#Insulating plaster and lath walls Patch
#Insulating plaster and lath walls plus
#Insulating plaster and lath walls windows

As others have mentioned, however, I don't think this is recommended if you have knob and tube electrical wiring.

If you decide to stick with the plaster, I think loose cellulose is a good choice (blown into small holes drilled either on the inside or outside wall of each stud bay). They're held on with very small nails, so it's more tedious than strenuous. The lath sticks comes off pretty easy too - use the same big flat bar to get between them and just pry. You'll be down to a lath wall in pretty good time with a pile of pure rock at your feet. Then I use a heaver flat bar by itself to follow the lath board horizontally and just pry up when you get a nice bite. The hardest part is getting started - I used a 2-3 pound deadblow hammer with a wonder bar to plow a vertical path from floor to ceiling, right down to the lath. Because of disposal issues, however, I now take a the more controlled, but probably slower route of first removing the plaster, then the lath. It comes off pretty easy once you get behind it with a crowbar.Īt first I did it with the 'scorched earth' method, just smashing with a sledge and then prying off lath and plaster into one big mess. To your specific questions - yes, removing plaster is a mess, and you'll have a surprising large pile of material to dispose of.

#Insulating plaster and lath walls Patch

In fact, the biggest drawback to plaster for me, at this point, it the difficulty of getting the materials to properly patch it.īut that's all just opinion. I've especially come to appreciate that solid FEEL of a lath and plaster wall done well.

Well, I've had a change of heart now that I've learned more about plaster and have come to have more experience with it. It seems so hard and brittle compared to drywall, and then there's the cracks. I think I know how you feel, because I used to feel that way about plaster. Give yourself time to get to know your building before making such a big change, These projects will keep you busy, and make susbstantial improvements all by themselves.

#Insulating plaster and lath walls windows

However, there is much you can do in other ways to improve the energy efficieny of your building: insulate your attic joist cavity space thorough sealing with caulking and weatherstripping tightening up (but not replacing) your windows and doors decreasing infiltration from your floors upgrading your heating system etc. Although you can do some types of blown-in insulation, some will create other problems and I have chosen to skip it for that reason. Now, I know about energy costs since I live in an 1840-ish house in northern NY with L&P and not a lick of insulation in my walls. I am puzzled about what might not be likeable about a plaster surface, compared to the less desirable look of sheetrock.

#Insulating plaster and lath walls plus

It's a big plus for resale and is likely to be an original element of your old house and worth saving for that reason. I also think you ought to avoid removing your lathe and plaster. Just remember that as in most cases money is an issue : ) Which living in Ontario Canada adds up to a very expensive heating bill the month of December was atrocious and the temperature averaged above freezing! Drywalling and insulating I have done before so I know more or less what to expect eith it, but removing the lathe and plaster is something I've never experienced, what should I prepare for and what is the best methods to remove it? Also if anyone has any other suggestions of things I could do or try to resolve the issue (such as other insulating methods), I would gladly hear them. Secondly and most importantly I might add is that I'm very confident that there is little if any insulation behind these walls. My reasoning for this is twofold, the first is basically just asthetic value, I personally do not like the look or feel of lathe and plaster walls. The walls are the old lathe and plaster style, and even though they are in decent to good condition I really want to repace them next spring or summer with drywall. My wife and I just bought an old century plus home this past Fall.