Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | May 14, 2000 04:27am | #1

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   Yes - you should be able to get it at a builders supply but not big box stores like HD. If you look in a large city yellow pages, you shoudl be able to find a drywall supply place - they usually have plaster. I like USG's Imperial line products. For reference, I highly recommend USG's Gypsum Handbook - a very thorough review of USG products and application techniques. A lot of info that can be transfered to other manufacturer's products.

1. 
   Guest_ | May 14, 2000 07:54am | #2

   *Based on your description of damage, what exactly do you plan to do? If it was just nail and impact damage to the plaster and minor damage under windows (find out what caused it!), you don't need to skim coat the entire wall unless it is heavily damaged. You might try the following, which has worked very well in the past for limited cracking -If larger than hairline cracks, rake out and open up the cracks somewhat - v-groove them with a tool (believe it or not, a can opener works pretty well). Very slightly dampen crack area. Fill flush to the surface, but not beyond, with patching plaster. I'm partial to sheetrock brand patching plaster - a powder which you mix up with water (wearing a dust mask). It comes in a 1-lb box and a 25-lb bag. Don't 'cheap out' on this - the products from SOTB aren't as good. Make sure the surfaces either side of the crack don't move independently under heavy finger pressure - too much movement is a sign that you might need plaster washers to resecure to lath. However, it sounds as if you probably don't need to do this. After the patching plaster cures, sand slightly to remove any surface nubs. Obtain NuWall tape material and acrylic NuWall liquid - they advertise in FHB, I believe. Using a paintbrush, paint the patched crack area with the NuWall liquid to about 1 1/2" either side of the crack - total width about 3". Immediately embed the NuWall tape material (very thin, like a dryer sheet) in the liquid and smooth out with the brush adding more NuWall acrylic on top - the goal is to get the tape to lay flat, fully embedded without fish mouths and without a high build. Wait 30 minutes and apply another coat. When dry (this doesn't build to much thickness) skim coat over with drywall compound, feather and finish.There are other similar methods, but this has worked well for me and it doesn't involve the high level of skill necessary to apply a full skim coat of plaster. Remember, it's an old house and doesn't have to look 'perfect.'

1. 
   Guest_ | May 14, 2000 08:25am | #3

   *Jeff,You have undoubtedly read here before that I live in a tin can on the side of a mountain. I have cracks in the plaster walls of my tin can. I tried your method, but it just doesn't seem to be working for me. Maybe you can help.How do I get the little wheel on the can opener hooked over the lip of the crack in the plaster ?

1. 
   Guest_ | May 14, 2000 05:34pm | #4

   *mike.. i gotta think that the keyways holding the old plaster to the lath are probably pretty much destroyed...this sounds like the minimum u want to do is overlay the existing with 3/8 blueboard adn then skim-coat plaster..the damaged portions are probably very extensive.get a plasterer in to look at it and give you a price on overlay....i don't think you are gona be successful in your patchingb but hey, whadda i no?

1. 
   Guest_ | May 14, 2000 05:49pm | #5

   *Mike,Old buddy. Old pal. Old man.... heheheI started to disagree with you, but then thought of that/those carpenter type personages hammering all those furring strips up on yon plaster wall. All those hammer blows blasting all those keyways. Yup, probably pretty durn loose by now.Now if it had been one of Blue's crews, they woulda used nailguns.....Michael,Put one hand up against the wall and shove. Give it a few shaking shoves. Does it move ? Does it rattle ? If so, they probably used hammers, and Mike is right. Do this all over the walls, not in just one spot. You may even get lucky and have to only replace/repair isolated spots.....

2. 
   Guest_ | May 14, 2000 06:31pm | #6

   *Actually our HDs sell Structolite and Champion in addition to patching plaster. It's a pain to find the stuff at building supplies, although the one I do use has wood-fiber, Diamond, and other USG plaster products. I'm wary of Structolite since hearing it dissed here as too weak (I'm thinking over metal lath here). True?Anyway, to the poster, the advice here is great, the only problem being no one can see your wall to assess how bad it is. I assume it's not that bad if you want to save it. You can use other materials to bond the patch -- this is essential, plaster is very smooth -- including plasterweld (I think it's called) or Elmer's white glue, seriously. Both are PVA (polyvinylacrylate), allowed to gum up it can be plastered right over. I did some skimcoat touch up using Elmer's and haven't seen any delamination.Finally, consider Durabond taping compound, very easy to find and bulletproof. Some say it will fall out because it is not the same material as the plaster, but USG (again the mfr) recommends it for this purpose and it works fine.There are Gold Bond equivs. to these products. Visit also http://www.usg.com

3. 
   Guest_ | May 15, 2000 04:48am | #7

   *Very funny! Abuse the architect i again. Look, my point was simple that the original post suggests contemplating a fix involving skills that most DIY'ers don't have, including me. I think that it's only fair to point that out - that skim coat plaster or 3-coat plaster isn't DIY. If the keyways are reasonably good, and that does depend on exactly what happened when the furring strips were added, and the cracks aren't too bad (structural) the above method, whichi isDIY, will work fine.Tin can on the side of a mountain - you're not the ... the i UNABUILDERare you?

4. 
   Guest_ | May 15, 2000 06:48am | #8

   *Careful there, Dave, you're pretending to show your buttons.heheheI've been through this here, already before... You are not listening well. When my neighbors see me they shout, "hey !! You da bummer !!"

5. 
   Guest_ | May 15, 2000 07:02am | #9

   *Very clever. BTW the can opener instructions will be ... in the mail. Hey! You da man! :~)

6. 
   Guest_ | May 15, 2000 07:04am | #10

   *HAHAHAI'll have my cat get the mail.....

7. 
   Guest_ | May 15, 2000 07:07am | #11

   *meeee ... OWWWWWW!!!

2. 
   j_menz | May 16, 2000 06:25pm | #12

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   From this distance I'd consider plaster washers and 3 foot wide self adhesive fiberglass mesh skimmed with Durabond 90 or 120, even 240 if you can find it. Final pass with premix JC.

   Plaster washers are essential to tie existing plaster back to the wall.

   Good luck.

3. 
   Guest_ | May 16, 2000 11:45pm | #13

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   Well, Michael Todd, how loose
   i is
   your plaster? Inquiring minds want to know.

4. 
   Michael_Todd | May 20, 2000 04:06am | #14

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   The plaster is solid except around windows and cracks where it is loose.

5. 
   Michael_Todd | May 20, 2000 05:04pm | #15

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   I have an old house that I am restoring and I would like to save the plaster in the house. It has been covered for years with paneling and was stripped with 1"x4"'s which dasaged the plaster along with damage under windows and some cracking. Does plaster come premixed and if so, where do I get it? If not can someone give me the recipe for plaster? I would also like to know the proper technique for application. Thanks.

6. 
   Guest_ | May 20, 2000 05:04pm | #16

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   Michael,

   Are you trying to convice yourself that the plaster is tight everywhere else? From my experience plaster comes loose without nailing furring strips all over it. What feels tight is not always tight. start to pull off the obviously loose portions and keep working aroud them pulling off what ever comes off. You will be surprised. I have patched old plater walls with that structolite or perlite or whatever it is called and had great results. This stuff is a rough coat and needs a finish coat over it. Use joint compound for the thin finish coat.

   Let me know how much of that tight plaster comes of when you pull on it a little.

   Pete