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interesting lath

OldGuy | Posted in General Discussion on January 4, 2007 05:49am

This lath is one of three types I have found in the house I’m renovating. Regular lath that I’ve seen everywhere, the lath that was split and streached, and this lath that has been milled.

This lath appears on ceilings and walls (both exterior and interior). Probably was installed when the house was completely rebuilt around the previously existing structure (have not found that date yet).

The lath was probably milled locally in Deposit, NY (near Binghamton).

Just wondering if anyone else out there had seen it or something similar.

Cheers,
Paul

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  1. MikeHennessy | Jan 04, 2007 06:54pm | #1

    I found some of the same stuff, plaster and all, installed as a backer under the beadboard soffit on my house. I assume it was reclaimed -- otherwise, I can think of no explanation for the plaster in the grooves. Made it a PIA to remove the soffit.

    Mike Hennessy
    Pittsburgh, PA

    PS: My house was built in the '30s.



    Edited 1/4/2007 10:55 am ET by MikeHennessy

    1. OldGuy | Jan 06, 2007 12:08pm | #6

      Also interesting that what I had thought might have been a "local" product (considering the probable time of production) is more wide spread.Wonder if that would have been the actual product manufactured and transported or the design of the product reproduced?- Paul

  2. JohnSprung | Jan 04, 2007 11:45pm | #2

    The grooves do seem to work to hang onto the plaster.  Are they beveled like a gib?  I had some lath with beveled edges, but not grooves. 

     

     

    -- J.S.

     

    1. OldGuy | Jan 05, 2007 07:43am | #4

      The groves are a dove tail. Also one edge of the lath piece has a half (?) dove tail.

  3. bobguindon | Jan 05, 2007 12:47am | #3

    That's some heavy-duty lath.  I can't imagine that it would have saved much time in installation, considering the extra material weight and the fact that it would be harder to cut.  It certainly uses more material, plus there's extra cost in milling the grooves.  I'm guessing 1930's to 1940's, some time before rocklath became popular.  Interesting, though.

    Bob

    1. MikeK | Jan 05, 2007 09:27am | #5

      My house was built in 1892 and has similar heavy duty lath on all the interior walls. Boards are about 7/8" thick, Tongue and groove with dovetails keys.I had to laugh because I had not allowed my wife to put any nails in the walls for fear of ruining the plaster. Now she can put a trim nail anywhere she pleases. You never know. When the contractors opened up my house to build the addition they were very suprised to see platform framing on a house built in the 1890's.

  4. kate | Jan 06, 2007 05:56pm | #7

    My house (1690) has split lath; my parents' house (1790) had accordian (split & stretched) , & regular sawn lath is common, but that's a new one to me...thanks!

  5. Marion | Jan 07, 2007 02:12am | #8

    My house was built in 1903 in Illinois. I have same type of lath. My house was the first of this type of lath that I have come across.

  6. Shep | Jan 07, 2007 02:52am | #9

    30 years of working on old houses, and plenty of old plaster walls

    but I've never seen lath like that. I guess there still is something to learn <G>

  7. JerraldHayes | Jan 07, 2007 02:52am | #10

    It's been a long time since I've seen something like that but I saw in inside a very very old home in Armonk NY back in the early 80's.

    I'm going to make an assumption here that I pretty confident about. I think the groves serve two purposes. One I'm sure it sure does help key the plaster to the lathe. And two just as we kerf or relieve the backs of the molding and jamb material we make to help reduce it's tendency to cup and warp I think that given that lathe is so much wider than 99% of the wood lath you typically see those grooves help reduce that particular lathe from wanting to torque too.


    View Image

    1. OldGuy | Jan 07, 2007 05:27pm | #13

      Thanks.The lath also has the relief cuts in the back side.

  8. MSA1 | Jan 07, 2007 05:23am | #11

    I've got a house (about 2000 sqft and about 100 years old) full of the stuff. Very similar anyway. My house is in up state michigan and I guess wood was cheap and easy to find. Mines all 1x4.

  9. Jer | Jan 07, 2007 05:51am | #12

    Seen it before in farm houses.

     

    Deposit!  I'm going right through The Cannondale Rez in the morning on the way to Delhi and then to Oneonta.  You know Trout Creek?  It's where my ancestory is from.

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