Patching Plaster Walls

Overalls are not very flattering.
But they are my uniform for home projects.

Well, I started to patch the plaster in my entryway today.  I was delaying working on this project as I have never done this before.  It's one thing to tuckpoint bricks (for the first time) around a corner of the foundation of our house, but it's another thing to do something like this in our entryway.   After all, this is the gateway or main entrance into our home. 

Then I knew I had to begin as it had to be done.  I was on a time schedule and needed to repair the plaster walls in order to prime and paint those walls.  So, I mixed the plaster mix - 3 parts mix to 1 part clean water and it became the consistency of pudding.  Then I started applying it to the holes and cracks in the walls.  It took no time to smooth the mixture over the wall.  I stood back and knew that half of the hard part was done.  When it dried I have to carefully sand it smooth.

As I tell people about the projects I have to complete this winter, many ask me why I don't just wallpaper those plaster walls and that will cover up all of those imperfections.  My main reason for not wallpapering is that when I was growing up my mom wallpapered anything that wasn't moving.  When you look at a wallpaper catalog they show the main papers and the complementary papers and the borders and how you can order matching fabric for curtains.  My mom did it all in nearly every room of our house.  I just can't wallpaper every room in my home because of that.

Also, you can't wallpaper over cracks and such in plaster as the wallpaper won't stick.  Even if I were to wallpaper I would still be facing repairing those plaster walls.  Another reason not to wallpaper is that it is expensive.  And the last reason, I want to faux paint those walls and make them look unique and then if in two years I get bored, I can paint over them. 

I have no idea what it would cost to find a professional plasterer to come in and repair what needs to be done.  I would love to know how much money we are saving by doing it myself.  Now I need to figure out how much paint it will take to paint the entryway and livingroom and calculate the cost. 

So, I'm on my way.