#LATH AND PLASTER WALLS RENOVATION FREE#
#LATH AND PLASTER WALLS RENOVATION WINDOWS#

You’ll generally just need to make sure that the existing surface is effectively secured and free of any flaws before covering it with boards or panels, and that is a job best left to an experienced professional. That said, if you need to board over lath and plaster, it can be done. It’s important to understand what type of wall material you’re dealing with when making renovation plans.įor example, drywall is easier to work on than lath and plaster, as the latter holds up less well over time because of age or wear from moisture. You may still find it in old homes or buildings. So what is it? Lath and plaster is a method of building walls used in the past, involving metal strips or wooden laths stretched across the wall, which are then plastered with a mixture of water, sand, and other materials.

In short, I vote to keep the plaster and don't worry about wall insulation in a mild climate.If you’re looking to do some interior work, you may have heard of lath and plaster. (very comfortable for me,) the radiators heat up in the morning and stay cold the rest of the day as long as the outside temps are +0. With the thermostat set at 65 during the day and going to 55 at 9 p.m.

#LATH AND PLASTER WALLS RENOVATION WINDOWS#

On the other hand, it takes at least 24 hours for the house to lose its heat/cold - change interior air temp - to match the outside temp, even with some windows open. The outside walls are cold to the touch in the winter and cool the rest of the time. So I have thick plaster over wood lath interior walls and thick stucco outer walls in a 1913 house in a very cold climate (Central Minnesota, planting zone 3.) Whatever insulation was ever in the walls is most likely packed down in the bottom of the stud bays. when the pink stuff isn't fluffy, the trapped air is pushed out and insulation value lost. (Just compare the cost of new drywall to new plaster if nothing else.)Īt a time when my ex-husband was teaching college classes in thermo-dynamics and consulting for a contractor who built super-insulated, passive solar houses that could function without furnaces in cold climates (by way of expert references,) what I retained from some conversations was that the best insulation is dead air. I offer the thought/question for discussion as much as expert responses but with a strong bias toward leaving the plaster intact because drywall is inferior. This is in response to the suggestion of taking the plaster walls out in order to insulate. My concern on taking the plaster out is that the wood/plaster combo may be providing good sound insulation right now, but that might not be the case.? (The three walls in question are two exterior walls and an interior wall between the kitchen and our bedroom.)

We are adding some electrical, but no new plumbing and 2/3 of the wiring to be added will be in the wall that's getting taken down to the studs anyway (which leaves one new outlet each in each of the remaining three walls). We do have cracking as the house settles, but it's an old house and that seems par for the course-doesn't bother us too much. Somewhat astoundingly we are clear for both asbestos and lead paint in these walls so there is no real reason to remove them or leave them on that front.Īre there compelling arguments for getting rid of the plaster? Drywall guy says we will have problems with plaster cracking and should replace it all so that it matches-but then again, he's the drywall guy. The others are in good condition and would only need minor patching. One of the four walls must come down to the studs (removing a chimney) and will then be drywalled. Our house is circa 1915 and these are plaster over wood lathe with a smooth finish. We're remodeling our kitchen, and need to decide whether to go down to the studs or preserve the existing plaster and lathe walls.

Lath and plaster walls renovation