How to Replace Old Horsehair Plaster With Sheetrock

Prior to the mid-1900s, when sheetrock became popular, plaster mixed with horsehair was a common application for walls and ceilings. Plaster adheres to interior walls over a sheathing of 2- or 4-inch strips of wood called lath or to wood planks that were traditionally split with an axe. The plaster oozed in the openings between the lath strips or the cracks in the wood and dried on the other side, creating "keys" that secured the plaster to the wood.

Tarps
Drop cloths
Sheet plastic
Masking tape
Hammer
Crowbar
2-by-4-inch studs (if needed)
3-inch nails (if needed)
Measuring tape
Drywall sheets, 4-by-8 feet by 1/2 inch
Utility knife
Drywall screws
Cordless screwdriver
Drywall tape
Joint compound
6-inch putty knife

Instructions

- 1
  Cover the floor completely with tarps or drop cloths. Cover doorways with plastic to prevent plaster dust from getting into other rooms.
- 2
  Remove existing plaster from walls. If the plaster has already started to deteriorate, use that location to most easily start the removal process. Begin by tearing away what you can with your hands. Use the claws of a hammer or a crow bar to begin to remove larger pieces.
- 3
  Remove the lath using a claw hammer or crow bar. This step will take muscle.
- 4
  Remove all nails that were left behind when removing the lath. The exposed wall studs need to be clear of nails and any debris before you begin to install drywall.
- 5
  Measure the distance between studs. They should be spaced at intervals divisible by eight. If not, install additional studs to create eight-inch intervals to attach the drywall, which comes in 4-by-8-foot sheets.
- 6
  Attach the drywall to the walls using drywall screws. Space screws every six inches vertically along the studs.
- 7
  Cover seams with joint compound using a 6- or 8-inch putty knife. Press drywall tape into the joint compound along the seam. Skim excess joint compound off with putty knife. Allow the compound to dry and apply a thin second coat of joint compound to all seams. Do the same with corner seams, except fold the tape into the corner.
- 8
  Cover the heads of screws with joint compound. This may require several layers. Allow the joint compound to dry between layers.

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