I'm in a bit of a pickle with my home built in 1890. The exterior is wood, and it was sided about 40 years ago. Most of the interior rooms have had their plaster ceilings replaced with drop ceilings, and the walls were covered in paneling by previous owners. Recently, a big section of the plaster ceiling fell down, prompting me to remove the ceiling and lath. Now, I've started peeling away this paper/cardboard material covering my plaster walls, but they're in pretty rough shape, with bubbles, warps, patches, and cracks all over. I'm debating whether I should keep removing this material, repair the plaster, and paint it, or just strip it all down and put in drywall instead. What do you think would be the best course of action? Thanks for any advice!
3 Answers
Honestly, it really depends on your house's condition. If you're planning serious work like updating electrical or plumbing, keeping the plaster can be quite the hassle. It’s messy and a lot of work during demolition. If your place isn’t a historic gem that needs preserving, it might be smarter to just let the plaster go. Sacrilege, I know, but it’ll save you a lot of headaches!
If it were me, I'd definitely consider removing the plaster. You’ll have easier access to tackle electrical wiring and maybe even insulation—especially in an older house like yours, you might discover some interesting surprises! Plus, when the walls are that damaged, it’s usually worth it to rip them out, rewire, insulate, and replace everything. I’d recommend using 5/8” drywall with sound insulation in the interior walls; it’s a great investment!
If you decide to remove the plaster, definitely keep the lath! Just take out pieces where you need to work on wiring or insulation, and cover the rest with drywall. Leaving the lath helps keep the wall plane even—this makes things like trim work way easier later on. Trust me, it’s a game changer in old houses!