plaster problems - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

gemelli2 · 10-10-2006, 08:45 AM

hi - i have a 1889 victorian house that someone "updated" in 1975ish with wood paneling. they hammered huge nails into strips of wood all over 2 rooms and after i removed them and the 3 layers of painted wallpaper (not fun) i discovered 8 or so signatures of people who had papered over the plaster - the earliest was 1889.

i am used to repairing drywall but decided to salvage the plaster so i cut the damaged areas out (mainly in corners and around doors - some holes- 4 in x 11in) then sprayed the wood lathe and mixed up some plaster patch and put in my 1st layer.
the problem is this: i read somewhere that you need to let plaster dry for up to 2 months before you paint, because you could trap moisture behind your walls and cause damage. there's NO WAY i can wait that long! does anyone know if this is true and if so....can i stop at the 1 layer so far, then just add a bit of fiberglass mesh tape and mix up some joint compound and call it a day?
any thoughts, experience, answers would be highly appreciated!
thanks-
amy

dkillianjr · 10-10-2006, 04:50 PM

We just finished a job in a house about that old we framed some new walls and closets. Alot of the old walls were beyond repair so the homeowner striped off the old plaster and had them replastered. I have heard you are supposed to wait a while before paint, but on this job the homeowner painted about 2 days after the plasterers were done. The only problem I noticed with the paint is it took forever to dry and it would nick very easily for a while. That job was about 6 months ago, I was just in the house the other day and still no problems.

Dave

mdshunk · 10-10-2006, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gemelli2

there's NO WAY i can wait that long!

I don't know if that is true or not, but why is there "no way" you can wait that long? You must know that you sound spoiled when you talk like that.

Mike Finley · 10-10-2006, 05:39 PM

Amy one thing you can do is put sheet rock in those holes over the wood lath, that will avoid the large amounts of plaster you are dealing with in your repairs and the moisture issue. Use a fan and it should be dry in hours not days. Then use a sealer before you paint to prevent staining. By using the drywall you are removing all that plaster you are putting over the lath from the equation.

I've also heard of plaster guys, using the drywall patch, then sealing the drywall before plastering it. They have to use a latex bonder over the sealer since plaster doesn't stick to it.

gemelli2 · 10-10-2006, 05:45 PM

Well - I don't want to sound spoiled - but it kind of looks like squatters live in my house! I've already had a bat fly in one of the holes AND it's getting cold! I want to do the "right" job, but i'd also love to sit on a couch again!
I ended up calling the manufacturer and they said it dried in 2 hours. I guess I was reading about a different product.
I've actually read that back in the 1800's you'd have to wait a year to paper or paint.

gemelli2 · 10-10-2006, 05:49 PM

thanks for the info - i did use some drywall - but i didn't think about priming it before i put a layer of plaster patch over it.
uh-oh!
i might have to remove some of the plaster in those areas. i just want to do this ONCE.