spacerspacerspacerspacerAdvertise Here
DIY Doctor
      Home   Contact   

WELCOME TO OUR Fixing to lathe & plaster PROJECT

To promote your business on this page, click here to find out more!

Summary: How to create a solid and reliable fixing to lathe and plaster

Share and bookmark DIY Doctor

Visit our Blog - Click Here RSS news feed DIY Doctor RSS Feed  Email Bookmark and Share


Fixing to Lathe & Plaster

There are many fixings on the market today and yet, as far as we are aware, no fixing is available for a good, solid, reliable fix to lathe and plaster. It’s a popular question on DIYdoctor and our many years of experience have taught us not to take chances with wall plugs, toggles and plasterboard fixings. Please see our project on fixing to plasterboard for more information.

A section of a lathed wall with plaster removed.

lath wall without plaster image

Below is a section of a lath and plaster wall face on. You can see the pink plaster, which is pushed onto and into the yellow laths, which in turn are fixed at narrow spacing to the upright timber studs.

( Not to any scale) 

 Lath Diagram

A section of the wall above where you can see how the plaster is pushed into the laths.

 

 Cross Section of Stud and Lath image

  (not to any scale)  

Lath and plaster was used as a wall finish long before plasterboard and took over from the centuries old Wattle and Daub finish. Wattle was the name for twigs and branches that were interwoven between the upright timber posts that formed the framework of a dwelling. Daub was the name given to the various forms of mud, clay, lime, manure or other locally available, easily workable fillers that could be pushed smoothed onto the wattle. The daub was pushed, usually by hand, into the web of branches forming a weatherproof surface. Lath and plaster is an extension of that idea and was used long after the invention of plasterboard by Augustino Sackett in approximately 1888. Plasterboard took a while to catch on and was introduced to the UK in 1917. It became widely used and started to replace Lath and Plaster by the 1930’s. 

The plaster is pushed onto and into the timber laths, which have been nailed to upright studs. Gaps are left between the laths to allow the plaster to be pushed in. When it sets it clings to the laths making a fairly strong surface. However, most lath and plaster walls and ceilings in this country are at least 40 years old and often past their “sell by” date. The laths are very flexible allowing the wall to move, the plaster by now, often crumbling behind and in between the laths. The only solid fixing therefore is to replace some of the lath and plaster with a solid surface to fix to. This involves making a hole in the wall between two studs. The diagram above shows the timber batten across 3 studs, but between two is fine. Using a hobby knife or sharp chisel, cut out your hole and cut the laths back onto the timber studs. The plaster and laths are usually about 1 inch thick and a batten size of 2 inches by 1 inch PAR or PSE (These are timber merchants abbreviations for Planed All Round & Planed, Square Edge which both mean the timber has been planed to a finish and is not in the rough “Sawn” state) is sufficient for fixing most things. You can increase the width of the timber by as much as you like to fix items like coat hooks and microwave brackets which you would not ordinarily be able to fix to a lath and plaster wall. 

Staple image Adhesive image Filler image
Galvanised Staple  PVA Adhesive Flexible Filler
Ready Mix Filler image Applicator Gun image
Ready mixed filler Applicator gun

Cut the hole as closely as you can to the size of the batten but it is very likely you will have gaps between the batten and the plaster surrounding it. Before you fix the batten it is a good idea to paint the edges with an undiluted solution of PVA adhesive and bang  a few 20mm galvanised staples in along the edges. When the batten is fixed you can then fill around the perimeter with either plaster, polyfiller or flexible filler from a tube. The choice of flier will depend on the size of gap, but the PVA will allow it to stick to the edges of the batten and the staples will give it reinforcement. 

Hobby Knife image Plasterboard Saw image Pull Saw image
Hobby knife Plasterboard saw Pull saw
Chisel image Hammer image
Wide chisel Claw hammer 

Hopefully, whatever it is you need to fix to the wall will cover the batten (which of course you can paint to match the wall) but if not, and given that its unlikely your painting match will be “seamless”, sometimes it’s a good idea, instead of trying to disguise the batten, to make a feature out of it by painting it an entirely different colour and even putting some beading round it. 

For those who are experienced in DIY it is possible to use a slightly thinner batten, or notch the batten into the studs a little, and cover the batten with plasterboard which can then be plastered right up to the edges of the existing plaster. This makes the fixing batten invisible. 

For simple repairs in lath and plaster walls see our  repairing lath and plasterproject.





Much more construction information is available in our bookstore. All the tools and fittings you need in the toolstore.





Forums





Are you a tradesman ? Get your very own webpage with ProblemSolved all for FREE - Click here



Share and bookmark DIY Doctor

Link to DIY Doctor - Click Here RSS news feed DIY Doctor RSS Feed  Email Bookmark and Share


Plastering & Dry lining
Post new topic
 Topics   Replies   Author   Views   Last Post 
No new posts dot and dab onto painted brick walls
1 brigzy 41  
brigzy View latest post
No new posts Do I need to re-plaster before I re-tile?
0 twowheele 20  
twowheele View latest post
No new posts which breathable plaster is best for damp basement flat
0 croydon4 24  
croydon4 View latest post
No new posts Have you used purpose-made artex remover?
0 rabbit 145  
rabbit View latest post
No new posts Drying plaster following water leak
2 lylbf 287  
rosebery View latest post
No new posts TROWHAWK
3 jimfish 336  
rosebery View latest post
No new posts Removing old stud walls and building new
2 jimmyfive 140  
rosebery View latest post
No new posts 2.4m boards but 2.6m high ceilings - how do I fill the gap
2 Ginge 282  
rosebery View latest post
No new posts new plastered ceiling
4 whitehart 372  
Dan the m View latest post
No new posts Plaster and limewash
2 dobbsie 196  
dobbsie View latest post
No new posts Replacing fibreboard on walls
4 alexeix 365  
alexeix View latest post
No new posts Hole in Ceiling problem
2 Dastardle 408  
kbrownie View latest post
No new posts Dot n dab or plaster concrete ceiling?
1 firstinte 588  
ricky68 View latest post
No new posts Metal studwork
2 Zombies 486  
demoman View latest post
No new posts issues with plastering
5 suzanne h 739  
kbrownie View latest post
No new posts Fibreboard ???
4 angela 435  
kbrownie View latest post
No new posts bonding out a ceiling????
1 rambo77 319  
kbrownie View latest post
No new posts Vapour barrier plasterboard to eliminate mould
1 daztc 414  
Dan the m View latest post
No new posts float and set
4 rambo77 447  
chris_on_ View latest post
No new posts Plastering
2 flatley 481  
kbrownie View latest post
No new posts Existing Sinlge brick extension - raising floor & dry li
1 Leepick 457  
kbrownie View latest post
No new posts Dry lining.
1 Markie 1159  
kbrownie View latest post
No new posts plasterboard fixing plates
3 LOSSATBEA 670  
kbrownie View latest post
No new posts Plaster Board
2 Mark0497 618  
kbrownie View latest post
No new posts dot n dab
2 rambo77 784  
kbrownie View latest post
No new posts What sort of board is this
3 Zombies 431  
Zombies View latest post
No new posts Filling a large hole
1 Dragon 99 715  
Dan the m View latest post
No new posts replastering or plasterboard?
3 Julia Rae 847  
bd3cc View latest post
No new posts Paramount Wall
2 LeGough 471  
LeGough View latest post
No new posts rendering/pebbledash
0 gfm198 685  
gfm198 View latest post
No new posts Cleaning up After Plasterers
0 gigglehog 649  
gigglehog View latest post
No new posts plastering mixes
0 john09 542  
john09 View latest post
No new posts Decorating Plasterboard
1 Seders 545  
stoneyboy View latest post
No new posts hydroscopic salts
2 chimney 658  
chimney View latest post
No new posts The walls not sealed before they were painted ?
0 Pxxx 484  
Pxxx View latest post
No new posts dryling abroad
0 dodger 347  
dodger View latest post
No new posts Dry Lining External Walls
2 joe7 1446  
joe7 View latest post
No new posts dry lining or plasterboard
1 rambo77 1317  
alanthoma View latest post
No new posts skimming bonding and setting
0 rambo77 735  
rambo77 View latest post
No new posts Damp Plaster
1 Deanharri 704  
Perry525 View latest post
No new posts Finishing corners when using plasterboard
1 Superferg 957  
neald View latest post
No new posts estimating cost for plastering
2 sheepmonk 1529  
sheepmonk View latest post
No new posts how to make wonky walls straight by dry lining
2 plastermo 1141  
plastermo View latest post
No new posts Lowering ceiling?
1 Geoff_Pot 538  
neald View latest post
No new posts using top coat stop beads
0 neald 461  
neald View latest post
No new posts Help! Painted vinyl silk on plastered ceiling!
8 Shushi 2537  
rosebery View latest post
No new posts window headers.
2 garryacov 544  
teamleade View latest post
No new posts 6mm Plasterboard...
3 buntt 1006  
ricky68 View latest post
No new posts which paddle mixer?
2 chris_on_ 522  
chris_on_ View latest post
No new posts Double knot plasterers brush?
0 kdenny123 639  
kdenny123 View latest post
Display topics from previous:  
Post new topic     -> Plastering & Dry lining
Jump to:  
     
     
  

Search Diy Doctor

Related projects
#



© Copyright Diydoctor Ltd 2009  Developed by Boson Media  Hosted by Rackspace