Lately been doing some plaster ceiling repair. Searching how to videos on TH-cam this is the only one I've found that gives realistic practical advice on the subject. Tommy rules.
I wish to find someone like Tom Silva here in my town to repair my bedroom water damage ceiling, I called a few guys and they did not want to do the job. Tom explained it pretty good and easy than make me think that I can do that job. Thank You, Tom!
I saw this job done on This Old House years ago. They jacked up the cracked ceiling on boards, and poured plaster of paris onto the ceiling from above. Worked far better than screws. :)
As my home is 120 yrs old, I've done this type of repair to our horsehair plaster ceiling and walls. I've used both ways: 1. As Tom just did by knocking out/removing loose plaster, down to the lath, filling with drywall patch then adding/building multiple coats of mud/plaster and sanding (but WITH assistance from a spotlight/worklight to correct blemishes/unevenness and or waving). 2nd Option: Cover entire ceiling with 3/8" drywall, leaving original lathe/plaster in place and sheeting over it. Each of these methods have their merits. Entire ceiling: FULL 4'x8' or 4'x12' foot sheets of drywall are very heavy and need not only knowhow and some strength in handling (you'll need some tricks for cutting/hanging angles and practice not breaking the paper or you'll have something close to swiss cheese). Adding thickness to your ceilings will cause light fixtures to be modified slightly/longer downrods or screws to reattach. Removing original mouldings can be tricky since older wood can be brittle and break apart while gingerly removing. If you're only interested in repairing an area a few feet in diameter, (speaking from experience as a female DIY homeowner). I'd definitely do Tom's type of repair as he shows here. The only thing I would add, IF you're picky... after your plaster/drywall mud has dried and sanded, blow the dust away and use a work light at an angle to see imperfections from different views, that way you can see and correct any serious imperfections (bubble holes/waves/streak/runs/scratches/etc) BEFORE paint is applied. While paint can help hide some very minor things - it's *wise to fill/sand/fix/even out that spot now, so it won't stare right at you every time you enter the room or turn on the light ... lol
My house is over 100 years old and at some point in the 1970s they did some kind of stucco texture on the attic ceiling. On top of the (probably already cracking) lath & plaster. Then the next owners saw that the stucco texture was cracking so they tried to take down the plaster (which looks more like sand-filled concrete than hair/ smooth plaster). I just want our attic to be a little more fire safe and not dropping blown-in insulation from the cracks between the lath strips. There is no way I can make it smooth, so I can use plaster and try to push it up in the cracks.
Thanks for this video! Just bought a 1928 house and noticed a few cracks that I will have to repair in the plaster ceiling. This made it way more approachable.
I had the same problem with my 1924 ceilings.....bought 4 sheets of 3/8 sheetrock, 4 tubes of liquid nails and installed right over the old plaster with long screws....no need to remove the old ceiling. It's been 15 years and no issues.
My 1909 house was renovated in 1946 and gypsum lath was “overboarded” on the original ceiling with new 2-coat over the lath. New crown molding was installed. The house was as pretty beat up by 1985 when I bought it. With just a small amount of spot patching of the finish plaster the full 25’x 15’ living area looks perfect to this day.
Everyone agrees that was a lot of work for a patch job but what I've learned thru my carpentry journey is that drywall sucks an is so fragile. Going back with plaster keeps the original historical character!
Exactly! Not to mention, drywall doesn’t flex or breathe like lime plaster, nor can it cope with moisture. Adding drywall to a lime-plastered ceiling is just adding a weakness. It‘s worth doing things properly the first time. Just patch it with lime, the same as the original ceiling. It’s a far better material
Thank you SO much - my home is 1924 and I will be doing this to my sunken living room ceiling - specific area that needs this desperately- have been looking a long time on how to fix this myself - already did a 4 ft by 4 ft in my dining room but this video is exactly what I needed because it’s sunken in the living room and an eye sore for too long
As per the other comments there is more than one method to make this repair. Some should keep in mind the show has an objective, in this episode to make a repair not replace the entire ceiling. Oh, and I have many customers who won't consider replacing plaster with drywall. One thing I would have liked to know is, what's above it? Is it a bathroom? Playroom? Any special reason this ceiling is dropping and not the others? If there's some problem above and it's not addressed the damage will continue. Or it may just be old and coming loose.
wow, thats one of those jobs that I would avoid like the plague if it were my house. I wouldve totally installed new drywall but that was definitely an educational video for me. Never seen that method of repair before. Tom is a true inspiration.
As an old maintenance guy , I would many times use some kind of adhesive and drywall screws countersunk with a utility knife to secure the loose plaster. No scaffold and whole room drop cloth needed. Set the screws by hand to control cracking.
This video Saved me. Because I have a old house with the same type of ceiling, and there’s cracks everywhere. Just didn’t know how to fix it. Until now! Thanks Tom!
Watch Kirk Giordano plastering; he shows the best way to do this. Remove the old sagging area by scoring around it and taking it down, then treating the lath with a bonding agent before spreading new plaster. More work (maybe) but a great job.
The entire time I was watching the video, I just kept thinking, "I can't wait to read the TH-cam comments on this." 😂 But I tell myself that these nice people, who are really doing the Lord's work for people like me who don't know much about these processes and want to learn, that they do some of these not to be absolutely efficient, but to also show the wide variety of available solutions to problems, for educational purposes. The end result was also very nice. I was a pleasantly surprised. I thought it would be a little warped and close to what it looked like in the beginning. Great work.
Additional: I had an older house like this built in 1923, the ceilings were still in good shape; I took down the moldings refinished them put 1/4 inch Gypsum up, finished with moldings, beautiful and long lasting. I can somewhat understand if you need/want to be as original as possible. I worked with a man that did this his whole life; in 1975 I was 15 and he was 80; he was as good at 80 as he was young. I was shown many trades by my father through connections and this was one of them. Serious credit to anyone that did this type of work 1700 through 1900 something.
This plaster is dry and it's very messy and create a lot of dust. But we can open the plaster bag inside the house and mix it with a mixer to prepare the plaster. No dust and job done 👍
Lathe. Interesting tool, where the work is moved, and a fixed cutter works on it. Lath, long thin strip of wood, similar to a yardstick, which is used to make a lath and plaster wall. steve
My old house is 100 yrs old and in SoCal you be rest assured of some heavy seismic shaken going on a few times a year and all my patches on the ceiling lasted for a few years but time would bring it down and it always got bigger. So now, Demo and put back up drywall.
You still have to fix everything that's falling down already before drywalling over it, then on a case-by-case basis you'd have to put some crown back where crown was before. If there's waffled ceilings or anything nice like that there's more of an incentive to try to save the plaster.
The upward shining chandelier in the room is accentuating the other roof imperfections, and this repair that will inevitably come back in smaller form, because of how the light casts shadows from certain angles. Switching light fixtures to a more down throw would definitely help.
I have to agree while it was a great job Tommy, and what you did was save the existing ceiling, but my thought of it being messier to replace the area with sheet rock, it would have been a lot less work and would have saved time in the long run. Just an opinion. Tommy is one of kind that is for sure.. Thanks for another great video.
Nicely done Tom.👍🏻 Those plaster washers really do work. I always prime plaster repairs before I mud and after with PlasterWeld primer for maximum adhesion, Take care, -Paul
Obviously another joker with no clue about sound plaster repair. -Demo all of the unsound plaster -Either repair the wood lath, reinforce it with an expanded metal lath overlay, or replace e it with metal lath. -Clean then bond all mating surfaces with plasterweld or a similar bonding agent. -Re-plaster the repair area with a basecoat such as structolite in two coats (scratch and brown) making sure you cut back the patch approx 1/8" for finish. -Finish with a gypsum based lime plaster such as Diamond or Imperial troweled smooth and flush to the existing surface. Honestly Tom have a professional plasterer show you how it's done.
Tom's craftsmanship is second to none. But it's pretty clear that tearing down all the plaster and putting up sheetrock would have been the long-term better move.
@@stevenm4117 Maybe? but each time you do a fix on it it will be cheaper down the road. I got lathe & plaster under an old claw foot tub. I've had plumbing issues a number of times so the plaster needed repairing. Plaster repair is way more expensive than drywall repair... it adds up, I wish I just ripped it out.
I have used bags and bags of plaster washers fixing old walls in Toronto. Drywall screws finish proud of the washer making the skim coats needlessly thick. I use trim screws and Tom should too.
This is a big issue in West Yorkshire, UK. I removed all my hallway....worst experience of my life. If you can repair or overboard do it. Otherwise get a duct and extractor system and get it all out.
As I was looking at the ceiling before he started. It looked like he might have been able to fix it with drilling a 3/16 hole with a mason bit, 2 or 3 inches away circling around the crack area. Then using a conditioner & adhesive to the holes that you drilled earlier. Now Tom could have added the screws with the special washer to snug the plaster backup to the lath boards wait for the adhesive to bond. Remove the screw & washers to see if it holds. If so, then it is just cosmetic work with regular join compound. Hope that helps some people down the road. Nothing is bullet proof! LOL
Well that's one option. I think this might be the first time I have to disagree it is the best option. I'd be much more inclined to remove the bits where the keys had failed and reapply plaster creating new keys and a new surface. I've seen it done first hand and it is quicker by far and the result was amazing. The mesh idea though is gold. If that spot is prone to cracking the mesh should provide a really durable stable surface.
Is there a risk of asbestos, lead paint, etc.? What about the white dust left during/after replacing the ceiling by a professional? Any risk or reason to call professional testing?
Friendly tip before painting a plaster ceiling it normally contains calcimine in the old plaster! You need to prime this with an oil primer or Bin. Then you can top coat with a 100% Latex Kitchen and Bath paint! Cheers!
My house built in 1910 has these ceilings in all rooms. I had some similar damage in 1 room and decided to pull them all down. Remove the lath, insulate the joists and drywall. It was a lot of work but I couldn't be happier with the results as I know that there is no chance of issues now.
You did the right thing removing the wood lath prior to drywall installation. Drywall over wood lath loosens too often and the screws pop through. Being a plasterer of course enables me to make it happen with plaster which keeps the integrity of the house and maintains a better product and greater value.
@@hornkie good to know. Some of my 1925 overboarded plaster ceiling came down and I could patch…but looking at the cracks in the rest of it…and the fact that I’d be over boarding on overboarding, I’d rather take it all down and plasterboard/drywall on the joists, rather than the dodgy laths..even if everyone says it’s hideously messy. From what I can tell less chance of asbestos in the UK any rate .
Joseph1NJ really, that basecoat was caca. I would have marked out a much larger area with pencil, run plaster washers all around the perimeter of the drawn lines to stabilize the plaster that would stay, cut out the damaged plaster and replace with a sheet of drywall.
What type of plaster was used? Plaster of Paris has such a short dry time that it's difficult to do a bigger job without constant tool cleaning and remixing.
Questioning anything Tom does is a risk, because it could make me look like a fool.But Tom initially rejected the idea of going for a dry wall patch because it could be messy...and then right after, he covered half the room and floor with protection because fixing the lathe 'could be messy'.Seems like removing it all and going with a dry wall would have been a more durable and better idea.
Yes, but it's a different level of messy :) You wouldn't be able to get away with covering the room with a dust sheet when taking down an old lath ceiling. Everything has to go. Also, you need better protection. At least a good mask. I recently did that to our ceilings (late 30s).
Replacing a section would have been better long term. This was a band aid fix. Eventually that whole ceiling is going to need redone, and what he just fixed would have to be replaced anyway.
@@jasonsgroovemachine Exactly. Its gonna just keep doing it. Sheetrock the whole ceiling and just get it over with then Johnny can jump all he wants in his bedroom above.
I have same problem, I want to remove that plaster and put new drywall entire first floor, shall I keep that wooden strips (lath) or I have to remove those to put new drywall ? let me know plz Thanks you sir
There isn't really a reason to remove the lath if you don't have to, and in some houses the lath is partly structural, adding lateral stability to the frame of the house.
Curiosity I agree I would have just spent the money now and just replaced it all with drywall. We all know that down the road she will just be patching the crap out of that ceiling every time another spot comes loose, and that can run into allot of time and money itself.
Altenarian no and no. Might save a little in the short run but eventually the rest of the ceiling will fail too as well as the repair. So now you've paid for a repair and you'll end having to pay to do it right again. Costing more. Also no one gives af about "historical value" of a plaster ceiling lmao
My concern with these old homes is that Asbestos was commonly used in the skim coatings and I rarely see TOD talk about it. My 1941 home has asbestos in the skim coated walls 😕
Nice demonstration on how to repair but if it was my house, I probably would have ripped it all out and drywalled it. Probably will crack again somewhere else
Typically when run into these issues we just end up doing a go over with 3/8 board and plaster. This seemed like such a large are to try patching. Also if its this bad in 2 areas the rest isnt far behind so not worth saving as its coming down anyway in the near future. The reason we often do go over is because of the mess created by horse hair. Also by doing go over you will have a nice new ceiling in 3 hours time. The only issue is molding. Sometimes it can be taken down first but if not you may loose a little of the reveal.
Hi. I have heating pipes running vertically in my living room wall and its caused a crack from top to bottom where the pipe is. Ive had crack repaired twice and its come back again. What can i do to fix it without relocating my pipes?
The pipe must sit behind the wood lath. In other words it should not protrude too far out the wall plane. If it sits well within the wall cavity, strip all the plaster from floor to ceiling; left to the nearest stud and right to the nearest stud. You will have an opening about 16" wide and 8' tall of exposed wood lath. Cover over all that area with 2.5 or 3.4 gauge metal lath. Cut lengths horizontally, (16" wide x 27" tall) .. installing from bottom to top; overlapping each piece about 2". Nail or screw lath over the wood lath into the studs left and right. Fill the entire metal lathed opening with plaster. This is your best option to stop the crack.
Would replacing the ceiling with drywall really be a better answer? You have several tons of old house moving with the seasons. Why wouldn't drywall eventually crack and fail as well?
Drywall will only crack along a joint, only rarely and it's usually because of improper installation. Drywall is better in almost every way. Cheaper, easier to install and repair, less likely to fail.
@@kevinr3263 It's cheaper; less expensive to install, looks like cardboard; doesn't provide as much insulation value; costs the same to repair; will fail and crack as easily as plaster due to stress, (even in the field), or due to water damage; lessens the value of a home.
Does anyone know what to do if the lath above the falling plaster is not firmly attached? Would you have to knock all of the plaster out and replace the lath work first?
I just used PVA glue (Polyvinyl Acetate) which is simple carpenter's glue or Elmer's glue. use one part carpenter's glue to 4 parts water and coat the plaster for a primer. I hope it works. You can also add a little PVA glue into the joint compound mix.
@@fredWaxBeans11111 pva is acceptable. Another big issue that people make is not getting all the dust off before they start the primary coat. Nothing will stick to dust.
@@ryane6719 agree. I have no idea what I'm doing lol, but I recently removed the 50-year-old wallpaper from an old house. While removing the wallpaper, it was pulling some of the old "skim coat" on the plaster wall right off. There are huge areas of missing skimcoat. I removed the loose skimcoat, then I sanded, and used wet/dry vac for the dust. the Vacuum was pulling off even more skim coat lol. (pandora's box). So after sponge mopping the wall for all the dust, I coated the entire wall with PVA solution.....to help the edges of the remaining old skimcoat to stay on the wall. that's a big part of wanting to use PVA primer, not just for the new joint compound to help stick, but to keep the existing old skim coat intact.
@@fredWaxBeans11111 been there … your PVA method is totally acceptable and yields decent results. Of all the jobs we’ve completed like this we’ve never found anything better than Larson plaster weld, with its ability to penetrate seal and bond..
Weird those plaster washers he uses don't have a countersunk middle for the screw head to not stick out. All the ones I have seen online are like that.
Wow, that's a lot of work to do a sub-standard repair. I've been a plasterer for 30 years and have done tons of repair work on historic structures in the San Francisco Bay area. You would save a lot of time and effort, and would achieve a superior end product had you knocked off all of the unsound plaster, repaired the lath or supplemented it with metal lath, and re applied a three coat plaster. I'd be glad to come and show you how it's done.
Legend has it that Tom Silva has never missed a joist with a screw.
x-ray vision - a human stud finder.
@@brusindIt takes one to know one😊
I swear they need to canonize Tom Silva. He has saved me so many times, it's got to count as a miracle!
Lately been doing some plaster ceiling repair. Searching how to videos on TH-cam this is the only one I've found that gives realistic practical advice on the subject. Tommy rules.
I wish to find someone like Tom Silva here in my town to repair my bedroom water damage ceiling, I called a few guys and they did not want to do the job. Tom explained it pretty good and easy than make me think that I can do that job. Thank You, Tom!
It starts on the roof shingles right above
still looking for someone
I saw this job done on This Old House years ago. They jacked up the cracked ceiling on boards, and poured plaster of paris onto the ceiling from above. Worked far better than screws. :)
That’s a traditional method - and a far better one.
As my home is 120 yrs old, I've done this type of repair to our horsehair plaster ceiling and walls. I've used both ways:
1. As Tom just did by knocking out/removing loose plaster, down to the lath, filling with drywall patch then adding/building multiple coats of mud/plaster and sanding (but WITH assistance from a spotlight/worklight to correct blemishes/unevenness and or waving).
2nd Option: Cover entire ceiling with 3/8" drywall, leaving original lathe/plaster in place and sheeting over it.
Each of these methods have their merits.
Entire ceiling: FULL 4'x8' or 4'x12' foot sheets of drywall are very heavy and need not only knowhow and some strength in handling (you'll need some tricks for cutting/hanging angles and practice not breaking the paper or you'll have something close to swiss cheese). Adding thickness to your ceilings will cause light fixtures to be modified slightly/longer downrods or screws to reattach. Removing original mouldings can be tricky since older wood can be brittle and break apart while gingerly removing.
If you're only interested in repairing an area a few feet in diameter, (speaking from experience as a female DIY homeowner).
I'd definitely do Tom's type of repair as he shows here. The only thing I would add, IF you're picky... after your plaster/drywall mud has dried and sanded, blow the dust away and use a work light at an angle to see imperfections from different views, that way you can see and correct any serious imperfections (bubble holes/waves/streak/runs/scratches/etc) BEFORE paint is applied. While paint can help hide some very minor things - it's *wise to fill/sand/fix/even out that spot now, so it won't stare right at you every time you enter the room or turn on the light ... lol
Very help Full detailed Advice. Really Thank You. Now to work on my 100+ year old house.
My house is over 100 years old and at some point in the 1970s they did some kind of stucco texture on the attic ceiling. On top of the (probably already cracking) lath & plaster.
Then the next owners saw that the stucco texture was cracking so they tried to take down the plaster (which looks more like sand-filled concrete than hair/ smooth plaster).
I just want our attic to be a little more fire safe and not dropping blown-in insulation from the cracks between the lath strips.
There is no way I can make it smooth, so I can use plaster and try to push it up in the cracks.
I'm pretty sure Tom Silva could have saved the Titanic from going down. What a master Craftsman. Thanks for another great video. You take care.
Steve Janka what a strong statement careful with words
Tom rocks
@Bob Marley Exactly
Bob Marley Why don’t you just build a new house Bob!
He'd probably sink the Titanic..
Thanks for this video! Just bought a 1928 house and noticed a few cracks that I will have to repair in the plaster ceiling. This made it way more approachable.
I had the same problem with my 1924 ceilings.....bought 4 sheets of 3/8 sheetrock, 4 tubes of liquid nails and installed right over the old plaster with long screws....no need to remove the old ceiling. It's been 15 years and no issues.
That actually worked??
@@No_bread-and-circuses i thought of that but i was thinking you would have add some Sort of packing to drop off of the plaster a Little but cool
was thinking of attempting this
That is the best and easiest way to repair this ceiling. Over board laff and plaster is always easiest
My 1909 house was renovated in 1946 and gypsum lath was “overboarded” on the original ceiling with new 2-coat over the lath. New crown molding was installed. The house was as pretty beat up by 1985 when I bought it. With just a small amount of spot patching of the finish plaster the full 25’x 15’ living area looks perfect to this day.
Tom Silva is the man. He's the best from the East to the West!
Everyone agrees that was a lot of work for a patch job but what I've learned thru my carpentry journey is that drywall sucks an is so fragile. Going back with plaster keeps the original historical character!
Well said!
Exactly! Not to mention, drywall doesn’t flex or breathe like lime plaster, nor can it cope with moisture. Adding drywall to a lime-plastered ceiling is just adding a weakness. It‘s worth doing things properly the first time. Just patch it with lime, the same as the original ceiling. It’s a far better material
Thank you SO much - my home is 1924 and I will be doing this to my sunken living room ceiling - specific area that needs this desperately- have been looking a long time on how to fix this myself - already did a 4 ft by 4 ft in my dining room but this video is exactly what I needed because it’s sunken in the living room and an eye sore for too long
As per the other comments there is more than one method to make this repair. Some should keep in mind the show has an objective, in this episode to make a repair not replace the entire ceiling. Oh, and I have many customers who won't consider replacing plaster with drywall. One thing I would have liked to know is, what's above it? Is it a bathroom? Playroom? Any special reason this ceiling is dropping and not the others? If there's some problem above and it's not addressed the damage will continue. Or it may just be old and coming loose.
THE CATCH AT 6:45!!!! Amazing what a craftsman ive learned so much from this guy.
JESUS haha Tom is a gift
Real plaster is not easy. I am impressed, Tommy-boy is very well rounded.
wow, thats one of those jobs that I would avoid like the plague if it were my house. I wouldve totally installed new drywall but that was definitely an educational video for me. Never seen that method of repair before. Tom is a true inspiration.
As an old maintenance guy , I would many times use some kind of adhesive and drywall screws countersunk with a utility knife to secure the loose plaster. No scaffold and whole room drop cloth needed. Set the screws by hand to control cracking.
This video Saved me. Because I have a old house with the same type of ceiling, and there’s cracks everywhere. Just didn’t know how to fix it. Until now! Thanks Tom!
Do not try this at home!!
Tom is always amazing
Jennifer was happy with the work
Wow... my house was built in 1880... the ceiling was , by the looks of it, installed in 1825,, lol
There is Hope , thanks to this video...
Watch Kirk Giordano plastering; he shows the best way to do this. Remove the old sagging area by scoring around it and taking it down, then treating the lath with a bonding agent before spreading new plaster. More work (maybe) but a great job.
The entire time I was watching the video, I just kept thinking, "I can't wait to read the TH-cam comments on this." 😂
But I tell myself that these nice people, who are really doing the Lord's work for people like me who don't know much about these processes and want to learn, that they do some of these not to be absolutely efficient, but to also show the wide variety of available solutions to problems, for educational purposes.
The end result was also very nice. I was a pleasantly surprised. I thought it would be a little warped and close to what it looked like in the beginning.
Great work.
Additional: I had an older house like this built in 1923, the ceilings were still in good shape; I took down the moldings refinished them put 1/4 inch Gypsum up, finished with moldings, beautiful and long lasting. I can somewhat understand if you need/want to be as original as possible. I worked with a man that did this his whole life; in 1975 I was 15 and he was 80; he was as good at 80 as he was young. I was shown many trades by my father through connections and this was one of them. Serious credit to anyone that did this type of work 1700 through 1900 something.
This plaster is dry and it's very messy and create a lot of dust. But we can open the plaster bag inside the house and mix it with a mixer to prepare the plaster. No dust and job done 👍
Another successful job well done with the homeowner standing around
😂
Lathe. Interesting tool, where the work is moved,
and a fixed cutter works on it.
Lath, long thin strip of wood, similar to a yardstick,
which is used to make a lath and plaster wall.
steve
My old house is 100 yrs old and in SoCal you be rest assured of some heavy seismic shaken going on a few times a year and all my patches on the ceiling lasted for a few years but time would bring it down and it always got bigger. So now, Demo and put back up drywall.
0:47 Alot of those activities around here....lemme guess. The master bedroom is directly above this plaster.
Well they have kids so I doubt the master bedroom gets much action other than sleep.
Well Tommy's instant smiling reaction presumes the bedroom hipothesis... :)
This was surgical in his approach. Great job. 👍
Home improvement, not home perfection. My motto. It’s not perfect but it’s way better than it was!
Just overboard the lot, once one part starts to drop it won't be long till the rest starts. could end up with the lot falling down.
Easy for you Rockefeller!
ROB-IN-PHILLY Naw. One total ceiling drywall hang and paint is going to be cheaper than three or four or five of these prep-patch-sand-paint sessions.
You still have to fix everything that's falling down already before drywalling over it, then on a case-by-case basis you'd have to put some crown back where crown was before. If there's waffled ceilings or anything nice like that there's more of an incentive to try to save the plaster.
I agree...and you could always drywall right over top of the ceiling
@@Nill757 but some people want to save the plaster. Unfortunately, Tom is making a mess of this and is out of his league.
The upward shining chandelier in the room is accentuating the other roof imperfections, and this repair that will inevitably come back in smaller form, because of how the light casts shadows from certain angles. Switching light fixtures to a more down throw would definitely help.
love this old house learned so much from this show
Don't think I've ever seen Tom smile like that. lol
Mr. Silva is the man! That's one nice plaster job.
You are trippin' Big Dude
I have to agree while it was a great job Tommy, and what you did was save the existing ceiling, but my thought of it being messier to replace the area with sheet rock, it would have been a lot less work and would have saved time in the long run. Just an opinion. Tommy is one of kind that is for sure.. Thanks for another great video.
I never saw Tommy smile so much.
It was the sexual tension between them.
Nicely done Tom.👍🏻 Those plaster washers really do work. I always prime plaster repairs before I mud and after with PlasterWeld primer for maximum adhesion, Take care, -Paul
Obviously another joker with no clue about sound plaster repair.
-Demo all of the unsound plaster
-Either repair the wood lath, reinforce it with an expanded metal lath overlay, or replace e it with metal lath.
-Clean then bond all mating surfaces with plasterweld or a similar bonding agent.
-Re-plaster the repair area with a basecoat such as structolite in two coats (scratch and brown) making sure you cut back the patch approx 1/8" for finish.
-Finish with a gypsum based lime plaster such as Diamond or Imperial troweled smooth and flush to the existing surface.
Honestly Tom have a professional plasterer show you how it's done.
Do you use the mesh, or not necessary with your method?
Tom's craftsmanship is second to none. But it's pretty clear that tearing down all the plaster and putting up sheetrock would have been the long-term better move.
More expensive, too.
*Reduce, Reuse, Recycle*
@@stevenm4117 Maybe? but each time you do a fix on it it will be cheaper down the road. I got lathe & plaster under an old claw foot tub. I've had plumbing issues a number of times so the plaster needed repairing. Plaster repair is way more expensive than drywall repair... it adds up, I wish I just ripped it out.
In reality, a sheetrock repair is sub-standard repair work. Tear off the unsound plaster and redo the 3-coat plaster.
@Bob Marley that's the problem, I'd need a good plasterer, like yourself! Not a mediocre drywall patcher, like MYSELF.
I have used bags and bags of plaster washers fixing old walls in Toronto. Drywall screws finish proud of the washer making the skim coats needlessly thick. I use trim screws and Tom should too.
I cant believe that ceiling was salvageable, great work Tom
I can't understand why you would try?
This is a big issue in West Yorkshire, UK. I removed all my hallway....worst experience of my life. If you can repair or overboard do it. Otherwise get a duct and extractor system and get it all out.
What was the ratio of the mix between plaster/joint compound/water?
I would love to be in Tom’s classes! Nice job again Tom
I am only surprised by the lack of eye protection. But I did learn a lot !
As I was looking at the ceiling before he started. It looked like he might have been able to fix it with drilling a 3/16 hole with a mason bit, 2 or 3 inches away circling around the crack area. Then using a conditioner & adhesive to the holes that you drilled earlier. Now Tom could have added the screws with the special washer to snug the plaster backup to the lath boards wait for the adhesive to bond. Remove the screw & washers to see if it holds. If so, then it is just cosmetic work with regular join compound. Hope that helps some people down the road. Nothing is bullet proof! LOL
Well that's one option. I think this might be the first time I have to disagree it is the best option. I'd be much more inclined to remove the bits where the keys had failed and reapply plaster creating new keys and a new surface. I've seen it done first hand and it is quicker by far and the result was amazing. The mesh idea though is gold. If that spot is prone to cracking the mesh should provide a really durable stable surface.
couldn't it have asbestos in it?
@@denisecors7918 If a house was built before 1980 it likely has asbestos.
So every ceiling in the house cracked this last few months. Should I just follow your procedure or look into it further?
Seemed overwhelming at first, but I think I could do this!
Thanks for helping my old house.
Is there a risk of asbestos, lead paint, etc.? What about the white dust left during/after replacing the ceiling by a professional? Any risk or reason to call professional testing?
good point
Tom is a lot of things, but a hawk and trowel man, he is not!!!! Keep the videos coming!!!!
Yep….They should have had a pro at least consulting on this one.
Ceiling looks great and Jessica looks beautiful.
Friendly tip before painting a plaster ceiling it normally contains calcimine in the old plaster! You need to prime this with an oil primer or Bin. Then you can top coat with a 100% Latex Kitchen and Bath paint! Cheers!
5:34 "nice, nice, nice, nice" 👍👍👍
Tom had upper viewpoint to Jessica cleavage.
My house built in 1910 has these ceilings in all rooms. I had some similar damage in 1 room and decided to pull them all down. Remove the lath, insulate the joists and drywall. It was a lot of work but I couldn't be happier with the results as I know that there is no chance of issues now.
You did the right thing removing the wood lath prior to drywall installation. Drywall over wood lath loosens too often and the screws pop through. Being a plasterer of course enables me to make it happen with plaster which keeps the integrity of the house and maintains a better product and greater value.
@@hornkie good to know. Some of my 1925 overboarded plaster ceiling came down and I could patch…but looking at the cracks in the rest of it…and the fact that I’d be over boarding on overboarding, I’d rather take it all down and plasterboard/drywall on the joists, rather than the dodgy laths..even if everyone says it’s hideously messy. From what I can tell less chance of asbestos in the UK any rate .
Gee Mr editor, way to cut out the results.
Joseph1NJ really, that basecoat was caca. I would have marked out a much larger area with pencil, run plaster washers all around the perimeter of the drawn lines to stabilize the plaster that would stay, cut out the damaged plaster and replace with a sheet of drywall.
This used to be a longer video, but they have really cut down these videos to 10 mins or less.
It looks fantast...and it's gone.
anyone know what ratio of finishing plaster and joint compound? and where does one get finishing plaster?🙏🏼
Tom makes the job look easy. Great job Tom!
❤❤❤ this feels like Car Talk, but for houses ❤❤❤
What type of plaster was used? Plaster of Paris has such a short dry time that it's difficult to do a bigger job without constant tool cleaning and remixing.
Is this method preferred for ceilings over plaster magic that I’ve seen you use on walls that have come loose?
Questioning anything Tom does is a risk, because it could make me look like a fool.But Tom initially rejected the idea of going for a dry wall patch because it could be messy...and then right after, he covered half the room and floor with protection because fixing the lathe 'could be messy'.Seems like removing it all and going with a dry wall would have been a more durable and better idea.
Yes, but it's a different level of messy :) You wouldn't be able to get away with covering the room with a dust sheet when taking down an old lath ceiling. Everything has to go. Also, you need better protection. At least a good mask. I recently did that to our ceilings (late 30s).
comes down to time and money, it took less time and money to patch the plaster rather than replace the whole cieling
Replacing a section would have been better long term. This was a band aid fix. Eventually that whole ceiling is going to need redone, and what he just fixed would have to be replaced anyway.
@@jasonsgroovemachine Exactly. Its gonna just keep doing it. Sheetrock the whole ceiling and just get it over with then Johnny can jump all he wants in his bedroom above.
Tom is brilliant
All right jessicer were all cleaned up what do you think- tom silva 2018
Great video - how to you locate the structure for fixings please?
Tom, what's the damage for something like that.
Love the video but wouldn’t mind seeing more of the work!
Quick ? I'm working on old house, about to install canned lights. Sounds I skim coat cieling, or make holes for lights?
It's a plastered cieling, should I skim first, or cut holes for canned lights?
Did you use just a 45 minute drying joint compound mixed with the plaster, and is plaster of Paris the way to go?
I can understand supporting the edge a little to avoid spreading, but why not just careful remove the blown section and replaster?
Tommy is a true master craftsman
I have same problem, I want to remove that plaster and put new drywall entire first floor, shall I keep that wooden strips (lath) or I have to remove those to put new drywall ? let me know plz
Thanks you sir
There isn't really a reason to remove the lath if you don't have to, and in some houses the lath is partly structural, adding lateral stability to the frame of the house.
@@pufthemajicdragon Load bearing lath eh. lol. Alright.
That is good work but me myself and I would have taken it down and used drywall.
I know there saving time and money, but I agree with you.
Pretty sure patching it saves money, it also saves any historical value to the plaster.
Yes, because we all know how plain white plaster ceilings are renowned for their historic value...
Curiosity I agree I would have just spent the money now and just replaced it all with drywall. We all know that down the road she will just be patching the crap out of that ceiling every time another spot comes loose, and that can run into allot of time and money itself.
Altenarian no and no. Might save a little in the short run but eventually the rest of the ceiling will fail too as well as the repair. So now you've paid for a repair and you'll end having to pay to do it right again. Costing more. Also no one gives af about "historical value" of a plaster ceiling lmao
Mate, this is brilliant! Thanks so much
Is the felt pad used wet or dry?
New drywall and pot lights. This patch system he is trying to do is for small areas. As we saw he replaced most of the plaster anyway.
I would NEVER EVER question Tom. However for this particular case, why not just replace with a larger section of drywall?
Fix plaster with plaster. Repairing plaster with drywall is like repairing framing with cardboard!
You just did.
i have a Victorian home and livingroom had the same issue. It was cheaper to put in a tin ceiling where I did a faux finish.
What impact driver is Tom using I like the look of it
Festool
A little more practice with the Hawk and Trowel is definitely in order.
Almost like a fish out of water.
Are there stunt doubles for craftsmen??
lmao he's a carpenter by trade. Why tf would you expect him to be proficient apply plaster or drywall?
My concern with these old homes is that Asbestos was commonly used in the skim coatings and I rarely see TOD talk about it. My 1941 home has asbestos in the skim coated walls 😕
Do you know by eyesight if it is safe to work with? If it contains asbestos??
Nice demonstration on how to repair but if it was my house, I probably would have ripped it all out and drywalled it. Probably will crack again somewhere else
You're probably right but then you'd never see Jessica again :)
It create lot of dust
Typically when run into these issues we just end up doing a go over with 3/8 board and plaster. This seemed like such a large are to try patching. Also if its this bad in 2 areas the rest isnt far behind so not worth saving as its coming down anyway in the near future. The reason we often do go over is because of the mess created by horse hair. Also by doing go over you will have a nice new ceiling in 3 hours time. The only issue is molding. Sometimes it can be taken down first but if not you may loose a little of the reveal.
@@dmontes81 do you remove the plaster and lath before putting up new drywall?
@@weemeemoo no we go right over it with 3/8 blueboard most of the time
I would take that whole section out.
Hi. I have heating pipes running vertically in my living room wall and its caused a crack from top to bottom where the pipe is. Ive had crack repaired twice and its come back again. What can i do to fix it without relocating my pipes?
The pipe must sit behind the wood lath. In other words it should not protrude too far out the wall plane. If it sits well within the wall cavity, strip all the plaster from floor to ceiling; left to the nearest stud and right to the nearest stud. You will have an opening about 16" wide and 8' tall of exposed wood lath. Cover over all that area with 2.5 or 3.4 gauge metal lath. Cut lengths horizontally, (16" wide x 27" tall) .. installing from bottom to top; overlapping each piece about 2". Nail or screw lath over the wood lath into the studs left and right. Fill the entire metal lathed opening with plaster. This is your best option to stop the crack.
I've never seen a 'felt pad'...? where/how to get one?
found it, aka:'felt brush'
Owner is gorgeous Tommie loved working for her
Would replacing the ceiling with drywall really be a better answer? You have several tons of old house moving with the seasons. Why wouldn't drywall eventually crack and fail as well?
Drywall will only crack along a joint, only rarely and it's usually because of improper installation. Drywall is better in almost every way. Cheaper, easier to install and repair, less likely to fail.
@@kevinr3263 It's cheaper; less expensive to install, looks like cardboard; doesn't provide as much insulation value; costs the same to repair; will fail and crack as easily as plaster due to stress, (even in the field), or due to water damage; lessens the value of a home.
@@hornkie 😂
Does anyone know what to do if the lath above the falling plaster is not firmly attached? Would you have to knock all of the plaster out and replace the lath work first?
You just add some screws. Best to find the ceiling joist and start with screws with washers there.
3:04 *nervous laughter "lookin good!"
Alway prime first, Larsen plaster weld is critical for lasting repairs. Also, sponge float works wonders for blending.
I just used PVA glue (Polyvinyl Acetate) which is simple carpenter's glue or Elmer's glue. use one part carpenter's glue to 4 parts water and coat the plaster for a primer. I hope it works. You can also add a little PVA glue into the joint compound mix.
@@fredWaxBeans11111 pva is acceptable. Another big issue that people make is not getting all the dust off before they start the primary coat. Nothing will stick to dust.
@@ryane6719 agree. I have no idea what I'm doing lol, but I recently removed the 50-year-old wallpaper from an old house. While removing the wallpaper, it was pulling some of the old "skim coat" on the plaster wall right off. There are huge areas of missing skimcoat. I removed the loose skimcoat, then I sanded, and used wet/dry vac for the dust. the Vacuum was pulling off even more skim coat lol. (pandora's box). So after sponge mopping the wall for all the dust, I coated the entire wall with PVA solution.....to help the edges of the remaining old skimcoat to stay on the wall. that's a big part of wanting to use PVA primer, not just for the new joint compound to help stick, but to keep the existing old skim coat intact.
@@fredWaxBeans11111 been there … your PVA method is totally acceptable and yields decent results. Of all the jobs we’ve completed like this we’ve never found anything better than Larson plaster weld, with its ability to penetrate seal and bond..
you are a craftsman and an artist all in one thnx for the video
Can you make a video on How to Repair Water Damaged Plaster
Thanks
Weird those plaster washers he uses don't have a countersunk middle for the screw head to not stick out. All the ones I have seen online are like that.
Is there a video showing how to do this with wire lathe?
How do you know if there is lathe above the plaster without removing the plaster?
Quote easily, age if property if going into the loft above top floor
Lath is wood, & most of the area would be wood right? So, if you are in doubt drive a screw/hole between enter. If air no, but if it holds yes.
Wow, that's a lot of work to do a sub-standard repair. I've been a plasterer for 30 years and have done tons of repair work on historic structures in the San Francisco Bay area. You would save a lot of time and effort, and would achieve a superior end product had you knocked off all of the unsound plaster, repaired the lath or supplemented it with metal lath, and re applied a three coat plaster.
I'd be glad to come and show you how it's done.
how bout post a video and link instead?
everyone needs to be like that guy