I'm dealing with some holes in the walls of my older house (thanks to my teens and their frustrations). The walls aren't standard drywall and insulation; the original part of my house is made of cinder block with cement mopped over it, and the addition has just wood slats without insulation with possibly some sort of plaster or drywall on top. I'm a bit lost on how to repair these walls and what type of construction I'm dealing with. Can anyone give me some direction on how to fix the plaster/drywall? What's the best way to approach this?
2 Answers
You’re looking at furring strips which are what the drywall hooks on to, typically attached with concrete screws (often known as tapcons). To patch up the holes, just remove the damaged drywall and replace it with new pieces using coarse thread drywall screws. Don’t worry about the wood strips unless they’re damaged. It's best to get someone skilled for the finishing work with mud and tape if you've never done it before though. It can get tricky!
Totally with you on that. Just replace the drywall sections and leave the wood intact. It makes it much easier!
It sounds like you might be dealing with a system known as "lath and plaster" which was used before drywall became popular. Try searching for that term on YouTube to see if it matches your situation. You might find some helpful guides!
Yes! That's exactly what I've got, thank you!
Thanks for the tips! I can't afford a pro right now, so I'll do some research and maybe give it a shot myself, unless I find I need to save up a bit more.