AIR SEALING PLASTER AND LATHE WALLS HOW TO
AIR SEALING PLASTER AND LATHE WALLS PRO
AIR SEALING PLASTER AND LATHE WALLS CRACK

Of course, if your walls are still in good condition, there is no need to touch them.

AIR SEALING PLASTER AND LATHE WALLS HOW TO

If you live in a house with lath and plaster walls (likely if your house was built before 1940) then you might be wondering how to repair damaged lath and plaster. How do you Repair Lath and Plaster Walls? These mixtures usually used a 1:1:6 combination of gypsum or cement, lime putty and sharp sand for the initial two coats, then equal parts of lime putty and gypsum for the final layer. Later on, it became common to add in gypsum or sometimes cement - this was to speed up the setting process between each layer. The third layer was commonly made up of lime putty and a fine sand in a 3:1 mixture - or sometimes just lime putty. The first two layers of plaster that were applied to the lath were usually made up of lime putty and sharp sand in a 1:3 ratio - often with animal hair added in to help bind them. (Image credit: Getty) What Type of Plaster Was Used For Lath and Plaster? You’ll need a HEPA-filtered shop vac or wet mop to keep from kicking the dust in the air.Lath and plaster walls were commonplace in house right up until the advent of plasterboard in the 1930s. Use care cleaning up the dust afterward, as well.

AIR SEALING PLASTER AND LATHE WALLS PRO

It’s also crucial that you protect your lungs with a respirator (again, we recommend the Gerson Silica & Concrete Dust Respirator Kit with Pancake Filters – Signature Pro Series). All the methods above can cause damage to the surrounding plaster if you don’t use masking tape for reinforcement, so be sure to tape off the area thoroughly before you start cutting. The angle grinder is your best bet among the options above, as it will allow you to monitor the amount of force going into the wall. Look for high-powered tools that gradually work into the plaster and avoid short blades. Handsaws and hammering can cause instantaneous chipping and fracturing. Whichever option you choose, avoid too much vibration against the walls. To stem those concerns, use an angle grinder, monitor your pressure, and always use a diamond blade.Ĭutting plaster can be a hairy business, especially with the wrong tools. If you tape the cut line, then cut through it, the plaster will be less likely to crumble. There are various ways to do that, but tape seems to work the best. If you have to cut with a vibrating device, prepare the plaster first. Whichever tool you pick, the less vibration, the better.

AIR SEALING PLASTER AND LATHE WALLS CRACK

It looks like it’s as hard as concrete, but it can be brittle and crack easily with age.

Vibration is your biggest adversary when cutting plaster.

Requires taping to minimize plaster fracturingīuyer’s Guide – Choosing the Best Tools for Cutting Plaster.

Use a 6-inch demolition blade for best results, and take precautions for dust, as mentioned above, including a respirator.Ĭheck out the model below for our top pick of reciprocating saws. Once you’ve made your hole, insert the saw blade and cut outward to your line. Don’t use a hammer you’ll get cracks spidering in every direction. You’ll want to start by punching a small hole in the middle of your cutting area with a drill bit (see our number 3 recommendation). You can make successful cuts if you mark off the cutting area with masking tape to reinforce the plaster and use a high-powered saw (like the one we recommend below). They’re not entirely destructive for smaller projects, either. But if you plan to topple an entire wall, a reciprocating saw can give you great power and efficiency. You can easily crumble or crack the surrounding plaster.

Always wear goggles and a mask when doing anything involving plaster cutting.Īs mentioned above, tools with high vibration are not great options for detailed plasterwork.

Plaster is very dusty when cut, and inhaling it is hazardous. Unless the entire wall is coming down, you have to do it a certain way for the integrity of the plaster.įirst, you need the right tools and the proper protective equipment. Plaster might be hard, but vibrations can crack it. The trick when cutting plaster is the challenge of getting through the hard material without damaging the surrounding wall. And while their historical aesthetic is charming, updating electrical work and other minor renovations will still require you to cut through the plaster. Southern homes can date back as far as when plantations littered the countryside. Many people flip houses as a revenue stream, and some houses are pretty old. And if you intended to cut a plaster wall, you needed specialized tools and skills. It was hard, cracked, and tough to work with if doing home renovations, unlike the much more affordable and efficient drywall we are all familiar with. Unlike the drywall homes of today, before 1950, walls were constructed with plaster.

Carbide-tipped metal can withstand the toughness of plaster.

Multiple sizes to help you achieve the right cut.

Air sealing plaster and lathe walls