Remove the loose plaster. Indeed in their Gypsum Construction Handbook, 2d ed. It has a mixture of drywall, plaster, and paneling throughout the home. In either case, several layers of “mud” may have to be applied, allowing proper drying time between coats, before finish sanding and painting of the old exterior plaster wall. Whether found in drywall, plaster or concrete, a crack in a wall is an eyesore. Really identical materials? If the probe easily enters the wood, push a little harder and see if the wood is rotten deeper than just on the surface. If the rot is only in the brick mould or sill, these may be easily replaced and painted to match the existing window. This was created when the plaster was applied too quickly. Once the moisture issues are dealt with, patching the plaster may be relatively easy, or quite difficult, depending on how extensive the moisture damage is. Remedy: remove sagged board or fur ceiling using RC-1 Resilient Channels and apply another layer of board. As you have already alluded to, cracks and damage to older plaster walls is inevitable in older homes like yours. What is this and can it be repaired for painting my ceiling w/o texture? Walls in older houses present all sorts of problems you don’t find with fresh drywall or plaster. This secures the existing plaster to the wood lath. As for any re-tiling, he says, I speculate that if your home was built in North America in the 1960's it probably uses drywall not plaster. If your home is prone to bulging walls, then it must be repaired and quickly! The article suggests problems with the initial installation would cause this, but I never noticed this effect until after the new insulation was installed. The rise of moisture through the wall is caused due to the absence of a damp-proof course or … If the whole wall is getting re-skimmed,you can level off the Hardwall to the existing plaster but if you're just patching up,then wait for Hardwall to set a little (30-45 mins depending on suction),then scrape a couple of mill or so off the surface of the Hardwall to give you the right depth for some finish plaster to be added then this can be trowelled off to level of existing plaster. And deferred maintenance is the absolute worst when the fact you've deferred it, even on something you'll ultimately replace, ends up affecting another project you've already completed. Put a drop cloth against the bulging wall. The solution for previously patched plaster, small cracks, bumps, and cracked and flaking paint—even for old wood paneling and sand-finish plaster—is to use a wall liner. Just follow our step-by-step guide. Generally caused by the natural … I regularly read your column for any tips you have on home ownership. This typically causes the bubbling paint and plaster that you have described. Drill evenly spaced holes—about every 3 inches—around damaged wall area. Can I just texture over the plaster board that has bulging and pillow in effects to fix the cosmetic look of it. 6, No. Some signs to look for now would be peeling of paint and moisture stains only near the bottom of the window sash, the sill, and below the window. Save yourself time and trouble — make the patch a square or rectangle, even though the hole may be a different shape. Homes are constantly settling as different construction materials expand and contract at different rates. Hi, Our staircase is in the middle of our house so there is a wall going up both sides of the stairs. The regular rectangular pattern surely has at its root the original panel size and the fact that panel edges were nailed to ceiling or wall joists or studs. This is especially true when that deferred maintenance is needed on something you already hate and want to replace, but you've not gotten to that point in your project list. After moving in and starting to repaint I noticed some bulges in the plaster. When I push on these bulges it collapses and a portion of the wall falls off exposing a rough layer underneath. If this is the cause of problem, plaster repairs may be possible now, but air sealing the window and indoor air quality issues will also be required to be addressed. We must ask, why is this particular wall or ceiling bulged and not that one? "With plaster, the water will just sit and cause the bubbling you are seeing in your wall," says Alex Ushyarov, a general contractor and the co-founder of home improvement website Click and Improve.com. by Toni We will look at three possible causes and repairs to the moisture before we address the actual plaster repair method. On one side there is a big bump protruding out. Bulging or Sagging Plaster If the plaster is bulging or sagging away from the wall, it indicates a major problem with the plaster. The older plaster will dry out and crack along studs, over doors and windows, and other areas due to shifting and settlement in the home. See PLASTER, LOOSE FALL HAZARDS for examples of bulged plaster that may be danger signs, including an example of a collapse of an expanded wire lath ceiling that had been improperly installed. [This definition and explanation are incomplete, see THERMAL TRACKING Indicates Heat Loss for details - Ed.]. 71-78, Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the. You will need an experienced professional such as a licensed superintendent or professional contractor to trace the leak to its source. Yes you can apply a textured coating on a pillowed plaster board ceiling to try (probably without complete success) to hide the bulging effect. Details about exterior stucco and metal lath are, Toni Really identical materials? I thought the ceiling was painted sheet rock but it may be a thin layer of finished plaster. But the good news is that, with the right technique and tricks, a person can smoothen plaster walls before painting. Then work your way back across the wall. bulging but has a few "shadowy" rectangles app 2x4 ft, METAL LATH SPECIFICATIONS, SPECIFICATION FOR METAL LATH AND ACCESSORIES, LATH AND PLASTER, PLASTER & GYPSUM BOARD HISTORY & RESEARCH, Metal Lath Specifications, Specification for metal lath and accessories, Lath and Plaster, MSDS: Gold Bond® brand gypsum board products, Association for Preservation Technology International (APT), HOME INSPECTION EDUCATION COURESES (Canada), HOME INSPECTION EDUCATION: HOME STUDY COURSES, ASTM C 841 Metal Lath or gypsum lath installation, Plastering Skills [purchase at Amazon.com] F. Van Den Branden, Thomas L. Hartsell, Amer Technical Pub (July 1, 1985), ISBN-10: 0826906575, ISBN-13: 978-0826906571 [purchase at Amazon.com], Gypsum Construction Guide, National Gypsum Corporation. Was there a finish 'feature' that this might be reflecting? Install drywall screws and plaster washers around the perimeter of the loose area. It is a time-consuming task as well as tiresome too. He is also a contributor to InspectApedia.com in several technical areas such as plumbing and appliances (dryer vents). From the ASHI SmartTrack lesson on this topic Hankey quotes: Shadow Effect A common problem with plaster applied over gypsum lath is the shadow or bulge effect. The building owners were concerned for possible exterior leaks into the wall cavity and a hidden mold problem. More about using oblique light to find building conditions is. I had a bulging wall that I thought would have to be removed and drywalled over. It is most prevalent under the windows, which are original. While it's natural to suspect weight-driven sagging on a bulged plaster ceiling, gravity cannot not explain the roomwards bulge of the same pattern in a gypsum-lath wall. Otherwise there's the risk that the ceiling continues to bulge further and might even become insecure (falling = unsafe). Excess condensation on the interior of the windows may only occur in the dead of winter, so this will be difficult to determine at this time of year. Page top photo provided courtesy of Minneapolis home inspector Roger Hankey. I would love to learn more about the style and how to repair them properly. Beaver Board and Upson Board: History and Conservation of Early Wallboard, Shelby Weaver, I'm about to put an offer in on a house. Tim, Note: appearance of your Comment below may be delayed: if your comment contains an image, web link, or text that looks to the software as if it might be a web link, your posting will appear after it has been approved by a moderator. (Sept 12, 2015) Kim said:The pillow ceiling is on purpose. From a piece of scrap drywall, cut a patch that completely covers the hole in the wall. Take another look at our bulged wall photograph above. If we can understand completely all of the forces at work, individual building defects will no longer include an element of chance. - bulging but has a few "shadowy" rectangles app 2x4 ft. *correction Erin Older houses have a tendency to settle on their foundations, which can cause formerly smooth plaster walls to pucker and bubble. Buckled gypsum board products, including modern drywall, are often observed to have deformed when wet along with their refusal to return to a flat position when dry. Start at one side of the wall and work your way across, keeping the straight edge level. Also check around the brick mould for gaps and caulk with a good quality exterior sealant if spaces are prevalent. Home built in 1956, NJ and the open crack is app 1/8 and 2ft long. p. 339, USG describes a cause of ceiling panel sagging but does not address the identical bulging in wall panels: a. BTW, I want to preserve this building material for another 60yrs if possible. Steps to Repairing Plaster Walls. If the rot is in the window sash, then it is definitely time to take out the credit card and buy a new window unit. More serious repair problems include delamination, bulging walls, and key failure, where plaster has broken loose from its grip on the lath substructure. The dangers caused by bulging brick walls. The moisture was driven back into the gypsum lath which sagged. Advice on bulging plaster walls. But This problem could lead to bricks or stones falling and endanger your family as well as your home. You may reach this stage without any noticeable water stains, but when this happens, a portion of the plaster will have to be removed and patched. Also take a look at DRYWALL CRACK CAUSES, On 2020-02-03 Step 3 Insert a reciprocating saw into one of the four holes and cut out a square, cutting the entire bulge out of the wall. Extensive search is directing me towards Rock lath/gyp-roc material but nothing on how to fix the crack Thisceiling material also moves of you push it upward as I assume there is not enough support if any. Apologies for the delay. If the plaster was incorrectly applied in the first place, this can make the problem even worse, since uneven bumps will be exaggerated. If this happens, the only solution is replacement of the wood. Protect walls and floors in the repair area with plastic drop cloths; use painter’s tape to hold the drop cloths in place. Prevention: ... proper frame spacing and application procedures, b. Here, the plaster crumbles out, and the powdered mix falls down the adjacent floor. Many construction explanations mistake confidence for authority and expertise. Smoothing out a plaster wall is never being an easy task. If your installer used a wet-spray method, then I would agree that the moisture could have caused buckling in a drywall or plaster ceiling and walls. Minnesota inspection expert Roger Hankey has provided our next photograph, below, where the oblique light source was from a window at the right side of the picture. What causes walls to bow or bulge? Watch out: you want to check for and fix any moisture or condensation problems in the building, including at all floors throughout the structure, first. Remedy: Wash painted surfaces, remove spots with wallpaper cleaner, or redecorate surfaces; change air filters regularly. This may only be identified by prying off the inside window casing, chipping away some plaster next to the window and looking at the size of the gap in this area. Around 6 weeks ago I was in the kitchen and noticed a bug on the wall, I squashed it and realised there was lots. It, of course, came with plaster walls. This condensation will freeze in colder temperatures and thaw when it warms up, leading to leakage through the inside plaster. This Old House general contractor Tom Silva shows a newer, faster way to fix cracked, loose plaster walls. Before knocking all the plaster off, I decided to only remove the loose plaster. Contact Mr. Cranor at 804-873-8534 or by Email: Isham: "An Example of Colonial Paneling", Norman Morrison Isham, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, Vol. Could you tell me what would have caused this and how do I go about repairing it. Were they built at the same time, using the same materials? Use separately framed free-standing interior wall surface and insulate in void to reduce temperature difference between steel or wood components and panels. I recently purchased a home built around 1960 and had the attic insulation increased from R20 (fibreglass batts) to R60 using blown-in cellulose over the batts. Is there anything to look for when the inspection is done to see if they would be a problem. The pillows are even straight lines (horizontal on the walls), and consistent in all rooms and the cathedral ceiling surface. We must ask, why is this particular wall or ceiling bulged and not that one? Discard the cut piece from the wall. They may not become evident until much later. 5 (May, 1911), pp. "A plaster ceiling, on the other hand, will eventually give in … Sometimes seams are also visible perpendicular to these, at thirty-two or forty-eight inch intervals. This was created when the plaster was applied too quickly. But my guess is sagging due to moisture - you can check what you see against the ceiling photos above. 28, No. In this photo you can see the convex vertical plaster wall bulges and the indentations at the plaster lath-board points of nailing to the wall studs. What is different in and out of the anomalous area? InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. 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