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Talking with my grandpa about drywall mud changed how I see the old houses around here
I was helping my grandpa patch a ceiling in his 1950s bungalow last weekend and he said the old plaster and lath was way more forgiving than modern drywall compound. He showed me how they used to mix their own mud with horsehair for strength and it hit me different because I've been fighting with bubbling paper tape on my own 2020 build for months. Is there any real benefit to hunting down that old style plaster for a small repair or am I just romanticizing the past?
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willow40714d ago
I feel this so hard. My dad taught me the same thing about mixing mud with horsehair and it made me wonder why we're all using this modern garbage that just fights you every step of the way. The old stuff really does have more give and it bonds better with the existing wall. For a small patch job you might be able to find some plaster and lime putty at a salvage store or even make it yourself. It's a bit more work but the finish is smoother and it doesn't crack as easy. You're not romanticizing anything, the old materials were just built different and your grandpa knows what he's talking about.
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Read a while back that old school lime plaster actually breathes moisture better than modern mud. That's probably why it doesn't bubble up as much on you.
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