The gaps between the laths allow the plaster to be pushed in, where is spills out behind each lath and once set, clings there forming a flat and solid surface.ĭespite this however, most lath and plaster walls and ceilings in homes in this country are at least 60 years old and due to this are well past their “sell by” date. It became widely used and started to replace lath and plaster by the 1930’s.Īs mentioned, to create a lath and plaster finish, the plaster is pushed onto and into the timber laths, which have been nailed to upright studs. Plasterboard took a while to catch on and was introduced to the UK in 1917. Lath and plaster is an extension of the wattle and daub idea and was used long after the invention of plasterboard by Augustino Sackett in approximately 1888. The daub was pushed, usually by hand, into the web of branches to forming a weatherproof surface, protecting the inside of the dwelling. Wattle was the name for twigs and branches that were interwoven between the upright timber posts that formed the framework of a dwelling.ĭaub was the name given to the various forms of mud, clay, lime, manure or other locally available, easily workable fillers that could be applied and smoothed onto the wattle. Lath and plaster was used as a wall finish long before plasterboard took over from the centuries old Wattle and Daub finish. It uses thin strips of timber spaced and fixed an inch or so apart that’s then fixed to a stud work frame that provides a surface for plaster to be applied to. Lath and plaster is a type of traditional wall finish, similar to plaster, that was first used around the 1700’s all the way up to the mid 18th century. Do not cut through any wires.Fixing to lath and plaster walls has always been a tricky problem and one that has always puzzled first time DIY’ers, however there are several solutions to this conundrum which we run through below. If you're not skilled in electrical work, this is the job of an electrician. If there's wiring in the wall, you'll need to reroute this wiring to above or below the opening. If you're creating a complete opening to another room and have determined you don't have any weight-bearing walls, then you can use the reciprocating saw to cut the studs in the wall. Continue until all lathing has been removed. Remove all nails from the studs as you go and drop them into an old can so you know where they are and won't step on one. Use your pry bar to hook under the lath strips that are exposed and pull them away from the studs to which they're nailed. If you are opening an entire area, like to create a doorway, then do the other side of the wall. Keep hitting the plaster with the hammer until it is all broken up and falling from the lath. Using your hammer, hit the plaster hard enough to crack it and start it to crumble. Turn off the electricity to that area at your breaker box or fuse box so if there's wiring in the wall you won't run the risk of electrical shock. Make First Hitsĭetermine the exact area you want to remove and mark it with a pencil or chalk. Turn off the fans on your air conditioner or furnace also. You may also want to use plastic drop cloths to seal off doorways to other rooms so the dust won't travel to other parts of the house. It would also be wise to move as much furniture and accessories as possible from the room to a safer spot, or to at least cover them with drop cloths. Put down your drop cloths to protect your floors because this is a very messy, dusty, dirty project. If you're removing part of a wall to install a door, half wall, breakfast bar, or pass-thru, you'll be fine. This may be more of a job than you can take on, so you may want to hire a contractor. If you are removing a load-bearing wall, you need to be skilled enough to build a header to support the weight of the rafters and roof above.
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