How to Maintain Plaster Walls

In older homes and some higher-end residences, walls are made from plaster instead of drywall. Plaster was used for generations as the preferred interior wall-covering material, but the invention of drywall has phased it out in most homes. Plaster is made in a number of different ways, but the primary ingredient is typically either lime or gypsum, which is mixed with water to create the paste that eventually hardens into a wall covering. Knowing how to properly care for your plaster ensures that it lasts a long time and stays looking great throughout its life span.

Wall cleaner
Trisodium phosphate
Plaster patching compound
Drill

Instructions

- 1
  Clean your walls regularly to prevent stains from settling in. Read the back of any household cleaning product to make sure it is recommended for use on plaster walls before you start to clean with it.
- 2
  Clean plaster walls with trisodium phosphate (TSP) mixed with water if your regular cleaning products don't remove any stains or grime on the walls.
- 3
  Fill minor cracks as they appear with a plaster patching compound. If the cracks reappear seasonally, use fiberglass tape in a bed of the patching compound and then cover the patch with more compound to create a solid and longer-lasting repair.
- 4
  Call a contractor to examine your plaster walls if you find a long or wide crack that connects to a window or door or that runs along the joint between the ceiling and a wall. These sometimes signify a greater problem and need to be inspected by a professional.
- 5
  Drill into plaster walls with a screw instead of pounding nails into the wall when you want to hang something. Impact from hammering can cause the wall to crumble.

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Walls