# repairing plaster wall



## tybomb (Oct 15, 2012)

I'm trying to repair walls in an old Victorian home. They were covered in ratty old wallpaper which I've scrapped off. Afterwards I fill the cracks with Durabond mixed with glue and paper tape (can't find fibafuze anywhere for miles).
Now I'm on the second room and there is a ton of damage I have to repair on one wall. I'm going to end up pulling off chunks of plaster right down to the lath a foot wide.
Do I use durabond and glue to fill this too or should I use something else to adjere to the lath and then durabond over top of that?


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## tybomb (Oct 15, 2012)

Just noticed on a previous thread this was mentioned...



> i'm with slim on this one. you first need to fill and level everything with a setting type mud. a re-enforced one like ultrafill or confill would be best but if you don't have that just use a stiff mix of durabond.i also second that there is no need to wet any of the cracks. once it is level you can then proceed to tape it like any other wall. i would go with paper or fibafuse ,but if you must go with mesh at least use durabond to imbed it with.
> 
> oh yeah and the more glue you add to the fill and tape coat the better. just white carpenters glue. i thin it with water before i even mix it in.


So maybe I'll just try Durabond and glue. I guess it beats Asbestos and sand. 


I am curious though. Is the glue mainly for keeping the Durabond less rigid or is it for some other reason?


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## thefinisher (Sep 2, 2011)

You can also hang rock in the spots where it completely comes off..... Just have to make sure you have some 1/4" 3/8" 1/2" and potentially 5/8" as the plaster will obviously be different thicknesses over the wall. But you can fill it in with durabond if it is a smaller spot. Just mix it up thick and add glue if you want.


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## Philma Crevices (Jan 28, 2012)

Or... you could convince the owner that it's to their benefit to laminate the bad walls.... No matter how swell your fix is, odds are there will be future cracking :whistling2:


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## fenez (Nov 30, 2009)

Or you could plaster weld those spots and replaster them.


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## tybomb (Oct 15, 2012)

I'm going to be skim coating the entire wall for sure. In the last room I patched and taped the walls and then ending up putting on two skim coats plus a little more to touch up any deficiencies because it sure beats sanding them out.

I actually used Durabond 90 on the whole thing and it's turning out pretty good. Sanding sucks but I haven't needed to do much so far.


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## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

Look into Ultra-Fill, if you're not interested in patching rock in those bad spots. I will usually patch with drywall if BIG hunks of plaster have come loose, 3/8 is best because more often than not that's what the plaster thickness turned out to be....and you can just shim it out to match if it's more.

Ultra-fill.....google it. Made by Hamilton's....and I still add glue.:thumbsup: Glue makes it sticky. Also, for best results, I sweep off the edges and slap some sealer/primer on there, so I'm not looking at potential micro-failure (read: cracks) because of mud bonding to dust. Trust me, it works.


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## DSJOHN (Apr 5, 2010)

fenez said:


> Or you could plaster weld those spots and replaster them.


:yes:with ya here--- , but most guys here dont plaster--- it is the easiest repair-most efficient and best result.


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## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

DSJOHN said:


> :yes:with ya here--- , but most guys here dont plaster--- it is the easiest repair-most efficient and best result.


Part of the problem, at least in my location is that none of the plaster products are available locally. We have to order plaster-weld from out of state.


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## tybomb (Oct 15, 2012)

SlimPickins said:


> Part of the problem, at least in my location is that none of the plaster products are available locally. We have to order plaster-weld from out of state.


 Ya, I'm in a small town too. I tried a few places and couldn't find Fibafuse and only found one person who knew what it was and I think he might have been faking a little bit.


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## fenez (Nov 30, 2009)

Weld Crete workd too


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## Mr.Brightstar (Dec 2, 2011)

DSJOHN said:


> :yes:with ya here--- , but most guys here dont plaster--- it is the easiest repair-most efficient and best result.


I agree, Plaster Weld and rapid set cement For smaller lath & cement repairs. Screed it with a piece of trim if you don't have a Darby.


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## Mr.Brightstar (Dec 2, 2011)

Plaster molding and cornice repair, Huntington Woods Michigan.


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## gotmud (Mar 21, 2011)

Mr.Brightstar said:


> Plaster molding and cornice repair, Huntington Woods Michigan.


Very nice work Brightstar. I did a repair almost identical to that a couple years ago, that's tough work matching those plaster details, lots of durabond.


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## copernicusdan (Mar 15, 2014)

i have a place all brick wall, we framed out a lot, but still have 2 or 3 brick walls trying to scim out, some big chunks fell off, same idea though, durabond and glue?, or would I be better off doing it the plaster, and a basecoat, used it once before, didn't know you could smooth it with a sponge, so it was kinda a pain in the ass


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## lrees (Jan 22, 2013)

copernicusdan said:


> i have a place all brick wall, we framed out a lot, but still have 2 or 3 brick walls trying to scim out, some big chunks fell off, same idea though, durabond and glue?, or would I be better off doing it the plaster, and a basecoat, used it once before, didn't know you could smooth it with a sponge, so it was kinda a pain in the ass


Thorobond entirewall. Basecoat entire wall. Then finish. All plaster. Shouldnt have a problem. Knock off everything that is loose first.


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## AaronFalls44 (Dec 11, 2017)

thefinisher said:


> You can also hang rock in the spots where it completely comes off..... Just have to make sure you have some 1/4" 3/8" 1/2" and potentially 5/8" as the plaster will obviously be different thicknesses over the wall. But you can fill it in with durabond if it is a smaller spot. Just mix it up thick and add glue if you want.


Thats a good idea


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