wrote in message
oups.com...
Wow! thanks for the speedy and detailed response.

Yes, all the cracks are thinner than 1/4 in.

To clarify, when I used the term "bulging" I now know I meant the
plaster was pulling away from the lath. That occurs in one noticeable
spot along a 4 ft crack.

Some of the plaster effects in my house are curved and appear modified
during the Art Deco era, so yeah, not going to drywall the entire
house.

I'm going to start small and work from there.

thanks,

Don


Some hints, based on suffering through the first room in my house, and then
getting smarter as the work progressed:

1) Not sure if all plaster (powder mixes) act the same, but the stuff I used
got warm and began to "set" in the pan if I mixed it too much. So, work in
small batches, and mix ONLY until it's all moist. Then, apply right away. It
helps to have two or three pans. When you're done with one, set it aside and
let the plaster residue dry, while you continue with a clean pan. You don't
want dry chunks of plaster mixed in with the fresh batch you're about to
mix. The pans will dry quickly if you scrape out most of the residue. For
the remainder, hold upside down over a trash can and smack them.

2) If you find that you need to remove big chunks right down to the lath, be
sure to apply the plaster in thin layers, and then wait at least a day for
it to dry. This might take longer if the wall you're working on is cold.
And, trying to help it along with lamps or hair dryer will not go well.
Don't ask how I know this. Just be patient. Watch the color change as it
dries.

3) Sanding will obviously create dust. Buy or borrow a shop vac that can
have a hose attached to the exhaust. Put the hose out the window if
possible, so the exhaust doesn't blow around the dust you haven't gotten to
yet. Or, at least aim the hose away from the area you haven't vacuumed yet.

4) If some cracks are in areas where you feel there'll be more flexing, or a
door slamming nearby, prepare the crack according to the instructions on the
web site you already looked at. Fill the crack with plaster, but leave a
groove 1/8" deep. Cover the crack with a piece of mesh drywall tape,
pressing the tape into the groove with your fingernail or the blunt end of a
small tool. Flatten the rest of the tape against the surrounding area. (The
tape's sort of waxy, and will stick without help, assuming you remove any
dust first). Finish the patch job with drywall mud.

5) If you end up using screws for some repairs, be aware that lath can be
very weird to screw into. It's gummy and dense (or something), and will
sometimes want to bend away from the screws, rather than allow them to dig
in. So, pick up some long drill bits in the appropriate sizes, and drill
pilot holes. Incidentally, this characteristic of lath is one reason why
people who slam nails into plaster walls should be fed to the sharks. The
pounding can make the lath bounce inward and separate from the plaster, and
then you have the mess that you've already seen.

6) When the plastering's all done, be sure to give it at least a week to dry
before priming. As mentioned earlier, you'll be able to see the color
change. On interior walls, you can often FEEL the temp difference as one are
dries before another.