Small foyer, about 6×8. Ceiling and walls are lathe and plaster, probably ~120 yrs old. Plaster is in pretty good shape, just a few small cracks, maybe one loose area where the key is gone. All easily repairable.
Client would like to install some crown molding (paint grade).
Would you do the plaster repair first, or install the crown first?
I’m leaning towards installing the crown first, but then something nags and says the plaster should be tightened up first.
Replies
Plaster finish first. Easier than starting or running the patch up to the crown. If you go beyond the crown edge, can't hurt holding it together.
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Wall prep & repair is always first.
Agreed - but on plaster it's helpful to back block the crown, especially if it is hard to find the studs. I'd put back blocking up THEN fix the plaster (since blocking attachment can crack it).
Use plaster washers on the loose area unless it is too far gone. They can be recessed a bit using a spade bit.
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http://www.amazon.com/Hillman-9745-10PK-Plaster-Washer/dp/B000BQK62K
Jeff
I keep those on hand, there's a box somewhere in my truck. It's best to apply a strong fiber mesh first, then screw the washers on and skim coat from there.
I have used this stuff on occasion.
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/205410234/Fiberglass_plaster_mesh.html It's expensive but worth it if you want to keep the old plaster. On the conservation & restoration projects, we used it all the time.
Actually I run a backer on almost all my crown anymore. It's probably not necessary half the time I realize, but that's just me. If the crown is small enough I don't bother, I use a bit of PL and cross nail.When I run the blocking, I do it in strips of old plywood scrap and keep it about 1/8" away from the back of the crown. Then I use PL & only a few nails. It keeps movement down.
I've done it both ways, and my recommendation is get the plaster for the most part repaired, get the crown up, then go back and finish off the plaster.
Why this way? Well, I repaired a plaster ceiling perfectly (got rid of all cracks, skim coated the whole thing), put in crown, and realized the ceiling was wavy enough that I needed to float drywall compound up against the crown instead of caulking the *** out of it. So, some of the finish work I did on the ceiling ended up being redone due to the floating. It wasn't a ton of time lost, but it was still some additional work that I shouldn't have done.
Thanks all. I had a sense that the "right" way would involve two visits from the plaster guy.
Appreciate your responses.