Ah rotten wood laths any advice?

[lilygrace89]

Hi all!

After a long battle with the freeholder the cracks outside our top floor flat have finally been fixed. So I've got to work removing all the blown plaster on our bedroom wall. Only a small patch, however...I have since discovered there is an awful bit of rot. Is there any way to repair this? At a bit of a loss!

It does all feel dry and there's no sign of any recent dampness.

Thank you!

 

[Cubist]

You may need to remove more of the plaster to expose the heavier timbers to which the lath is pinned first and then cut out the damaged/rotten lath. Pine some new lath in pace and a couple of coats of lime plaster can the be applied to finish the job.

 

[lilygrace89]

You may need to remove more of the plaster to expose the heavier timbers to which the lath is pinned first and then cut out the damaged/rotten lath. Pine some new lath in pace and a couple of coats of lime plaster can the be applied to finish the job.

Ah I thought that may be the case that I'd have to remove more plaster! Thank you

 

[lilygrace89]

You may need to remove more of the plaster to expose the heavier timbers to which the lath is pinned first and then cut out the damaged/rotten lath. Pine some new lath in pace and a couple of coats of lime plaster can the be applied to finish the job.

Another question! Any suggestions on nails to use for pinning the lath in place? I bought ring shanks nails for another area but I'm struggling to get them in on such a delicate wall

 

[fernicarry]

I usually use little screws for the very reason that hammering away on an already delicate wall is just asking to make the job even bigger. For small gaps like yours I sometimes just jam another piece of lath in whichever way I can without any fixings. It just needs to cover the gap sufficiently to stop the plaster falling through. If it was a larger area then I'd do it properly (honest....).

 

[Stevers]

For that repair I'd be tempted to clean up the end of the laths and screw and glue extensions onto the visible piece of stud, rather than make the hole bigger. Once it's plastered, no-one will see it!

Ever since my first house I've used Thistle One Coat for patching lath and plaster walls and ceilings - it's available in modest quantities from the DIY sheds. It is easy to work with and it sticks well. Historically, despite it being a gypsum plaster, I've also used it to patch external walls and it has survived well in situations where the original lime plaster had perished - although nowadays I would use an Lime (NHL) plaster where there is evidence of damp and salting.

This is a lath and plaster ceiling repair that I wrote up for PPUK:
https://www.periodproperty.co.uk/fo...-plaster-ceiling-with-thistle-one-coat.18871/

 

[lilygrace89]

Thanks everyone! This forums such a life saver . I have used a premixed lime on the walls but may have a look at that thistle one coat for the ceiling patches as Im a bit clumsy and didn't want to be dropping lime plaster all over my face

 

[Cubist]

and didn't want to be dropping lime plaster all over my face

Did no one tell you that a few Face Splat Moments are one of the rights of passage for Period Home owners? Its why we wiser members all have yellow hard hats with face shields.

 

[lilygrace89]

Did no one tell you that a few Face Splat Moments are one of the rights of passage for Period Home owners? Its why we wiser members all have yellow hard hats with face shields.