When did houses stop using plaster walls?

By the late 1930s, rock lath was the primary method used in residential plastering. Lath and plaster methods have mostly been replaced with modern drywall or plasterboard, which is faster and less expensive to install, and much less susceptible to settlement and vibration.

When did they stop using plaster?

Lath and plaster was a skilled craft and a time-consuming technique and the advent of cheaper, mass produced, pre-manufactured plasterboard meant lath and plaster largely fell out of favour by the 1930s and 1940s.

When did they start using drywall instead of plaster?

It was in this context that Drywall took over as leader in the industry. By the late 1950’s and 1960’s, though plaster was still found in new construction, drywall was beginning to be used at an increasing rate.

Is plaster still used in homes?

Plaster and lath wall systems are rarely used now, except to repair existing walls or to refurbish historic buildings. In the mid-century modern era after World War II, drywall, also called plasterboard or wallboard, stormed onto the scene and has remained there ever since.

Should you replace plaster with drywall?

Since plaster is considered a higher quality material than drywall anyway, it should not be replaced with drywall in most situations. The one exception is if you’re pulling down the walls to replace the plumbing and electrical systems anyway. In that case, it makes sense to replace with drywall.

How much does it cost to replace plaster with drywall?

The cost to remove plaster and replace with drywall ranges from $1.60 to $3.80 per square foot.

When was plaster first used in homes?

One of the earliest archeological examples of both civilization and plaster is Çatalhöyük (ca. 7500 BC), located in present day Turkey. A densely populated town, Çatalhöyük’s dwellings had mud brick walls and floors coated with a locally available clay marl that made a suitable plaster.

Should I replace plaster with drywall?

When did plaster start being used?

Are houses still built with plaster walls?

Traditionally, plaster would be applied on lath, but today some walls are made of plaster applied to a special kind of wall board called blue board. Plaster is a very durable material for the walls, and there are hundreds-of-years-old homes whose plaster walls are still as good as new.

Why does plaster crack in old houses?

If your home has walls that are plastered, then straight vertical cracks typically form when the plaster expands in humidity and shrinks as it dries. These are normal and are usually the type of cracks you’ll find in a new build property.

Should you remove old plaster?

With normal house settling, plaster, being hard and inflexible, is prone to cracking. While it is not always necessary to remove old plaster before attaching drywall panels, in some instances it’s a good idea.