repairing railing in lath and plaster walls

#REPAIRING RAILING IN LATH AND PLASTER WALLS PATCH#
#REPAIRING RAILING IN LATH AND PLASTER WALLS TV#

Now mark where the holes line up with your 16 inch spaced marks. Holes in rail best if exactly on the marks you made, so make sure horizontal rail is very level and trace points on wall. Measure and mark in 16 inch increments from the vertical line you drew but at the horizontal rail height. You need to determine if that's what you have. Standard spacing of studs in walls is mostly 16 inches on center.

#REPAIRING RAILING IN LATH AND PLASTER WALLS TV#

ie don't center the rails, center the tv as long as rails will be hidden behind tv.

Plan on centering any horizontal rails by where you want tv centered as long as you hit enough studs. Use a level or string bob to extend line accurately. That's the vertical line for drilling first hole higher up and you need to extend it to where horizontal rail will intersect. Now another vertical mark 2 inches horizontally away. Pencil in a mark on wall where closest side of stud was found. If you have metal boxes, turn off power to that receptacle and stick a screwdriver into any available side holes in middle to rear of box. True 2 x 4's used in those days so 2 inches wiggle room. Each receptacle box mounts to a side of a stud. With a helper, hold up rail on wall and lift tv to almost hook on to get exact placement of rail (height off floor). Understand how it will hook onto a horizontal rail. I have never owned a home that had plaster walls, so this is definitely a first for me.

#REPAIRING RAILING IN LATH AND PLASTER WALLS PATCH#

If I make false holes, what's the best thing to use to patch and paint? Green lid drywall compound?

That could potentially be a lot of holes that now need repaired. I've read on here how some use a small drill bit to drill in to see if they hiot a stud or not. Unlike drywall, where the receptacle boxes are located to the right or left, depending.is it safe to assume studs are located directly behind the receptacle boxes in plaster walls? Once stud(s) are found, how big of a pilot hole needs to be drilled into plaster in order to prevent tear out? (not sure the real term there, but, where the plaster just crumbles around the hole, leaving a nasty ass hole). I understand that I need to find the studs if at all possible. I have a 70+ year old house, that has plaster walls. I'd like to know the right way to do this procedure. I am hearing different responses to this procedure, but would like to hear what you all have to say.

Repairing railing in lath and plaster walls