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Home Repair Bathrooms Home Disasters

Are these plaster walls? if so, can they be fixed?

4 years ago

Hi there – I hope you are all doing well. A while back, when I thought that doing a steam treatment in the bathroom was a good idea. (Actually, it wasn’t!). The walls then started to crack. So, in addition to figuring out ventilation, I am also wanting to fix the walls. The place was built in 1903, but there have been various owners sense, and I don’t really know everything they have done in the bathroom over the years.

So, here are my questions:
1- Looking at the pictures, do you know what the walls are made of? And,
2- can they be saved? If so, how do you recommend I fix them? Ideally, I would like to do it myself.

Thanks in advance for your insights!

Featured Answer

cat_ky

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

You could patch and repair, but, those walls have a lot of cracks in the plaster. If it were me, I would use sheetrock and go over the top of them, unless you want to take them down totally, which could be a big mess. You may be happy in the future, though, if you make the mess now and take it down to studs, and put in new sheetrock.

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Comments (7)

party_music50
4 years ago
Well... my walls are lath and plaster and I repaired the basement stairs wall with joint compound. It was in MUCH worse shape than yours. lol! I just broke away any loose stuff and built it up slowly in layers of (pre-mixed) joint compound. Never lay it on thickly -- it's important to add a thin layer of mud and let it completely dry before adding another thin layer. Once it's filled in you can sand/smooth it, then prime it, and paint it. My patch looks great and has lasted nearly 20 years.
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Is the plaster loose from its keys (the part of plaster that is squashed through the lathe and holds it on the wall). You can't see this, but you can feel it if you push gently on it. If the keys are loose or broken, but the plaster is still in place you can reattach it using plaster washers. Now as to texture, it's possible that you are looking at a patch that was not finished with a top coat. Undercoats (and there are one or two of them) have a brown, rough texture, that could be described as looking like cement. This is not a problem unless you want to move your fridge and expose that wall. In that case you could have a plasterer come and make you a smooth top coat in that area, or try doing it yourself, with either real plaster, or a not so great, but still adequate solution, of using something like joint compound. If you plan to re-wallpaper, just paper over it. In some of my service rooms, I have beautiful very old smooth-finish plaster, but in my best rooms I just have scratch coats because they were easier to apply wallpaper to. And wallpaper was more expensive that homemade calcimine or milk paint, so it was reserved for parlors.
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Tape for what? The cork thing sounds like a bad idea and extra work. Although it does sound like a good idea for wood siding since the expansion rates would be similiar. The pre mixed joint compound in the 5 gallon bucket is garbage. Do not use that... I suggested this product: http://www.homedepot.com/p/BEADEX-Brand-18-lb-Silver-Set-40-Setting-Type-Joint-Compound-385268/202329688 It's less than 10 dollars. This is Plaster of Paris with some other ingredients to retard set time. Read the label on it. Or you could just use straight plaster of Paris. Whether your straight PoP or "setting type" joint compound you do not want to mix it for four or five minutes. Especially not PoP. That will drastically reduce your working time. Will add air bubbles, and reduce how well the product tools out. If you go the plaster of paris route, use as cold of water as possible (maybe even refrigerated) Add water to your container first. Then slowly add the plaster to it so the plaster is just slightly peaking above the water level. Let the plaster slowly hydrate itself for a minute or two. Then slowly incorporate it with what ever you have to mix it with to ensure the product is evenly mixed. Make it thick. With the size of the holes you are patching, nothing needs to be added as a backer. In fact, you want the plaster to push through the back and droop down to really lock it in place. No matter though, it will stick to the sides of the hole well enough. Fill holes. Let cure. Sand. Final level coat. Sand again. Prime and paint.
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How do I fix sunken trim (drywall over plaster disaster)
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UGHHHHH ... What is wrong with people, why do they do that! If plaster is bad enough to drywall instead of repair theplaster, then its bad enough to REMOVE COMPLETELY. Should be easy if its that bad of condition. If its stuck on tight and cant be removed - then just fix the dang plaster! Futzing w/ new trim ... that could be expensive too if you get something milled to be similar to what you have... youd have to build out the windows/doors as well to get the trim to be on top of the drywall. Id almost be tempted to remove the drywall and do it right It is possible to do drywall patches , even quite large depending on the extent of the damage, and not have to remove the trim. But Im afraid it would still be a beast of a job. Sorry Im not much help - you have my sympathies.
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live_wire_oak
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Gut it and start over. If you tried for a steam shower, you have moisture damage behind the walls. Not just ruined snd failing walls.
DavidR
4 years ago
Sure, that's patchable. It just requires patience. I've patched a couple of old-house plaster-wall bathrooms. Mine had more cracks, and not as much damage to the finish coat, but I still think it can be fixed. Ideally you'd have a good plasterer do the work for you, but that may be expensive, if you can even find one.

I'm not an expert, but I don't think a complete gut is necessary. Plaster bathrooms existed for decades before bath fans became common. They generally handled moisture OK, though maybe not to the extent you've created it.

Now that vent fans are easily available at the hardware stores, I suggest that you install one, so this doesn't happen again.
PRO
ProSource Memphis
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Steam showers have to be vapor proofed. Because steam molecules penetrate through traditional waterproofing. Vapor permeability is a big thing. And you didn’t even have waterproofing there. With a steam generator. So you have water and steam that have passed through that wall. And into your wall cavity, with the wood studs and insulation. You’ve got water damage there to fix.
Theresa
4 years ago
I repaired plaster that was moistened / damaged by rain gutters that needed to be replaced. Sometimes plaster has a layer of lime, I believe.. After replacing the gutters and letting the wall dry for a couple of months, I scraped away the the loose stuff. Gouge Then applied two coats of primer. Then filled in with thin layers of spackle. I applied two coats of primer before paint. It was fine when I sold the house 15 years later.

The paint store owner taught me to prime before and after spacking .
cjcjmpls
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks for your help, everyone!

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