How to Remodel Old Houses with Wood and Lath Walls

Press along the plaster walls to see where the plaster may have broken away from the wood lath. Screw in plaster washers every 6 to 8 inches to hold the plaster against the lath with wood screws. Look for bulges in the plaster wall and press them gently back against the lath. Tape over the washers with fiberglass mesh tape and smooth coat with joint compound applied with a 6-inch putty knife.

Repair areas where the plaster has fallen away from the wall and exposed the wood lath by cutting a section of diamond wire mesh to fill the area. Cut the mesh with tin snips and screw it into place with wood screws. Cover the metal mesh with brown plaster. Smooth the plaster over the mesh lower than the surrounding plaster. Allow the plaster to dry overnight then coat it with a layer of gypsum plaster. Smooth the edges over the surrounding plaster then let the material dry overnight.

Fill in any hairline cracks with joint compound and smooth over the areas with the putty knife. Wait for the areas to dry overnight.

Sand over the surface of the repaired walls with a sanding block. Keep a fan running to vent the dust outside of the home and use goggles and a dust mask to keep from breathing in the fine plaster. Wipe down the walls with a damp rag and vacuum the baseboards to clean up all of the loose plaster dust.

Fill in any areas where the repair needs another coat of joint compound to blend it into the rest of the wall smoothly. Apply a smooth coat then sand when dry. Clean up the walls again before painting them with primer and wall paint as you would for a dry wall surface.