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tacotimes01 t1_iybyyx7 wrote

Reply to comment by M365Certified in How to fix hole in plaster? by elysiansaurus

I used to manage an old building and this is the way, but there is one problem: leaks. If there really is a leak issue, that drywall is going to mold, turn black, and stink up your apartment.

Old buildings have lots of leaks: old galvanized drain lines, internal roof drains, rainwater intrusion from rotted tin lintels, poorly sealed ancient windows, retrofitted shower pans on old ass flooors, etc. from my experience, catching the leak and fixing it was one thing, but ripping apart walls to find mold from old Sheetrock repairs and abating that was a nightmare (and potentially a reoccurring one).

Plaster doesn’t rot, just gets wet and dries out.

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adappergentlefolk t1_iyc5kf5 wrote

depending on the backer and the composition plaster can definitely lose structural integrity from damp. things like gypsum on brick can get absolutely shredded by salt migration from the brick. then instead of dealing with moldy drywall you have to deal with a wall section that has disintegrated into fine sand, ymmv what you prefer

even lime plaster on lathe can disintegrate if damp is trapped in the plaster behind an impermeable layer like thick paint or wallpaper

definitely source of water intrusion needs to be fixed before any repairs are done to the area. simply a waste of money and effort otherwise

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tacotimes01 t1_iyd3fnx wrote

Thanks, completely agree you have to fix the moisture issue. I’ve definitely had plaster repairs fail in this way when leaks persist. I guess my point was that it’s been preferable in my experience to go the plaster route and deal with this rather than the effects of mold growth in the walls. You always “think” you fixed the underlying cause of a leak in an old building, but sometimes it’s less apparent or there are multiple causes. I’m getting PTSD thinking about managing this leased 120 room 1909 San Francisco nightmare.

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NightGod t1_iyc65a5 wrote

OP could use glass mat drywall and avoid that issue

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