To repair small cracks in plaster, youll need patching compound, medium and finegrit sandpaper, a sanding block, a putty. Besides the normal wear and tear of living, plasterandlath ceilings are at the mercy of. Ok, enough blurb, lets take a look at your plasterwork. Push gently on the plaster on each side of a crack to test for movement. You can also use the lath as backer for screwing in drywall patches cut to. Step by step guide to removing your lath and plaster ceiling. Diagnose common plaster problems the craftsman blog.
You can do this with drywall compound by applying it slowly and evening it out with a knife. Screw plaster washers to ceiling along and around cracked area. Our goal is to bring our cracking, sagging, and ugly plaster ceiling. Repair plaster walls to get things stabilized again. Here is a stepbystep guide to how to fix plaster ceilings in your old house. Repairing cracks in a lath and plaster ceiling kezzabeth. Plaster ceiling repair how to address cracks in plaster in a. To fix cracks in plaster, use plaster of paris or durabond, not spackling compound. Plaster ceilings in older homes often show cracks and other signs that gravity is trying to pull the ceiling down. With the proper tools, you can fix plaster ceilings to keep them looking like new. How to patch a plaster and lath ceiling ask this old house.
Repairing lath and plaster a guide to ways of fixing damaged lath and plaster. Finding plaster lath in the ceiling may be a challenge, but if you examine the. Dec 09, 2015 id read a few different ways to repair ceiling cracks in lath and plaster ceilings, so if youre looking to repair yours, you might want to do a bit more research to see which way is best for you but heres how i did ours. Ultimately the decision to repair or replace the lath and plaster, is up to you. In this video, this old house general contractor tom silva explains how to repair a plaster ceiling.
We had the roof redone this summer, and the banging and hammering seriously recracked the plaster. How to fix plaster ceilings old house journal magazine. Dec 19, 2018 for a sound repair to any crack, you must stop the plaster on each side from moving or shifting, and the substrate material wood or rock lath must be solid and secure with no bouncing. This how to explains how to evaluate whether to repair andor to take down a lath and plaster ceiling. Where i consider an cracks in lath and plaster repairable, i have include the best methods of making the repairs below. If your plaster ceiling is textured, youre going to have to replicate that finish. Sand the surface level with the rest of the plaster ceiling. Wait at least 24 hours for the joint compound to set fully. Expert advice on repairing small and large cracks in plaster, fixing. What oldhouse owner doesnt have a cracking or sagging plaster ceiling in need of repair somewhere. How to inspect and evaluate your lath and plaster ceiling.
I would advise doing these tests on all your cracks to determine the whether the plaster is just cracked or is suffering from bigger and more labor intensive issues. There are a number of ways to repair damaged lath and plaster walls. Movement of the house has meant that this additional. We had the roof redone this summer, and the banging and hammering seriously recracked. Use trowel to spread joint compound onto ceiling, covering the repaired area. Anyway, what you dont do is 1 replace the plaster with drywall a hanging offense in this part of the u. See professionally prepared estimates for ceiling plaster repair work. Repairing cracks in lath and plaster ceilings and walls if the plasterwork has cracked or crazed but is still firmly adhered to the laths then you could simply fill the cracks and blemishes and redecorate.
Evaluating whether to repair or remove your lath and plaster ceilings. To reattach the sagging plaster to the lath, drive the washer with a power screwdriver or drill so that it penetrates the wood lath, wall studs, or ceiling joists. How to repair cracked plaster on walls, ceiling sfgate. Most pre1930s houses have ceilings made of traditional lath and plaster which has a pleasing texture thats slightly irregular. When making any repair to lath and plaster, the same type of materials, or similar, to the original construction should be used. If the screw cracks the plaster as it goes in, predrill through the. Many older houses have plaster walls and ceilings with wood lath for a base. The plaster keys holding it to the underlying lath can also crack and break over time, causing the plaster to partially separate from the wall.
Thinking about how to repair or remove your lath and plaster. Latex paint will hide hairline cracks in plaster, but only temporarily. If your ceiling is plaster board,the cracks will more than likely be straight ones,usually following the main joists where the plasterboard edges should be fixed. You need to make sure the patch is the same height as the plaster ceiling. Im assuming that this was the ceiling equivalent of wallpapering cracked lath and plaster walls.
We did not have any ceiling cracks, but skim coating or texturing the ceiling if you avoid screwing anything in should work fine, based on the experiences of others in our complex. Cracks in ceilings are caused mostly by settling of the house and the expansion and contraction created during that settling. How to repair cracks in plaster walls todays homeowner. Plaster ceilings are commonly found in older homes and can last for years in the right conditions. Establishing new plaster keys if the back of the ceiling lath is accessible usually from the attic or after removing floor boards, small areas of bowedout plaster can be pushed back. Besides the normal wear and tear of living, plaster and lath ceilings are at the mercy of gravity, and they can take only so many water leaks and structural movements before they pull away from the framing. Sometimes lath and plaster can be patchedrestored but if in bad. Aug 19, 2018 to keep the plaster from cracking and to hide the screws, set a fiberglass screen into the first coat of plaster. Left untreated, ceiling cracks will enlarge, or the weight of a sagging plaster ceiling can pull the surrounding ceiling down with it. Repairing small cracks in plaster is easy compared to plastering a whole room. In this video, this old house general contractor tom silva explains how to repair a plaster cei ling. That being said, if the problems are cosmetic it could be cheaper to repair your ceiling. Laths are thin strips of wood about 25mm wide nailed to the ceiling joists, spaced about 5mm apart. The key to any fix is to reunite the plaster with the strips of wood lath underneath.
Spacklings best use is to fill holes made by pictures, curtain holders, etc. For my repair i cut away all the loose surface plaster with a utility knife. Plaster applied to wood lath is held in place by the keys that form when it squishes through the lath. The screws need to go into the lath in order to properly fix in position. To patch a hole in the ceiling plaster, metal lath is fastened over the wood lath. Lath and plaster stucco ceiling repair renovate forum. Plaster ceilings in some listed houses may need to be retained and repaired rather than removed. Plaster ceilings in some listed houses may need to be retained and repaired rather than removed check first. If the plaster and substrate is solid, then to fix.
Plaster wall and ceiling crack repairs concept plastering. Remove loose or excess plaster in crack using a utility knife. If the ceiling isnt perfect, well, there are worse things in life. Otherwise the cracks come back, no matter how many times you patch over them. If you live in an older home with sagging plaster on your walls and ceilings, you can fix it. First scrape out all cracks and vacuum out loose material. Get fair costs for your specific project requirements. Homes that are 100 years old or more are apt to have horsehair plaster and lath instead of drywall or plasterboard. Apply the joint compound to the crack and the surrounding plaster, using a trowel. The current project needs 46 sq ft of lathe and plaster ceiling repaired after we cut a large hole to install an air handler. Cost to repair ceiling plaster 2020 cost calculator. Apply the joint compound to the crack and the surrounding plaster.
When leaks or accidents occur sections of a plaster ceiling can crumble, loosen or fall away. Besides the normal wear and tear of living, plasterandlath ceilings are at. With plaster washers and wide fiberglass mesh, old plaster walls can be made smooth and solid again. Water damage, sagging ceilings, old plaster, foundation movement, temperature, high winds, poor workmanship. Expert advice and detailed instructions on repairing the most common plaster wall and ceiling problems, including cracks, holes, and sagging.
Repairs to lath and plaster walls and ceilings practical diy. Id read a few different ways to repair ceiling cracks in lath and plaster ceilings, so if youre looking to repair yours, you might want to do a bit more research to see which way is best for you but. Pull loose plaster tight to the lath with plaster washers. See more ideas about plaster ceiling repair, plaster and plaster repair. The problem is the compound used to repair this is even weaker than the plaster, since it lacks the fibers, and as the house continues to settle the crack will reappear. To avoid cracking the plaster and creating an even bigger repair job, dont pull. How to patch a plaster and lathe ceiling this old house. Repair sagging, cracking plaster walls and avoid the mess of demolition. This project will show you how to fix lath and plaster wall in various ways so that you get a great finish. How to repair sagging plaster on walls and ceilings dummies. 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. Nov 29, 2008 the walls and ceiling were cracked during the 1989 quake and poorly patched before we moved in. Apr 18, 2016 if you see bulges in your wall or ceiling and the plaster can be pushed back up against the wall, then its time to reattach that section of plaster.
Theres also the intangible satisfaction of restoring and preserving the character of the. If the problem is extensive, the old plaster will probably have to be removed and the ceiling replastered. Dec 17, 2019 expert advice and detailed instructions on repairing the most common plaster wall and ceiling problems, including cracks, holes, and sagging. Delamination will require the use of plaster washershardware that reattaches plaster to lath, a technology involving drilling holes and injecting adhesive between plaster and lath. Ask this old house general contractor tom silva helps a homeowner repair a cracked plaster ceiling in an older home. How to repair plaster on ceilings home guides sf gate. Score the crack with a utility knife to remove any loose plaster or other material that may be inside the crack. How to replace a plaster ceiling section home guides sf gate. The walls and ceiling were cracked during the 1989 quake and poorly patched before we moved in. If the plaster and substrate is solid, then to fix the crack do the following. Plaster repair for diyers no need to rip it out old town home. After the first coat sets, apply a second coat, filling any voids. See typical tasks and time to repair ceiling plaster, along with per unit costs and material requirements. Thinking about how to repair or remove your lath and plaster ceiling.
For a sound repair to any crack, you must stop the plaster on each side from moving or shifting, and the substrate material wood or rock lath must be solid and secure with no bouncing. This article offers detailed stepbystep instructions for plaster wall and ceiling repair. How to repair plaster cracks old house journal magazine. I have provided below, examples of typical damage to lath and plaster, that i consider repairable, or not repairable. Our unit had had the heat fail in a few of the rooms, and we simply had wall heater units installed instead of trying to replace or repair the radiant heat. No matter what the cause, you can repair the plaster cracks by using drywall tape and joint compound. Theres also the intangible satisfaction of restoring and preserving the character of the house youve grown to love. Laths are thin strips of wood about 25mm wide nailed to the. Plaster was then applied to the underside of the laths, held in place by being squeezed. Plaster ceilings in older homes often show cracks and other signs that gravity is. Using selfadhesive fiberglass mesh tape to repair a ceiling crack. Repairing lath and plaster walls and ceilings including holes. Thats why this old house general contractor tom silva usually reattaches lath with screws and metal washers before attempting a repair. Traditional lath and plaster ceilings and walls, or lathe and plaster depending on your spelling.
Remember, plaster is the canary in the coal mine and these are just some of the most common plaster problems. Using selfadhesive fiberglass mesh tape to repair a ceiling c rack. To keep the plaster from cracking and to hide the screws, set a fiberglass screen into the first coat of plaster. The wood lath was installed with gaps, called keys, between each piece of lath. However, the ceiling will need to be replaced if the entire section is. New lath and plaster ceiling showing staggered lath joints and prickingup coat lath and plaster ceiling which collapsed after fireproofing was installed from above a prickingup coat of lime putty and sand or earth mortars was applied and pushed through the lath to form nibs or keys. If you see bulges in your wall or ceiling and the plaster can be pushed back up against the wall, then its time to reattach that section of plaster. Step by step guide to making dustsorry, i mean fixing up your lath and plaster ceiling. The problem is the compound used to repair this is even weaker than the plaster, since it lacks the fibers, and as the house continues to settle the crack. Oct 24, 2018 by hawthorn plaster repairs specialist.