Thanks everyone - I guess the idea was to play off of the habit of deer to not jump horizontally very far - similar to the way people use two 4 ft tall fences running parallel to each other, spaced about 5 ft apart, to control deer. But maybe the outer barrier actually needs to be tall (as opposed to laying on the ground like I'm considering) and not just a certain distance away from the inner fence. I'd probably set the chicken wire a couple of feet out from the fence, so the edge of it would be more like 6 - 7 feet away from the actual fence. So the deer would need to jump 7 feet horizontally and then still clear the fence at the end⦠There's also something like this with just wire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbRRgIbYKgw I was hoping to avoid needing to rely on sprays and other such deterrents - it's a fairly large area that I want to keep them out of⦠:(

You say that the drywall is breaking down. It normally won't break down unless it has gotten damp or wet. I think before you cover anything up you should determine if there is a problem. If there is correct if first. The plaster loosening up is fairly common. It could be for a number of reason, but I think you should still be sure that there isn't moisture problem there too. As far as covering the existing walls without removing the old stuff.....I have personlly covered I would guess 40 or 50 rooms and ceilings over the years without tearing out the old stuff. Is there insulation in the walls and will you ever need it there? Celulose can be blown in from the inside and, of course, that would be done first. If the walls aren't in too bad of shape I go over everything with 3/8" drywall and use lots of screws. Where you are going over plaster and lathe you will sometimes hit studs, but often just the lathe. The screws into the lathe will hold as long as you use lots of screws. Over the drywall you will have to locate and hit the studs with screws. Also on going over the drywall, you will have to end the pieces over a stud just as if you were applying it to bare studded walls. If you end it between studs there will be nothing to hold the edges and the job will be ruined. When I go over existing walls I make sure that any wiring that might be needed is done first. If necessary I make holes to run wire. If there are any real uneven spots on the wall I shim out the low spots with scrap pieces of 1/4" or 1/8" luan or paneling. I don't remove the door and window casings or the baseboards. I run the drywall right up against the casing and fill in any gaps with mud when I am taping. Now a lot of remodelers won't agree with going ovre the existing, but I've never had a problem as long as I've used plenty of screws that are long enough to penetrate the drywall or the plaster. If the walls or ceilings are terribly uneven you might have to use 1/2", but I've always used 3/8".

The above is NOT correct. Yes the code applies outside of California (alas it is not universal and the local jurisdictions are not obliged to be MORE restrictive. Some adopt it verbatim, so have stricter additions, some have less strict modifcations, some have completely different changes to it). But as far as the NEC is concerned, 334.10(3) doesn't apply to dwellings. Unless nikkimode is living in a non-dwelling structure none of this applies 334.10(1) covers the likely situation (single and two family dwellings) regardless of construction and 334.10(2) covers multifamily dwellings. Neither of these sections prohibit exposed use of NM. Frankly removing equipment to get to the wiring doesn't fit the definition of exposed either. I have no idea what agenda a_custom_electric is pushing, but it's incorrect with regard to the code. Here is the code for those who can read for themselves: 334.10 Uses Permitted Type NM, Type NMC, and Type NMS cables shall be permitted to be used in the following, except as prohibited in 334.12: (1) One- and two-family dwellings and their attached or detached garages, and their storage buildings. (2) Multi-family dwellings permitted to be of Types III, IV, and V construction. (3) Other structures permitted to be of Types III, IV, and V construction. Cables shall be concealed within walls, floors, or ceilings that provide a thermal barrier of material that has at least a 15-minute finish rating as identified in listings of fire-rated assemblies. This post was edited by ronnatalie on Mon, Jan 12, 15 at 8:55

gumby's right -- the raccoons aren't interested in the plants, they're interested in the bugs and worms, and they dig like dogs (or wild pigs!) trying to get to them. The plant roots get injured, and sometimes they're uprooted entirely, but it's all collateral damage to the bandits. Make it impossible to dig, and they move on. I'd only be doing this for summer crops or perennials, the majority of which fruit above ground level. I'll probably put the wire a few inches above the sweet potatoes, so that I can chop the vines off, remove the wire, and then dig the roots when the time comes. Tomatoes, peppers, beans, cucumbers, squash, none of those need to come out of the ground until I change over for the season, at which point I can pull the wire back. Garlic and onions are out by May or June, which is when the hooligans come around. So in theory, it should work... it's good to hear that others have had some success with it. My raised beds are full of compost or imported soil, and they're about 2' high with wooden sides, so I get very few weeds... it should be easy to pull them before they're so big they get their roots into the wire. Thanks for the comments. :) --Sam