Hanging Drywall Over Plaster Walls

A practical and economical solution to make old walls look as good as new is to hang drywall over plastered walls.

Hanging drywall over plaster walls.

It usually comes in 4 8 or 12 foot lengths. Scrape any crumbled plaster off the lath and fill the resulting hollow with a patch of drywall. As mentioned earlier avoid using nails on plaster wall because they will likely cause the drywall to crack. Attach your drywall over the plaster.

For lighter items simply screwing into the plaster with a 1 1 4 drywall screw is usually enough to get the job done. You need to check the fit before you press the drywall to the wall. Plaster hooks or hanging picture hooks are a common solution for hanging pictures on plaster wall. Covering plaster with 1 4 inch drywall will achieve the same if not greater thickness as 5 8 inch drywall on the studs which is quite good.

It s made from gypsum calcium sulfate which is ground up made into plaster and pressed between paper in the factory. They are typically spaced 16 inches apart from center to center. Plaster screws have a washer type fitting that helps prevent the plaster from cracking. This is the most effective way to attach drywall over plaster.

It is not always possible to repair plastered walls especially in old homes. Instead use a screw because they won t break the plaster wall. This message has been edited by lawrence edited. They can generally support pictures of up to 20 pounds.

Using 1 4 inch sheets you can cover old imperfections without adding too much additional finish work. Cut a piece of drywall to fill any holes. Repairs take much work and can destabilize the walls even further. This piece doesn t have to be a perfect fit.

Use drywall screws to attach the drywall to the joists or lath. Drywall is available in different thicknesses up to 5 8 of an inch. Hanging drywall over cracked or damaged plaster can give your rooms a face lift. When attaching sheets of drywall always make sure you start at the top of the wall and always install your drywall sheets horizontally.

Screws and screws with masonry anchors for heavy items are your best choice for hanging things on plaster walls without picture rail. One of the fastest ways to cover old damaged or cracked plaster walls is to hang drywall over them. The drywall should be the same thickness as the plaster.