I've got this old lath and plaster wall that's about 100 years old, and I'm really interested in doing some repairs myself since most contractors steer clear of this type of work. The plaster has mostly detached from the lath, but there's no water damage, just some shifting over the years. I'm considering if I can simply tear down the old plaster, mesh the gaps, and then put drywall over the whole thing. Would that work? I'd love to hear your thoughts and any advice you have!
1 Answer
Yeah, you can definitely strip it all down to the studs and just slap regular drywall over it. It's actually just as easy, if not easier, than trying to patch up the existing plaster.
My parents used to do this every summer when I was a kid! We’d pick out a wall, rip out the plaster, and dad would handle the insulation and drywall. That old house had zero insulation, which was brutal during those cold winters in southeast Idaho!
If you go that route, be sure to research whether insulation is necessary. I’m not sure those houses were designed for it, but I've had experiences where after removing plaster, a small leak led to mold growing in the new drywall. Not fun!