If it is, you'll see the pencil lines shift away from each other over time. Then watch those lines to see if the crack is still moving. One way to assess this is to mark the most worrisome ones with fine diagonal pencil lines at several points along the crack. Some hairline and stress cracks are old, and very stable, and won't quickly reappear.

And those will keep reappearing until the issues are resolved. (I'm ignoring dings and gouges which usually result from single events.) Cracks, from hairline to larger are usually the result of structural stresses, some of which may be recurring. However, before you do a big round of patching and skim coating, try to analyze why the cracks are there. Even 1/4 wallboard will always be second best in my view and it will disturb the proportions between your wall plane and the protrusion of your trim details. No question, I would do the repairs and skim coating. I don't complain when I need to use the services of aborists. You expect to invest upkeep in luxuries, just like I keep a tree collection outside. I would not cover any plaster in my house, as long as it's repairable.but that is a personal choice I make to keep the house's integrity as long as possible. The one repair has lasted, in the other, the crack has shown back up. I did on hairline cracks on one side of a door, and put down tape before I repaired the other side. If you do decide to skim the old plaster, don't take shortcuts. That is, as long as the keys are patent, holding the body of plaster to the lathe. I figure they have withstood nearly two centuries, so likely shall be around for awhile, so I have either fixed them, or plan to eventually. Those openings are not even rectangles anymore, lol, more like trapezoids. I have some really trouble spots like over several door frames, and a couple windows. It's helpful to know when the last plaster job was, because you can sort of estimate how long a life a repair is going to have. No, it won't necessarily crack in a couple years. After a coat of paint, this room will be back the way it was before the fire.I have been doing plaster renovations off and on for a couple years now, in an 1820s house. The ceiling had been replaced with drywall some time ago, so new drywall was put back. The miters, or inside corners, are done with what else? a miter rod. Shorter missing sections are filled and tooled with a long miter rod.Ī shorter miter rod is used to tool the join between the new and old molding. Lath is filled with moulding plaster and lime and mold template slid along until the molding is nice and straight. The top edge is filled with lath and plaster and straightened. Straight wood strip is attached to the wall for the template to slide on.

The bent metal allows the mold template to slide easier. Here, it is held in place by a vise grip waiting for a screw. Metal strip at top is adjusted to the right height. Metal is filed a little at a time until it matchesįinished knife is mounted on a wood backup, and a board for sliding. I cut off another piece from my 'Rebuilding D.C.' sign to make the mold template. Why sometimes rock lath is referred to as 'beaver board'. The back of the rock lath is stamped : 'Beaver products'. The original ceiling and plaster moldings were put on rock lath.

Plaster weld on drywall