My son, who lives in Chicago, is fixing fist-sized holes, made decades ago by electricians or plumbers, in the plaster-on-expanded-metal-lath ceiling in his basement. In most cases the jagged edges of the lath can be pulled and stitched together to form a firm base, others will need a patch of new metal lath. But the question is: What plaster compound to use? I advise a dry mix, such as DAP Plaster Wall Patch, but his local store directed him to Durabond 90. The latter seems to me just a taping compound for drywall (with a drying accelerator). What is the best compund to use for this job?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Ford Motor Company slashes prices for some F-150 Lightning models to stimulate demand for electric vehicles (EVs).
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
I've had success with the Durabond 90 doing just what you want.
I fix the substrate, mix up some Durabond, and plaster up the hole. On ceilings, I like to use a piece of ply or MDF as a kind of form, so it doesn't slump down while drying. Just make sure to use some plastic or wax paper as a release. Hold the ply to the ceiling with a 1x2 as a brace; just wedge it in place.
the Durabond 90 will set up in a couple of hours, or your son can use one of the faster setting versions. It'll still probably need another coat to finish it off, but that shouldn't be a problem.
And I like to use a bonding agent on the old plaster to help everything stick together.
Forgot to say-
the Durabond is a dry mix, too. And it sets up much harder than any regular taping compound. Just try to sand it.
It's worked well for me, but there are probably other ways to do the same thing.
Whereabouts in Chicago? City or 'burbs?
He can get real plaster at Central Acoustic Supply House (C.A.S.H.) in Arlington Heights, I think. I bag of slow set gauging plaster might be about $30 (guess) and the base coat (structolite) and a bag of lime are reasonably cheap, and one bag of each will last him a while.
Pete Duffy, Handyman
i love Durabond 90.. you will too after you use it
90% of the patching I do on this 325 year old house I use a first coat of structolite to fill the patch 3/4 full. Second coat to take it "almost " flush to my finish surface and last coat it with plaster of paris smooth as a babies azz.
Basically the coat of plaster... all I'm doing is filling the tiny voids/roughness of the structolite. The plaster isnt much more than paper thin. Like a skim coat.
If it was just a small repair here and there I'd use Durobond but for a substantial amt of patching I use structo and plaster...I add milk to the plaster w/ water to retard (gives me plenty of working time) the drying time on large areas.
Be well filled
andy
The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides, I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace. I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
THREE hundred and twenty five? Show us pix, man - you must be up there in the NE where houses are REALLY old.
Ya'll burned most of the cool stuff down here . . .
Forrest
I'd like to see pictures too. My place is 115 yrs young, and I thought that was old.
Stone foundation, root cellar, well in house??
What dids you mean " Y'all burned most of the cool...."I've never been to GA:)
more picThe secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides, I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace. I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
few moreThe secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides, I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace. I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
Andy, thanks for the pics--I'm fairly new here, so I hadn't seen them. Wow, great work. You inspire me for my work on my young 170-year-old farm house.
I am working on my old plaster walls, and just hunted down a bag of Structolite, based on your recommendations and those of others here. I have been using Durabond for holes, with Easy Sand or one or more of the pre-mixed DW compounds on top. Before I get into the Strucolite for the first time, can you tell me when you decide to use it vs Durabond? xhakr reports actually mixing the two--interesting.
My outside brick walls are solid masonry--4 bricks thick, then horse hair mortar, then plaster--no lathe! They have held up quite well over the centuries except for some water damage here and there. And there are places that someone used a really bad skim coat of something before papering the walls. I have learned that if I am diligent, I can match with the DW compound the smoothness of the fine old plaster. It's a very, very long process, with coat after coat, using test light from all anges.
Best to you,
Marc
Nice, very nice. I've been here awhile just don't get on as much as I want. You gotta love these old houses, you never know what your gonna find...but you know its not gonna be good. Been living this nightmare for about 7 years. When we bought her I had a ten year plan, I was right on schedule... till the kids came. If I can figure out how I'll post a bunch of photos of my freakin' monster.
reckon youz guyz are new here so first welcome to the worlds greatest insane asylum...some are just crazier than others...lol.
I've posted these a buncha times before so don't look if you've already seen em'.
And.........if you want a real look come toanother "Breaktime Fest" This year I've been elected as the nut of the year to hold this shabang,,,
"Breaktime Tipi Fest 06"
the third weekend in August here in Cold Spring Harbor, LI, New York.
In the next month or so I should have started a new thread with more pertinent information.The house was literally falling over/back due to some really lame structual renos done by previous owners...ie: removing a long 20' timber/header in a rear wall to install some windows...cept they never replaced it...don't ask!
They installed three huge cables around the entire house to hold it together believe it or not sooooo.....I removed the rear additions that were put on because they were rotting away really badly and weren't really that old anyway...just kinda looked it. I built some additions onto the back which now hold the house up...whewwww and give us a beautiful kitchen and family room and bedroom etc etc. Wished I'd have designed it differently but being and feeling rushed didnt help and hindsight is 20/20.
And no...they weren't allowed to demo the house and if they were I'd never have been able to afford it. It was a red elephant and sat vacant for about two years. People were to afraid to take it on.OK , heres a few pic of this dump I've been working on the past three years...The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides, I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace. I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
Try mixing Structolite and Durabond 90-make it stiff.
no drying accelerator. Durabond is a curing/setting type compound. A little easier to work with than plaster. Either is fine
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!