How to Restore & Paint Plaster Shower Walls

Plaster was the most commonly used wall material in the U.S. until World War II. Most homes from that era and before have plaster walls attached to lath underneath. If the plaster walls in your bathroom are cracked and in need of a paint job, restoring them can fix the problem. If the plaster only has minor cracks, it can be repaired; however, if the plaster is falling off in chunks or the lath underneath is damaged, the whole wall should be replaced with drywall instead.

Shellac
Paintbrush
Patching plaster
Trowel
Primer
High gloss plaster paint

Instructions

- 1
  Check the integrity of the plaster walls in your shower. If the lath or plaster are severely damaged do not attempt the restore them. Contact a professional home inspector and install drywall instead.
- 2
  Paint over the plaster with a pigmented shellac to help keep moisture out of the plaster shower walls.
- 3
  Spread the patching plaster over cracks and small holes in the plaster wall. Smooth the plaster to the walls with the trowel for a flat, even surface. Allow the plaster to dry.
- 4
  Prime over the plaster with the paintbrush. Cover the whole wall and allow it to dry for up to 24 hours.
- 5
  Paint over the primer with a high gloss plaster paint to keep as much moisture as possible from the plaster. Coat the all the shower walls; allow the paint to dry, and apply two to three more coats of paint.

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