Oops: plaster wall repair advice needed

While attempting to move a freestanding laminate closet to another room, I could not figure out why it was so heavy. Finally got a kid to help me and realized too late that spouse had used an "L" anchor to attach it to the wall top center that I could not see.

Now I have damage to the plaster wall that I will have to repair.

I tapped the loose pieces of paper?/paint layers back to the wall but then wondered if I should completely remove all loose pieces and start with a nice clean but large area or if I can just fill in the missing pieces, do a thin cover layer to smooth it. Let it dry, prime and paint.

It's old plaster with horizontal slat boards underneath the plaster, house over 100 years old and the walls are not even/level in any of the rooms. Can I even buy plaster mix or equivalent or do I use drywall mud?

Thanks, kjh9835

 

It's never a good idea to leave loose plaster but I suppose you might get away with it.

Since I don't have any plaster skills, I'll use a setting compound like durabond to repair plaster. If the damage is big enough I'll attach a piece of drywall to fill the majority of the void and then finish with durabond.

One of our plaster pros should be along later with the correct method for repairing plaster

 

I composed a long reply to this and then must not have posted it. Abridged: If it is easy to take off by hand the plaster should come off. If it is only a foot square Durabond will work just fine. For something larger look around here for other posts on patching plaster. If you can find the material the repair is not too hard.

 

The actual "holes" are about the size of a half dollar and the larger maybe my fist but if I remove all the loose pieces I tapped back in then the area will be about a foot square including the cracks that spread.

I do not know what durabond is....can I get it at a hardware store (live in small town) or maybe a box store (there are two about half hour away) and what dept would it be in? I'll get it this weekend when I go to town.

kjh9835

 

Durabond will be in the drywall department. It is a setting type joint compound. It is a dry powder you mix with water. Be careful. It gets very hard and can hardly be sanded. So don't get it higher than you want it. If you can't get Durabond use a setting type drywall compound like EasySand by USG. It is not as hard but will still work. These materials don't have much body so they sag a bit when you put them on too thick. It might take multiple coats to do your job. You can put a coat on as soon as the previous coat sets.

Most of these materials have a number on the label: 20, 45, 60.90 etc. This is the set time in minutes or the number might be 1.5 or some decimal. The set time in hours.

The faster the set the quicker you get the jod done.

 

"The faster the set the quicker you get the jod done"

While I prefer the 20 or 45 minute mud, the quicker set times also mean a shorter work time.You only want to mix up how much mud you can use before it sets up, you can't mix it and then take a break, answer the phone, etc and then expect to come back later and apply the compound [it will harden up in your mud pan] You also want to clean your mud pan as soon as you get done! If durabond dries in the pan it can be difficult to remove

I don't know if a hardware store carries setting compounds but I'd check with them before I'd take the long drive. Many paint stores also sell durabond [that's where I usually buy it]

 

No Durabond here in town but going to larger town tomorrow. Guy at Ace Hardware here in town said he had something better....a piece of patching screen. Mud edges of hole, cut screen to fit a bit bigger than the hole, mud over it, dry, sand, prime and paint.

Sounds like it would work but what do I know. I told him I'd get back with him b/c I thought we had a piece of repair screen in the toolbox (and we might). Have to go have a look thru the garage.

Kathy

 

Using a screen and joint compound will work but it won't be a very solid or strong repair. If the hole is near the top of the wall you might can get by with that type of repair. If the repair is where it can be bumped with anything it will likely fail

Do you have a paint store in your town? They often sell setting compounds.

 

Its about 6 1/2 feet above the floor and I have 10 foot ceilings, not likely to get bumped but possible. The holes are also directly below a metal cover for the furnace ductwork so to get a stronger repair, I'll look for the Durabond or EasySand. It sounds like a better idea and although it will be a novice repair, I can at least make it as good as it was before I put the holes there. I've patched holes in drywall many times while repainting but never plaster walls and never anything this large.

If my husband wasn't working 60+ hours a week, he would do the repair but since it seems like something I can handle, I'll "do it myself", I caused the damage anyway.

Have multiple errands in the larger town today anyway, will post if I have any issues doing the repair.

I do appreciate all responses and advice here on the site, many thanks to the members.

Kathy