number of keys metal lath was better able to hold plaster than wood lath had. You can use a multi-function scraper to help lift the plaster away and I often use an 18V Multi-tool with an old, wide wood cutting blade to cut the plaster, taking care not to cut too deep and damage the wooden laths underneath.Īlways wear eye and face protection when working overhead to help prevent any plaster from causing an accident. Preservation Brief 21: Repairing Historic Flat Plaster-Walls and Ceilings. Use a sharp utility knife to trim around the damage and then carefully pull the plaster away from the laths behind. Trowel on the first coat and press it into the surface to ensure a good bond onto the laths, then scratch key the surface and let it set.Īpply a second topcoat using a trowel and use a darby to level it with the surrounding surface, to blend the edges use a damp sponge to feather the new plaster over the old existing surface.ĭamaged ceilings are often seen in older houses, usually due to water damage from a burst pipe or a leaking roof, the brown patchy stains are a tell-tale sign of water damage,Īs with repairing lath and plaster wall, the old, damaged plaster surface needs to be removed from the ceiling. If the level of the original plaster is very deep, consider using a two-coat method for applying the plaster. If you have used plasterboard as a new sub-base, make sure this does not get wet, otherwise, the paper surface will deteriorate and the surface will fail. Use drywall screws, and always drill pilot holes to avoid splitting the wood. To get a good bond, I prefer making the wooden laths slightly wet with a damp sponge, this prevents them from sucking too much moisture out of the plaster. Replace any missing lengths of lath, and refasten all loose pieces. You can learn more about applying and skimming plaster in our How to Plaster guide Allow the mixture to stiffen then trowel the surface as you would for any other plastering project Smooth and level the surface using a flat, straight edge or plastering darby, and fill in any low spots or hollows. Then build up the layer until it is level with the original plaster. To repair the surface you can use a one-coat plaster and skim the plaster on by hand using a trowel, at first pressing the mixture so that it bonds firmly between the laths or the plasterboard Build up layers until flush with the surrounding plaster, allow it to stiffen then smooth with a trowel and blend the edges with a damp sponge. Trowel the first layer of plaster over the whole area pressing the mix firmly into the laths. Once the sub base has been repaired and is sound, it can be replastered to give you a clean, smooth surface to decorate.ĭampen the laths with a wet sponge, avoid making any plasterboard wet as this will destroy the paper covering. On this job, an area of the ceiling above the wall repair had also been demolished, by the same plumber who installed the drainpipe.
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