The top surface of this scratch coat is then scored to prepare it to receive the second or brown coat. The plasterer forces the wet mixture thickly through gaps in the lath to form “keys” that harden and lock the coat in place as it cures. Three coats of wet plaster are applied in layers to the lath: the scratch coat, the brown coat, and the finish coat. Illustration by Rob Leanna based on Kathy Bray What is a 3-Coat Plaster System?Ī traditional multi-coat plaster system begins with a substructure of lath-thin wood slats or metal mesh-that’s attached to the wall framing. Three-coat plaster is a system of multiple layers that work together to form a strong, sound-dampening, fire-resistant wall. About 150 years ago, a new component, gypsum, was added to the sand and lime mixture to enable the plaster to cure more quickly and allow for faster working times. Historically, plaster consists of dry components including sand, lime, and cattle hair (or straw or manure) mixed with water to create a wet, plastic medium that cures and hardens as it dries. More serious repair problems include delamination, bulging walls, and key failure, where plaster has broken loose from its grip on the lath substructure.Īpplied with craft and skill, interior plaster is a near-magical building material for creating and coating walls and ceilings. The most common type of damage to plaster is cracking, progressing from the superficial and easily repaired to deeper and wider cracks that require multiple repair techniques. It’s much easier to repair cracks or patch holes with this versatile material than with drywall. In many cases, problems with plaster can be fixed. If sections or entire walls need attention, don’t let the idea of working with old plaster intimidate you. All of this stuff (DryDex/spackle, putty knives, sandpaper, pathces) should be in the paint section.Many houses built before about 1950 retain at least some of their original plaster walls. They come in different sizes.Įven bigger holes than the patches cover (which I think go up to 12"x12") would require actually patching it with scrap drywall and that gets a bit more advanced. Larger holes are about the same but you would need a patch kit, which is basically like a fine wire mesh with a sticky backing. Get a small putty knife (looks like a really thin, really small restaurant spatula) and spread it evenly over the hole. To patch old small screw holes, you will have to use spackling like DryDex. It's a cheap bit, yes, but it's good enough for drywall/plasters. They should all come with screws.some of them even come with the right sized drill bit. When you use the supplied screw, the legs of the anchor (which form the tube part) push out to press it against the inside of the wall. You may need to lightly tap it with a hammer to get it flush with the plaster. Drill out the hole with a 3/16" drill bit and press the anchor into the hole. They are about 1/4" in diameter and about an inch long. OP, you can go to Home Depot/Lowes, go down the hardware aisle and look for plastic/nylon anchors. Definitely needs to use anchors to hold in her registers. This is good advice for wood settings that aren't taking screws (for example, door molding to install the latch-catch-thingee - or cupboard hinges), but she's talking about drywall/plaster.
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