Had to patch a 4-foot section of ceiling in a 1920s house in Cincinnati last Tuesday and the plaster keys were basically dust.

What's the best way to tie new drywall into old lath when the original plaster is totally shot?

3 comments

3 Comments

Honestly, how do you even keep the old lath? I used to try and screw into it, but that stuff is so brittle it just crumbles. Changed my mind after a few disasters. Now I rip out all the loose lath in that section too. Put up new wood strapping across the joists, then hang your drywall on that. It gives you solid backing and lets you feather the new patch into the good plaster around it way easier.

eric_adams111d ago

Yeah I used to fight to save it too, but "rip out all the loose lath" is the real move. Your strapping method is way smarter.

cameron_hernandez691d ago

Honestly ripping out all the lath feels like giving up too fast. I mean, that old wood is often way stronger than it looks if you know how to work with it. I've had way better luck cleaning out the dust and using longer screws into the solid parts of the lath, then backing it with mesh tape and mud. It keeps the original structure and avoids messing with the joists. Maybe it's just me but @eric_adams11, strapping everything seems like extra work for the same result.