# sheetrock over plaster and lathe



## chrisasst (May 24, 2011)

So another project started. I am trying to get my kids rooms redone. Two of the walls ( 1 outer and 1 inner) I am going to take down. Outer to insulate and the inner because it is real bad and so I can install a couple more electric boxes, I hope, not sure what kind of wires are there now. The other wall are ok except for a few cracks and some of the wall paper stuff is peeling. I would like all the walls the be sheetrock, but I have had about enough of the plaster dust and lathes.  So can I put sheetrock right over the plaster walls. There is an electric base board heater on one of the walls baseboard. And the outlet is also in the baseboard.  So can this be done and how.


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## woodsman23 (May 25, 2011)

I would think you could do this quite easy. use 1/4" drywall, remove heater and buy outlet extensions from the homy/lowes. Make sure any cracks are filled with joint compound before and remove any plaster/lath that is not level with the majority of the wall. I'd glue it up to the exsisting wall anjd nail/screw where possible. You could also place lathe over the exsisting wall 16" on center and attach the 1/4" drywall to that then finish the new stuff...


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## smokinj (May 25, 2011)

If I am ripping 2 walls already just rip them all out. Could find something worth to few min's it will take.


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## chrisasst (May 25, 2011)

smokinjay said:
			
		

> If I am ripping 2 walls already just rip them all out. Could find something worth to few min's it will take.



well, I am trying to finish this as fast as I can and don't want to find any other problems. One of those walls has a closet on the other side.  Which needs to be redone but really don't want to tackle that this year.  I guess I could wait on those walls until later. I just know when I paint those walls, the new sheetrock will look different than the wall papered plaster. Then I will have a screaming kid. but it might not  IDK...


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## smokinj (May 25, 2011)

chrisasst said:
			
		

> smokinjay said:
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Its a toss up, If you think those walls are good and no need to be in them for anything. (insulation pluming or electric) 1/4 drywall and shims. I would drill or drive some sheet rock screws and mark studs and roll with it.


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## laynes69 (May 25, 2011)

We have a large Victorian home with tall ceilings. You can put drywall over lathe and plaster, but it's not the correct way to do it. There's too much behind walls that will have to be addressed. We had a cold bedroom so I remodeled it for a nursery for our daughter. After removing drywall, plaster, and lathe there was daylight around the whole window. That room was leveled in the floor and ceiling, and the walls were shimmed before drywall. New electrical, insulation and a vapor barrier. It now stays warm with very little heat in the winter and doesn't need cooling in the summer. Plaster is the worse especially when it's horse hair like ours, but tearing it out would be the best choice where it can be done right the first time. Eventually every room upstairs will have the same treatment. Airsealing every crack before insulating and drywall will make for a comfortable room.


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## begreen (May 25, 2011)

Agreed. If these are exterior walls or walls with plumbing or wiring in them, this is the time to tear it down to the studs, rewire, caulk like a bandit, fix problems, insulate and then put up the new sheetrock. It will be an investment that will enhance the living space and will last the life of the house. I would do this even if it means only one room at a time for now.


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## Jags (May 25, 2011)

The best way is to get rid of the plaster, then attach the rock to the studs.  For 16" on centers 1/2" , if your spacing of the studs is any more than that 5/8" is the right stuff.  5/8" on the ceilings (or 1/2" high strength)

That being said - 1/4" and 3/8" rock was intended as a laminate drywall for the purpose you state.  BUT - it is highly suggested that you screw to studs AND in the field (area not backed by studs, but backed by the original lathe/plaster wall), or glue to the existing wall and screw to the studs.  If applied to ceilings it should be screwed, glued and tatoo'd.

By the time you apply the laminate drywall properly, you could have had one wall tore out and cleaned up.  Just say'in...
Oh - and if you think that 1/4" or 3/8" rock is cheaper than 1/2" - it ain't.

p.s. - tell the screaming kid it will take one more day and get-r-done. ;-P


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## willworkforwood (May 25, 2011)

+1 to all of the prior posts about not hanging drywall over the existing plaster walls. I did a bunch of this stuff in an old colonial 20 years ago. I ripped out all the outside walls, some of the (bad) inside walls, and left some of the ok insides alone. Wouldn't have ever considered drywall over an existing wall. Having mixed and matched drywall with plaster walls, I don't recall any major difference in appearance (your main concern). But, then again, this wasn't Holmes on Homes - probably just a case of being willing to "not see" the differences ;-)


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## chrisasst (May 25, 2011)

BeGreen said:
			
		

> Agreed. If these are exterior walls or walls with plumbing or wiring in them, this is the time to tear it down to the studs, rewire, caulk like a bandit, fix problems, insulate and then put up the new sheetrock. It will be an investment that will enhance the living space and will last the life of the house. I would do this even if it means only one room at a time for now.



No, these are inside walls, outer walls most definitely came down.


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## woodsman23 (May 25, 2011)

what about using some 1x6x8' #2  t&g boards?? looks great and has instant gratification


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## woodsmaster (May 25, 2011)

If there interior walls and not in bad shape I'd overlay them. A LOT less mess and work. If you do tear off it will probably take a lot of shimming to make the wall straight. The old timers usually shimmed the lath before plastering. When the plaster is bad I've seen people tear the plaster off and leave the lath, then drywall over the lath to avoid re shimming and humps from the broken plaster. That lath makes good kindling though. It probably has lead paint over the plaster so if you tear off be sure to do it right and protect your family from lead poisoning, bad stuff especially for young kids and pregnant woman.


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## laynes69 (May 25, 2011)

Lathe does make the best kindling. The reason why I did a full tear out is our home is balloon framed as many homes were this age. Firestops were put in place in the walls and all air channels were blocked. The tops of the interior walls were airsealed also. Every wall had channels for air to enter the attic and carry away heat. They are those sneaky leaks that wouldnt get detected without seeing them.  Good luck with your home. I call it a labor of love even though the wife doesn't agree.


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## fishingpol (May 26, 2011)

I have horsehair plaster for a bunch of my walls.  Many were removed during renovations.  A few walls were left that the wallpaper was removed revealing some ugly plaster beneath.  Any loose areas were removed and filled in with dry mix quick set(20 minute) drywall compound.  Areas that were loose received a ceiling button washer and 1 1/4" coarse drywall screw into the lathe to hold the plaster in place.  Joint compound was feathered over it to hide them.  Any divots and gouges were filled with joint compound(green lid) type. 

I sanded using a shop vac to catch most of the dust at the source.  I also use a work light and shine it acroos the wall to reveal shadows that are low spots.  Once all sanded, latex primer and paint.  That plaster wall looks like sheetrock now.  

There is a product out there that is injected behind the plaster and lathe that runs downs essentially glueing every bit of loose plaster in place.  It was pricey at the time.  I also used the quick set joint compound as plaster has a way of robbing the moisture out of regular joint compound, leaving a crumbly mess.

I can understand not wanting to remove the plaster, as it can be dusty and heavy to deal with.


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