Reinforcing a Plaster Wall

Prior to the 1970s, walls in most homes were constructed of plaster and lathe, providing a sturdy, durable structure. But they require more skill to install and are expensive, so modern homes have walls constructed of drywall. You can reinforce plaster walls in your older home, using a technique called skim-coating, a process that helps secure plaster walls for a fraction of the cost of replacing them.

Plastic sheeting
6-inch drywall knife
Utility knife
Joint compound
Drywall pallet
Drywall trowel
Pole sander
Sanding screen

Instructions

- 1
  Lay plastic sheeting over flooring and furniture in the room where the work is being completed.
- 2
  Scrape the walls with the drywall knife to remove all loose particles of plaster. Use a utility kinfe to cut off loose pieces the scraper can't remove.
- 3
  Fill the middle of the drywall pallet with joint compound, leaving about a 3-inch border on all sides.
- 4
  Start at one end of the wall at the top corner and work your way down the wall and across the room. Dip the edge of the drywall trowel into the joint compound to get a 2-inch bead on the trowel.
- 5
  Spread the joint compound onto the wall, using the trowel at a low angle to the surface. Angle the trowel more to remove excess joint compound from the wall. Cover the entire surface with the joint compound to make it as smooth as you can. After a while you will begin to develop the skill to do this. Allow the joint compound to dry for 24 hours in normal heat and humidity conditions.
- 6
  Sand the surface lightly using a pole sander with a drywall sanding screen attached. The goal is to remove any noticeable ridges or high areas so the entire surface is even and smooth.

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