What can you tell me about how to lathe and plaster walls?

Answer by  douglas (90)

Lath and plaster walls are really a thing of the past. Today lath is replaced with drywall, and the edges are taped in a regular fashion. To get the plaster appearance the entire surface is then covered with plaster material that is mixed, and gives you time to make it smooth. A good plaster job isn't something to easily do.

Answer by  primatefreak (1616)

To lathe: a substate (grid- looks like chicken wire) is nailed perpendicular to open frame studs. To plaster: A thick layer of wet plaster is hand troweled onto the lathe. Allow to dry thoroughly. The wall is now ready to finish with paint or wallpaper.

Answer by  joeinphilly (388)

The lathe part is easy, it is just nailing thin boards to the studs leaving a gap between them to hold the plaster. The plaster part is the hard part since there are 2-3 coats to get the final finish which will show every inconsistency in application of the underlying layers. Use a professional.