“Show up to a job ready to solve problems” thanks for all your help. This philosophy will get you more work and clients than you know what to do with!

Im a 2nd generation Drywall Installee and Finisher. Everytime I watch your channel I realize that the 100s of ways I know how to do things isn't even a fraction of the ways. Love it

DIYer here who owns an early 1900s home: I've used USG Structo Lite for this up in Minnesota, the United States. ACE Hardware can order a big bag for you and Structo Lite is a JOY to work with - It's a setting mud that you have to mix, made of gypsum with pearlite aggregate, which can be used to key into old lathe, build out wonky walls (you can put it on real thick) or even shape into molds. It does not sand much better than Durabond, but it's just a lot easier to build big, strong and lightweight. If I need a real flat surface, I start with Structo Lite on old lath that I've painted with concrete bonder, doing everything to make it as flat as possible (if it's big, a darby is perfect, but a straight piece of wood might work as a makeshift darby - if it's small, just a big square trowel like our Vancouver guy uses here is sufficient) and then, when it's dry, go over it with a thin application of Easy Sand 45 or 90. And streaks can be sanded at that point. If you still have pits, you can use Plus 3 or any pre-mixed lightweight joint compound so you don't have to work as hard on the mixing and sanding end of things. I went at a closet this way last summer and the wall is one of the straightest, smoothest, hardest walls in my house.

I love how this series of videos almost, but not quite, capture the EXACT OPPOSITE of what I look like doing drywall repair. Thanks for sharing.

As a handyman who does tons of drywall repairs, I agree completely with "why you don't demo the wall and start over". It's more work than people realize.... Add in the fact that the customers will only pay so much for the job and so you need to choose the most expedient option for them all the while you are doing quality work. I've learned a ton from your channel - thank you!

This video is a life saver my home is 120 years old and all lath and plaster. There are some cracks in the plaster and I was told countless times it would have to all be ripped out and dry walled. This method worked out amazing! Thank you soo much!

3:37 Thanks 😊 so much. This had always proved to be so daunting, you have made it lots easier. Modernization of available products has been a tremendous help.

I used fibafuse for an older garage ceiling repair, where there was little to no backing and pretty much every joint had cracked. I scraped out the cracks first, filled with hot mud then used fibafuse. Turned out perfect

Thank you so much. I am contemplating restoring and staying in my grandmother's house in the future and you just made it seem a lot easier. Fix the plaster versus ripping it all down

Awesome! I've watched a bunch of your videos. I have that old house. All this information solves so many how to's. Your teaching style really works for me. Straight forward and thought full. Gosh! Can't tell you how helpful. Thank you thank you

I haven't done d/w in years, but recently had to do a patch in a plaster wall that a lavatory sink had been hanging on (sagging.) I tapped into all of the knowledge of Ben's that I had absorbed and did a halfway decent job of it too. The sink now has better blocking inside the wall now. Thanks Ben.

Love this. I have an 1825 plaster/lathe house. You're my new handyman. 💗

Thank you. I needed to repair a damaged wall in an apartment unit

Great work as usual Ben! Thank you for all your dedication! You were the one who made me become successful in many drywall repairs I've done over the past 2 years. This is exactly how I would have done this repair! Thank you for all your knowledge and teaching abilities. You make a great mentor!

I've got a badly cracked plaster wall. I was going to just demo and drywall, but this video is the first one that gave me hope I might be able to salvage it.

I've been watching your videos for years now....and I don't even do any drywall work! Lol. Thanks for another awesome video.

You make all of your work look so easy. Thanks for your videos.

Awesome job, a really good way to fix that properly. Would love to see an update on that patch later on, keep up the great work and videos!

One thing that I haven't seen you do but I always do is whenever I tear off crumbly plaster, I always make sure that the edges have been glued back to the lath. Basically just drill holes, spray in some watered down PVA, then jam in a mastic gun and squeeze in some construction adhesive, then use a screw and washer to squeeze it down. Once it has gone off that plaster is rock solid to the laths and will hold better to whatever you fill with. I've done this method with cracks that I've only repaired with filler (no tape at all) and you can bounce yourself off the wall and it stays rock solid.

I really enjoy watching a master at work. You have taught me much; thank you for your experience and insights!

Buddy is the bob ross of spackling. Amazing work.

So helpful! Just bought a 20s house chunks are missing. I panicked but now I think I got this. Thanks!

I love that the original tongue and groove subfloor was on the bias. Gotta be a well built structure

Way to go Captain Mud-man! Love the videos. Thank you!

I agree with your attitude towards the work . Especially your approach to the repair aspect. I'm doing that exact same thing now. Great work by the way.

Great shout! We just did a Reno - with an addition on to an existing plaster finish. We did not go to this extent and the cracking of the old plaster is hard on the eyes for sure. The budget for the job and the customer had a ceiling and understanding , respectively. This is very, very helpful and in my future this will certainly help when I quote a job. Many thanks from old Toronto! Wishing you lots of success, good health and smooth pulls this year! 👍🏽

This is great information! I can think of about three or four jobs that I would have loved to use this stuff instead of trying to piece together a smaller patches. Thank you.

thanks for the amazon link. Ive been using this product as joint tape for years i did not know it was available in 3' wide rolls this product is going to be used on a fire restoration of a historic home.

Another great video!

Where was this video 20 years ago when every wall in my janky house looked like that! 😂 That looks fantastic and who really doesn't want to put drywall mud on with a paint roller??

WOW! This video was so helpful.....I have the same issue on one of my living room walls....Wasn't sure how to repair the huge area that the plaster fell off.......I have chimney bricks behind the laths........Now I know why the plaster fell off and now know how to repair it myself.....Thank You So Much for sharing your amazing skills.

That is awesome. I have done lots of different things for plaster. Never knew you could get fibafuse in big sheets! That's a great solution.

Great videos, Thank you! I was recently asked my opinion on a friend's renovation, who was using a neighbor as the GC of the job. It was an ugly baby, and I called it as such. The neighbor got PISSED at me for pointing out obvious flaws, and later told me to "never talk to his people again" and slammed the front door as he left. Classic A-hole. I appreciate your demonstrations and dialogue. You do top-notch work.

If i had watched this post first I'm sure that i would have followed your advice. I did use durabond for the base coat and then coated over that with general purpose. It came out fine i just hope that it holds because I didn't use fibafuse. Thanks for the leason.

I feathered the like button.

I remember when my wife and I sold her old home and it had plastered walls that needed a bit of work. We found a guy who did a wonderful job and it was actually a selling point that we retained the original walls. After the neighbor's tree fell on the home a couple years later the new owner had to gut the upstairs and start over. They also got rid of the knob & tube wiring, which I don't think anybody missed.

Another quality video, Ben. Bounce sheet without the smell....hilarious!🤣

skills pay the bills awesome job

Amazing video and keep up the amazing work Ben.

Great help. Thanks again

You are so informative thank you!

We use durabond all the time for plaster repairs. We wet sand it smooth and it works. Top coat with all purpose

Dude... IF. you can mud ( and you are downright NASTY at doing mud) YOU CAN PLASTER!!!! Once you start doing plaster you will NEVER mess with drywall mud again. I plaster everything now. No dust. drys fast, smoother surface. Compound is trash.. Give plaster work a try. You absolutely can do it. You're a pro taper.

Nice job! I am a plasterer in the states. Here we use a product called Structo-lite for the base coat. You did a very nice job. I watch all of your videos.

I love your channel ❤

Very much acknowledge your work. Great, video. Thanks

😊a "darby" is a flat tapered piece of aluminum and is flexible. What you have is a "featheredge," which has a ridged backbone. Anyways, no biggie. Great video I am plasterer 1963😎👍

Great analogy, thank you

Love your videos Ben! I’m a dry Waller from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Gave me some great ideas on my little job.

Did a project to where a lot of old houses turned into various weird apartments, we were pointing up and fixing large patches like this. Skimming thin-set for daaaays, jesus what a work out. Something you can do for 20 years a thousand times but just that one specific thing for like a week straight really starts to be felt.

When I see this I think this guy is really good

I’ve used fiberglass window screen over cracked and plaster where the keys were broken and the plater was just a little loose before this amazing product was available. Totally sound afterwards.

Mate, another great video. Love it😎

Hello👷‍♂Nice repair👌unfortunately in Central Europe you can't find this large fine mesh 😭🙈

Didn't know FibaFuse came in huge widths like that! Awesome! I have a weird architectural feature that sees drywall butting up against MDF, and it seems that no matter how much I fill and sand, fill and sand, it will not get flat. It's edge-lit from above, so the tiniest little inconsistency stands out. It needs to be level-5 flat, and I just don't have the skills for that with mud alone.

I have a 100 year old house my attic ceiling has plaster and it's starting to loosen and break I'm wanted to learn how to update and repair the plaster ceiling and walls.

Good video the only thing I’d recommend is putting a bonding agent on the old lathe before plastering/mudding . It’s not necessary but I always do it when I’m doing a replaster .

Giant Bounce sheet lol. Awesome job!

Love me some fibafuse. It’s super strong and easy to cut with with your taping knife

I enjoy you videos I own a 140 year old house that has the plaster walls im always fighting cracks and this seems to me a way I might be able yo get them under control and the glue to help strengthen the drywall mud never heard about that I think im going to try it since im about to finally finish my daughters room in my house I hope this helps me out

I would like to have you come and fixes my walls I love watching your video.

had the same issue with ductwork behind. removed the lath, added 1/4" board as a backer and plastered over.

I had the same problem with the old house cracks everywhere plaster falling off. I asked the owner it’s just going to put quarter inch sheet rock around the whole room and it worked out perfect.

Try Larsen plaster weld as primer first. Also, sponge floats work great for knocking down first coat.

Thanks!

You’re right, we don’t NEED to see another video of mud being rolled on. But we’d all watch it anyways.

The L and P in California has wire and wood, AND an inch of solid plaster. It's wicked!

As a person that’s done a lot of these repairs you can also just use cement/lime plaster instead of a setting compound and not use the fib/mesh. I will add fob/mesh or fiberglass mesh can be added for some extra structure and retention especially on ceilings after you screw the existing plaster up in any loose spots. Plaster and stucco work do take a little more experience in getting things flat and smooth as they don’t have the cheater step of sanding after which can make things easier for compound work. Plaster also has the benefit, and the problem, of being HARD relative to joint compounds.

Hello! I love your videos! I find myself watching them in early am as I mentally prepare myself to start doing this same work in my first home. Have you come across any warped walls? I have a wall in my office/man cave that has huge dip in the middle - most liked caused by the window installation and poor framing/finishing. Do you have any advice or video suggestions on how to tackle the problem?

Watching you at half speed not only helps me catch the techniques, it also sounds like we shared a case of beer.

Kirk Giordano would have liked to see you use "Plaster Weld" first as a bonder.

With the concrete fill, do you still need to push the mud through the keys of the slats so that the slats hold onto the mud? And Thank you for all your videos, they allowed me to have a little more confidence in my DIY projects.

Would you use this fiber mesh over wood paneling to cover over all the cracks how would you go about muddying Over with channeling to make it look like she rock

Love your vids! I have old plaster ceilings with those numerous cracks (from age and weight of new attic insulation). They seem somewhat stable. Would you recommend that 3’ fibafuse method and skim coat rather than individual fibre tape strips? Not a fun job either way!

Are you the skateboarding guy! You're helping me in multiple areas of my life haha

Love what you said,you have the right attitude in what you said there close towards the end about finding Solutions to problems without whining.... Great as always How's the skating coming has it been cold up there.?

Love the channel, your help is slowly improving my mudding skills. I have a question maybe you or your subscribers can help with my next project. I took down old paneling and the finish plaster coat just crumbled but the key scratch coat is still in good condition. You said to use carpenters glue but it's a big room. Are there other options like just wetting the walls so the mud won't dry to fast and crack, or using primer on the old key scratch coat, or any other suggestions?

This song came on shuffle on my Harley on my way to Vegas and I haven’t heard since gta San Andreas days I felt like CJ going to Los venturas 😂😂😂 bad ass song

I use California One-Kote with diamond metal lath stapled to the wood lath. However, you didn't quite have the space for that here. The three-foot Fiberfuse (sp?) is a great method. I wish I'd used that in a few applications.

I have a 3 ft wide role of the yellow mesh we use for joints, would it work the same way to hold large sections like this together? Or would it be more for exterior stucco patching?

Excellent work as usual Just to make sure I understand That fiberfuse can b used to cover a 20 in X 20 in hole in the wall Just as well as cutting a piece of sheet rock and screwing it in

Thank you for your videos! We had largish holes in our lath and plaster ceilings caused by workers reinforcing our attic joists and accidentally stepping through in a few spots. Our contractors patched the ceilings and in some cases put drywall over the larger holes, including adhering with liquid nails. They then put mud on top to complete the patches. We ran out of money and can’t afford to pay them to paint! Can anyone recommend what kind of primer is best for going on top of plaster mud before we paint?

Hey Ben. Have you ever used those plaster repair kits? Where you drill holes and inject glue? Just curious.

Great job, can you overlap the mesh sheathing?

I just wanted to say thank you for your hard work in paying these videos. They’ve helped me in ways that you won’t expect. I’m an artist and most recently decided that I want to do a piece which would require me to use drywall as my canvas. The problem is, I will have a raw edge. Do you have any suggestions on what I can do to cover that raw edge seamlessly? Mud is one way, but that may crack over time. I have to find something that’s secure and won’t make me worry. Any suggestions? Many thanks to you!

You're gonna give people the idea of patching cracks with dryer sheets 🤣🤣.

I use concrete-fill all the time with great results to fix plaster walls or make faux plaster walls.

Pro tip: use latex modified thinset. Mix it up stiff, and if you're in a hurry, you can mix 50/50 fast setting thinset. It bonds to almost anything. When it firms up, screed it smooth, and after its fully set, follow up with normal compound.

Hey Ben, I am repairing a ceiling and a lot of it has water damage which I will replace but in other areas there are just cracks and it isn't lath it is just drywall. Can I use this roll on method there and put the fiber fuse over it? I guess my question is - is this ok for drywall or just a technique applied over lath?

Would painting the plastering slats increase the adhesion bond of the mud to the slats? Every slat that I have come across was dry.

my tip is to remove any "loose" plaster and screw the edges of the joint back down. Use a hand screwdriver or a slow speed tool. It will secure the edges akin to drywall and help with future hairline cracks. There are other products on the market, basically glues that you drill holes in the plaster and squeeze the product into, thus rebonding the material back to the lath. Adding some water or even a watery PVA wash to the lath will increase your adhesion during repair. That fiberfuse is a good fix, personally i would just remove the section of the plaster wall and replace with drywall. but that creates it's own issues as where do you start and stop?

Would have liked to see what mud you used. What is hot mud? Is it cement or or USG sheetrock plus 3 joint compound?

Lath plaster is crazy to throw away. It's easy 3-4x more work than demo drywall.

Why did you decide not to use glue? Either directly to the lathe or mixed with the confil? I would think this would be the ideal spot to add strength.

If you were a confill reseller to the US, people like me would be all over it.

Can you do a video on popcorn texture repairs? I have a room with popcorn on floor ceiling and walls, and while I'm not wild about the look, the plaster and lath are in good enough shape that I want to leave well enough alone if I can touch up a couple of small problem spots

Absolutley love everything about this product...except the price, but, when you need it it is the best and often only answer to no cracks or call backs. Glad to see you pushing it and love the video , as always! Someday I would like to demo a patch like this and see just how durable it really is....Ben, is that something you would be willing/able to do?

Great work as always. I think I may have stumbled upon this video at just the right time. I’m beginning a renovation in one of the rooms in my 1853 home, and the walls are riddled with cracks, most of which are very fine spider cracks. Despite the cracks there is no movement of the plaster so it doesn’t seem to be separated from the lathe. I’ve dealt with larger cracks over the years; etching, filling, taping, then finishing, but i feel like prepping all of the fine cracks in this room will be impractical. That fibafuse looks like it might be the answer. Now the question is, the walls are painted with what I’m assuming is acrylic paint, so will they require priming prior to application of the mud/fabric? Thanks in advance.

How come you don't use a 1000 or 800mm skimming knife like level 5 or marshaltown for the smoothing? Or is that more for the last step?