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I've been tasked with repairing a crumbling ceiling in my parents house. The house dates back to probably the 20s so I was thinking plaster but I'm actually not sure what I'm looking at.
Any ideas?
There are some cracks throughout and two spots where the surface has fallen. I was planning on using plaster washers and covering in joint compound but I'm not sure if that's the right approach here.
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Well, how long do you want it to last? Supposedly, drywall compound and plaster don't mix and will eventually separate. I have the feeling that it will last decades.
When I started repairing plaster I'd have secured it and mixed a new finish coat of plaster of Paris. Now I'd pick up some general purpose drywall mud for the finish coat after securing it.
Matt
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V out cracks with a bottle opener before filling them.
Matt
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I might consider just putting some light weight drywall over (under?) it.
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Light weight drywall mud does not make as smooth a finish coat as the regular stuff does.
Matt
If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them down? We might, if they screamed all the time, for no good reason.
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Old plaster walls (ceilings) had three layers. Wood lath nailed to the studs (joists) with a gap of around 1/4". A brown or scratch coat was then used used to build up the thickness. It had a fairly long working time. Then a lime/plaster finish coat was applied which set much quickly and was troweled smooth. Your picture looks like a fairly thick coat of drywall compound was applied to smooth out an old plaster ceiling and it is now delaminating. I would chip off anything that is loose and skim coat with drywall compound. If the plaster itself is separating from the lath you might need to put up new drywall on the ceiling. Drywall compound drys out and will dissolve if tossed in some water. Plaster cures and will not dissolve in water (at least not quickly).
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EatenByLimestone said:
Light weight drywall mud does not make as smooth a finish coat as the regular stuff does.
I read his comment as 'cover it up with some 1/4" sheetrock and finish it' as opposed to using lightweight mud.
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KC said:
[blockquote]EatenByLimestone said:
Light weight drywall mud does not make as smooth a finish coat as the regular stuff does.
I read his comment as 'cover it up with some 1/4" sheetrock and finish it' as opposed to using lightweight mud.
[/blockquote]
That is my read as well.
There might be some issues with 1/4" drywall sagging when used in a vertical application, but that might be easy to solve with lots of screws into the lath, depending on whether or not the lath will hold the screws. My experience has been a roll of the dice on that one. Too close to an end or an edge and it is likely to split, and good luck figuring out where you are until you run the screws.
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When I said light weight drywall, I was referring to 1/2" drywall. HD has some labeled "light weight"
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I will stray from the crowd. I would get the plaster down and attach 5/8" rock and hope to never have to address it again.
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