How to remove or repair your mesh and plaster ceilings and walls

Lath and plaster work is a means of finishing the internal surfaces of a home and was very common until the introduction of sheetrock (gypsum plaster in the US) in the 1950s.

This internal finishing method consists of thin strips of wood, called battens that have been sawn or notched (split along the grain), nailed crosswise to the wood frame of the house about 1/4″ or more apart. 6 mm batten was then covered with a plaster, usually a two layer lime mortar mix and levelled.

Many lath and plaster walls and ceilings lasted over a hundred years before requiring repairs in addition to normal decoration. Some lath and plaster ceilings have been in place for several hundred years, especially in the UK.

A crucial element of this construction is the 6mm gap between the battens, as it provides a “key” for the plaster as it is pushed in and protrudes slightly out the back of the batten. This crucial gypsum key is also the source of most gypsum failures; as the keys gradually become dislodged due to the normal movement of houses over long periods of time.

Once a significant amount of the keys have come loose from the plaster, the plaster begins to crack and can separate from the laths, sagging or sagging.

There are many ways to repair sagging lath and plaster, but due to financial reasons, they are often removed and replaced with modern materials such as plasterboard (gypsum board). This method at least makes it possible to use much better insulation material, thus saving energy and heating costs in the future life of the house.

My Top Ten Ways to Repair Lath and Drywall

This is a brief rundown of all the ways you can do lath and drywall repair in your home, depending on the look you want to achieve, the time you want to spend on it, and of course your budget.

1. redecorate as is. Vacuum to remove dust (wash if necessary) and then redecorate with suitable water-based paint. It is not a good repair if the plaster has passed the cracking stage, that is, it is very sunken. It depends on the state of the original plaster.
   • cost: Very cheap and fast.
   • Advantage: Vintage charm galore. Ideal for very old cabins that do not have a straight edge or surface. Shows stains.
   • Cons: Potentially dangerous and possibly very short-term solution for damaged plasterwork. It is not a ‘flat’ finish. Show imperfections!
2. Fills cracks and imperfections.. Scrape out all cracks and vacuum up loose material. Fill cracks and small blemishes with decorators filler using an appropriately sized scraper or drywall spreader. Gently sand the filler and vacuum up all the dust. Wash if necessary and redecorate.
   • cost: Economic repair.
   • advantage: Retains the vintage feel. It looks good initially. Quick and easy repair.
   • Cons: May only last a few years depending on the original state of the plasterwork.
3. Use thick lining paper. Scrape and fill cracks as in #2. Tape a thick layer of decorative liner paper to the plaster. Renew.
   • cost: Reasonably inexpensive repair.
   • advantage: Retains the vintage feel. It could gain many more years with reasonable plasterwork.
   • Cons: Relatively difficult on uneven surfaces. It will not stop further cracking over time if the surface is still moving.
4. Glue fallen plaster in place. The plaster can be “glued” in place by drilling holes in the plaster, vacuuming out the dust, and injecting a suitable adhesive. The plaster is then gently pushed back into place and clamped until the adhesive dries.
   • Cost: Medium to high cost, depending on the execution time and the state of the plasterwork.
   • Advantage: Medium-term effectiveness. Retains the vintage feel.
   • Cons: It is arguably a specialist job and may be too difficult for an effective DIY repair.
5. expose the beams. Completely remove lath and plaster, remove nails and clean. Wire brush all drywall marks from joists. Reroute any wiring, if necessary, and repair any damage, holes in the woodwork, etc. Clean and vacuum all surfaces. Leave it as is or decorate it with varnish, wood stain or paint. It is usually only used on roofs.
   • Cost: Economy to medium depending on the condition of the wood.
   • Advantage: All old plasterwork is removed and finished with newly decorated walls.
   • Cons: Different look and feel, possibly only suitable for certain properties and owners. Difficult electrical wiring and limited selection of light fixtures.
6. On board with plasterboard or drywall. Find the ceiling frame or joists, mark their position on the wall, and then cover with drywall or plasterboard using long (60mm to 75mm) drywall screws into the original wood framing. The board joints are then taped and filled if using tapered edge drywall or covered with finishing plaster if square edge boards are used. One of the most common methods to ‘repair’ a lath and plaster.
   • Cost: medium to high
   • Advantage: Effectively, a new surface is created from plasterboard or plasterboard.
   • Cons: Potential issues with adding weight or extra levels if there is a ledge. Loses that vintage feel.

   This is not strictly a lath and drywall repair as it removes it! But I’m including it, as this is a VERY common fix for lath and plaster ceilings that have failed and sagged badly.

7. Completely remove the plaster and the strip.Replace with sheetrock/gypsum board. Mark the positions of all joists and joists, then attach 12.5mm drywall to the bottom of the original joists with 38mm drywall screws. Board joints are then taped and filled if tapered edge boards are used, or polished with finishing plaster if square edge boards are used.
   • Cost: Tall. The removal of old material, new boards and finishes make this one of the more expensive options.
   • Advantage: Gypsum boards/gypsum sheets are stable and very flat. A permanent repair.
   • Cons: You lose the feeling of the period.
8. Revoke keeping the original strips. Completely remove existing plaster and if grating is firm, reapply three coats of plaster, two base coats and a thin coat of finish.
   • Cost: High, due to the special skills and materials required.
   • Advantage: Finish good as new, which also matches the surrounding period work. Long term repair.
   • Cons: Arguably not a DIY proposition due to the work involved in lime plastering.
9. Heritage quality. Fully support the plaster from below onto wood covered with a blanket on the props or stage. Working from above, carefully remove all loose debris, old keys or nibs, and dust. Employ one of several available systems, for example, affix wire mesh to the inside edges of the joists just above the plaster, then apply adhesive to the plaster by embedding it in the mesh.
   • Cost: Expensive due to the extreme care needed and labor involved.
   • Advantage: It retains all the original features of the time. It is usually only used in plasterwork of great historical interest.
   • Cons: Arguably not a DIY proposition due to the care required to preserve the original features without damaging them.
10. Buy a newer house. Sorry I couldn’t do 19 ways to fix the lath and the plaster just didn’t sound right. Any idea for number ten is welcome…
    • Cost: Horribly expensive, moving companies, real estate agents, lawyers, etc.
    • Advantage: There is no lath or plaster to repair.
    • Cons: It’s all very, very flat, fluid, and possibly… boring.

The above list is roughly in order of cost to carry out, although some aspects are moving to specialized crafts where costs could increase. It could be argued that the two most common solutions are to either cover the ceiling with boards or remove it entirely and replace it with drywall or sheetrock.

It should be noted that the complete removal A plaster and lath ceiling involves a significant amount of clutter, particularly large amounts of dust and debris that take a lot of time and effort to contain and remove.

Proper safety equipment should be used when working with old lath and plaster.