Plaster and Lathe Demolition Techniques
I noticed this weekend that everyone on my demolition crew seemed to have a different approach to bringing down the lath and plaster. Jon #1 liked using his hammer, which has a pretty straight claw on the back side. He’d bust up the plaster with the claw, knocking it completely off the lathe. Then he’d pry the lathe off, nice and neat. Jon #2 had similar technique, but using a smaller crowbar. Sean used a small 16oz wrecking bar, and would break through the plaster then lever off the lathe, taking plaster with it.
My own technique is, in my opinion, the most dramatic. I use a 2lb wrecking bar to gouge a hole in the wall I want to attack. Like Sean, I pry off a few pieces, enlarging the hole. Then, I stick the loop end of the wrecking bar into the hole and PULL. Lathe and plaster will fall off the wall, sometimes shooting out towards me. It pays to be in full protective gear: safety glasses, face-mask, knee pads. I did sustain a slight injury when a flying piece of plaster broke against my shin. This technique works best with a heavy wrecking bar, and also works great for pulling down plaster from the ceiling.
Each to their own. You won’t find me dictating technique to a crew of non-paid workers spending their Saturday morning helping us out!
5 Comments
Derek·May 25, 2005
I wouldn’t consider a 2lb wrecking bar big ;) We’ve been trying to save our plaster, so I haven’t had to take any plaster off yet. I’ve taken off some stucco, I used a masonry hammer and a pry bar, it worked pretty good. It still cracked the siding underneath, that I was trying to save.
Patrick·May 25, 2005
For walls that I could access from the other side (like from a room that had already been demolished or from the attic)I used a pnuematic air hammer with a wide chisel…once behind the plaster, I’d skim it of the lathe…no labor involved (the air hammer is $19.00 if you own a compressor)…used this technique to remove stucco too (which they used covered my 1881 Italianate. Then I took a large crow bar and pull the lath (and recycle it)
For walls that I could access from behind…I’d take a 10 lb sledge a ram it next to the studs and take the lath, plaster, and most of the nails in one pass…
BTW, I’m great at destruction…its the CONstruction that I have problems with :-)
Bobb·June 23, 2005
I took a 5’ length of steel bar and bent a hook on either end. I use your ‘method’ of removal, but am able to stand back far enough to avoid the flying debris. It also works *really* well for ceilings, as I don’t need to use a ladder and don’t need to stand directly under that plaster I’m ripping down.
Marylu·November 16, 2007
guess i went at it like a chick, first I had to deal with drywall, then plaster, then lathe. Slower, but easier on the clean up as everything was divided and can be disposed of accordingly. On that note, any ideas hoe to dispose of that plaster? I thought to use it as a screaning in an area of the yard that I don’t want anything growing.
Brad·June 14, 2008
A 3’ scrap of 2x4 is the ultimate lath and plaster remover. First remove a piece of lath or two with a wrecking bar. Stick the 2x4 into the gap and start prying. The lath and plaster comes down so fast and in such big chunks it doesn’t come flying at you and is easier to dispose of - no electricity required. You will have to switch back to the wrecking bar when you get to the last couple pieces near the floor or ceiling.