repairing plaster walls

[bob]

I am seeking some help . . . several years ago I saw this show on repairing old plaster walls . .. the items were some sort of compound/glue that you spread on the walls then you rolled out a mesh of some sort that was about

4-6 feet wide, that went on top of the compound/glue and then another layer of compound was applied on top of the mesh . . . some light sanding and the finish was smooth and crack free . . . . . does anyone else recall this or know the name of the product and where to find it???

thanks Bob

[bob haller]

you can clean wall thourghly, removing all loose materials. paint with bin or kilz primer sealer to improve adhesion, let dry for a few days, then top with drywall mud, coat and use brush to texture it.....

this homew walls were badly damaged by a intentional overflowing tub many years before we bought it.

over 12 years ago we did what i just posted and it still looks fine today.

the mesh would tie everything together, but we didnt use it

[knuckle-dragger]

Regular jointing compound -- premixed or setting type -- and 3 foot wide self adhesive fiberglass mesh available in the jointing compound aisle of Home Depot. IIRC Lowes also carry it.

How many coats you have to apply to get a finish that is smooth is dependent on your skill with jointing compound. It takes me a lot more than two to cover the mesh.

Of course you could also use liner paper (used in very expensive wallpaper jobs as an under-paper) which requires less coats but is also less forgiving. IIRC you can stick it down with wallpaper paste but it may not be as strong as the fiberglass mesh.

[despen]

Sounds like the This Old House episode where they had plaster coming loose. They drilled holes, filled them with glue and pushed the plaster back in place. Then they removed loose stuff and plastered over the area.

You might be able to find it on their web site.

[beecrofter]

Back when I was swinging a hammer we used products by the Thoro Co , The compound you saw rolled on was indeed a glue PVA called Thorobond.

[Robert Macy]

Yes, very important [from experiene!] the plaster over the lathe adheres by protruding through, making buldges on the inside that then hole all to the wall structure. Over time pressure against the wall breaks those buldges off and if you're not careful the whole wall can come down on you. I didn't know about being able to inject any glues, so had to remove all the affected plaster and redo - wanted to maintain architectural integrity of this 100 year old home. Disgustingly, historically the 'fibre' used to hold the plaster together appeared to be horse hair. Everybody had horses then, so was a prevalent meshing material We did NOT use horsehair, though. .

[bob]

I found what I was looking for in a Handyman, Handy Home Maintenance Projects hard bound book . .

It is called NU-Wal from Specification Chemicals

Bob