lath-and-plasterplasterwalls
Existing plaster/lath walls in decent shape, 1920s farmhouse.
Lead/Asbestos? Unknown but possible.
I actually like Plaster's sound-proofing and would like to keep.
Plaster has no decorative elements.
How challenging is it to learn to skim-coat these walls so they are less wavy? Is it generally DIY-able or has someone done it before? Looking to actually use plaster.
Appreciate any guidance or help 🙂
If your house was built before the 1940's, it's probably a layer of wood lath, followed by a standard 2x4 stud wall with no insulation. Perhaps some knob-and-tube wiring just to make things interesting. The plaster will make more dust than you thought possible (wear a mask).
After the 1940's, it's probably gypsum board, but without the foaming agents and plasticizers that make today's drywall easier to use. Behind it, you probably have a 2x4 stud wall with no insulation and conduit or NM wiring.
[Here's a picture of a lath wall from the back, courtesy Wikipedia]
I have had a lot of success in the past by using a mixture of PVA Glue and water and then painting the solution over the crumbling area. The glue gets absorbed into the crumbling surface and stabilises it. Then you can refinish with a thin coat of filler or plaster. It saves a lot of work.
Best Answer
I typically use confill ( concrete fill which is a setting compound with fiberglass fibers in it ) to repair plaster as my large gap and then put a sandable top coat like a 30 minute setting compound.
How hard is it to skim coat a wall? You could learn. YouTube is amazing. Start with a small wall. You'll have to worry about putting extensions on electrical outlets, dealing with trim elements ( do you accept them more recessed with your skim coat build out above ). Tile Coach has some good videos on tile floating to get walls perfect before tile install.
You should be able to go overtop of paint with a setting compound some people add a wood/glue mixture instead of water when mixing to get better adhesion.
It depends a lot on how wavy the walls are, how close to perfect you want them and how much time you have to spend learning and fixing.