Plastering and Re-Plastering Walls

The simplest way to treat old walls to make them warmer and prevent "sweating" is to nail furring strips over the old plaster upon which to apply new lath and plaster, insulating board, or insulating material and wall board. Before the new surface is applied, it will probably be necessary to remove the trim and, when the wall is finished, to insert pieces of wood behind the trim before it is replaced, to bring it forward to form a suitable offset.

Another method is to leave the old trim in place and to apply new trim on top of this after plastering. For this you will want to have length measurements taken, preferably with precision measurements tools like a laser measuring tool, so that you will know exactly how much to remove. Re-plastering, especially in a furnished house, is rather objectionable, because of dampness resulting from the large quantity of water required and because of the splashing and spattering in applying the materials.

There are several good wall boards and insulating boards on the market, however, which can be applied upon the stripping in place of lath and plaster, and with less difficulty. A specially prepared joint-treating system is used with these boards, and when completed the wall has the appearance of a plastered surface and may be decorated if desired. Directions covering the application and decoration of these boards are usually furnished by the manufacturers.

Heat passes through a wall or roof if there is a difference in temperature between the two sides. The direction of flow is from the warmer to the cooler side, and heat seeks the lowest temperature level just as water seeks the lowest plane. It is therefore apparent that, in order to heat a house economically it is necessary to prevent, as far as possible, this flow of heat. In the wintertime for economy the heat must be kept within the house and in the summertime for comfort the out-of-doors heat must be kept out.

While no material will entirely stop the passage of heat through a wall or roof, marked progress has been made in recent years in the manufacture of efficient insulating, materials, many good brands having been placed on the market. With the different types of measurement tools out there, all the unique tape measures and laser tape measures, you can take measurements up to the millimeter, and cut the exact piece of material needed for the most effective seal.

Some are made in blanket form of soft, flexible materials, such as felt, wool, hair, and fiber, to be stretched and tucked between the studs, floor joists, and rafters; others come in loose form and can be packed into hollow spaces; and others are in stiff board form to be used as sheathing, plaster base, or merely as insulation. The manufacturers of insulating materials are usually glad to cooperate with the prospective users by furnishing literature describing their products and giving full instructions for applying them and by also supplying special advice where necessary.

The roof is the most exposed part of the house, being subject to the direct rays of the sun in summer and to strong cold winds in winter. In an unfinished attic a great amount of heat is lost through the roof during the winter months. The rapid melting of snow on the roof is evidence of this. In the summertime the heat passes through into the attic, making the temperature in the upper part of the house almost unbearable. It is therefore important that the roof or the upper story of the house be insulated.

If the attic is being used and there is necessity for keeping it at a comfortable temperature throughout the year, application of at least one-half inch, preferably more, of good insulation to the underside of the roof rafters or against the roof boards between the rafters is advisable. If there is no necessity for keeping the attic space at a comfortable temperature, insulation is best applied under the attic floor on top of or between the joists. If there is no floor, a few boards may be laid down to walk upon.

Spaces between the studs at the floor line should be boarded over. This boarding not only blocks the free passage of air from within the walls but also provides a fire stop, which is recommended for good construction. The best way to do this is with an adhesive tape measure, but a steel tape measure works if the steel tape can lock.

You will want to measure out the boards to the perfect length and width to form a tight seal. Attic windows should be weather tight, and if there are louvers, or vents, to admit air, they should be made to close like shutters or be provided with doors on the inside to be closed during severe weather. The louvers should also be screened to keep out insects, especially those which injure woodwork.


Allison Ryan is a freelance writer specializing in woodworking and other types of do-it-yourself home improvement projects requiring precision measurement tools, unique tape measures, and other specialty tools. For a variety of tools including a steel tape measure, check out http://www.ustape.com/.