This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here
can answer it.

My Dad is 92 and needs to grab onto things to climb the stairs. But
for a short section of the stairway in their house, there's no
sensible thing to grab.

Their house is plaster on lath if memory serves. Wood strips, I think,
not wire. [This is an ancient memory. My parents had a larger closet
made when I was a very young boy and I was allowed to bash away at the
plaster for a little while. I remember being disappointed when I came
back from school and found that the rest of the demolition had already
been completed. ]

Anyway, I have no experience finding studs in that kind of
construction. The walls are too rigid for me to just sound them out
with my fist. I don't own a stud finder, but I might buy one if it's
of any use in that kind of wall. I'm not eager to drill a series of
holes that I'll need to repair, and then match the paint. If it comes
down to it, I suppose I could remove the base molding and drill holes
at the bottom of the wall, but the molding is finished oak, and a
little complicated, and would be very hard to replace if an oaf like
me were to damage it.

Suggestions? I imagine I'd use oak railing parts from the Borg, by the
way.

On 2/9/2013 8:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:
Anyway, I have no experience finding studs in that kind of
construction. The walls are too rigid for me to just sound them out
with my fist. I don't own a stud finder, but I might buy one if it's
of any use in that kind of wall. I'm not eager to drill a series of
holes that I'll need to repair, and then match the paint. If it comes
down to it, I suppose I could remove the base molding and drill holes
at the bottom of the wall, but the molding is finished oak, and a
little complicated, and would be very hard to replace if an oaf like
me were to damage it.

Tough to do with an inexpensive stud finder or other inexpensive
electronics, and even Leon's favorite earth magnet trick won't work with
some of the lath behind plaster walls.

The only way we've been successful is to start on a corner, measure the
usual 16 OC, then pray/sound with a 1/16" drill bit ... small enough to
cover up with a close match of putty.

IME, and no matter how much you spend on a Borg stud finder for a
plaster wall, you end up doing that anyway.

--
eWoodShop: www.eWoodShop.com
Wood Shop: www.e-WoodShop.net
https://plus.google.com/114902129577517371552/posts
http://www.custommade.com/by/ewoodshop/
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)

On 2/9/2013 8:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:

Their house is plaster on lath if memory serves. Wood strips, I think,
not wire. [This is an ancient memory. My parents had a larger closet
made when I was a very young boy and I was allowed to bash away at the
plaster for a little while. I remember being disappointed when I came
back from school and found that the rest of the demolition had already
been completed. ]

Anyway, I have no experience finding studs in that kind of
construction. The walls are too rigid for me to just sound them out
with my fist. I don't own a stud finder, but I might buy one if it's
of any use in that kind of wall. I'm not eager to drill a series of
holes that I'll need to repair, and then match the paint. If it comes
down to it, I suppose I could remove the base molding and drill holes
at the bottom of the wall, but the molding is finished oak, and a
little complicated, and would be very hard to replace if an oaf like
me were to damage it.

Know anyone with a ground penetrating radar unit? Call the Feds and tell
them you "think" you might have a lead on Jimmy Hoffa.g

Seriously, two things to consider:

1) Use heavy duty Molly anchors. Drill a pilot for them first and if if
you hit a stud, shift gears and start measuring for the rest of them.

2) stay with the Molly's if you don't hit a stud first thing, if you
eventually hit one, just switch gears for THAT mount.

3) Go down to the Borg and buy a Zircon Stud Finder. Not the most
expensive one, but not the cheapest either. I had their original one, a
black thing with LED's that looked like a TV remote. Didn't work all
that well. Took another bite of the apple several years later and got
one that cost me about $20 - $25 and love it. WTH, if it doesn't work
out, you can always return it for a refund, right?

On 2/9/2013 8:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:
This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here
can answer it.

My Dad is 92 and needs to grab onto things to climb the stairs. But
for a short section of the stairway in their house, there's no
sensible thing to grab.

Their house is plaster on lath if memory serves. Wood strips, I think,
not wire. [This is an ancient memory. My parents had a larger closet
made when I was a very young boy and I was allowed to bash away at the
plaster for a little while. I remember being disappointed when I came
back from school and found that the rest of the demolition had already
been completed. ]

Anyway, I have no experience finding studs in that kind of
construction. The walls are too rigid for me to just sound them out
with my fist. I don't own a stud finder, but I might buy one if it's
of any use in that kind of wall. I'm not eager to drill a series of
holes that I'll need to repair, and then match the paint. If it comes
down to it, I suppose I could remove the base molding and drill holes
at the bottom of the wall, but the molding is finished oak, and a
little complicated, and would be very hard to replace if an oaf like
me were to damage it.

Suggestions? I imagine I'd use oak railing parts from the Borg, by the
way.



Could you possibly get on top of the wall, from the attic, and locate
the studs from the nails in the top plate?

On 2/9/2013 8:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:
This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here
can answer it.

My Dad is 92 and needs to grab onto things to climb the stairs. But
for a short section of the stairway in their house, there's no
sensible thing to grab.

Their house is plaster on lath if memory serves. Wood strips, I think,
not wire. [This is an ancient memory. My parents had a larger closet
made when I was a very young boy and I was allowed to bash away at the
plaster for a little while. I remember being disappointed when I came
back from school and found that the rest of the demolition had already
been completed. ]

Anyway, I have no experience finding studs in that kind of
construction. The walls are too rigid for me to just sound them out
with my fist. I don't own a stud finder, but I might buy one if it's
of any use in that kind of wall. I'm not eager to drill a series of
holes that I'll need to repair, and then match the paint. If it comes
down to it, I suppose I could remove the base molding and drill holes
at the bottom of the wall, but the molding is finished oak, and a
little complicated, and would be very hard to replace if an oaf like
me were to damage it.

Suggestions? I imagine I'd use oak railing parts from the Borg, by the
way.

Don't suppose you know how regular the wall stud spacings are, even, do
you? Sometimes in those old houses they're as regular as a Swiss watch;
sometimes not so much...if they are regular and there's a good corner at
one end from which to measure, you've got a reasonable chance.

I've not used one so can't say firsthand but reviews of some of the
better (as in higher-$$) Zircon and Bosch sounders worked reasonably
well w/ plaster walls in a Fine Homebuilding review -- not sure otomh
which issue; think it was about first of maybe 2011 based on a quick
view of comments...

There are those who say the rare-earth magnet "StudTHUD" is supposed to
be the cat's meow...

www.diamondresource.net/index.php?page=products-stud-thud

I've not further info other than that on it, though...

One thing is that if the plaster is in good shape on a wood lath paster
wall you can use a moly bolt and by getting across and behind the lath
it'll be very strong even if you do miss a stud...

--

On Feb 9, 9:43*am, Swingman wrote:
On 2/9/2013 8:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:

Anyway, I have no experience finding studs in that kind of
construction. The walls are too rigid for me to just sound them out
with my fist. I don't own a stud finder, but I might buy one if it's
of any use in that kind of wall. I'm not eager to drill a series of
holes that I'll need to repair, and then match the paint. If it comes
down to it, I suppose I could remove the base molding and drill holes
at the bottom of the wall, but the molding is finished oak, and a
little complicated, and would be very hard to replace if an oaf like
me were to damage it.

Tough to do with an inexpensive stud finder or other inexpensive
electronics, and even Leon's favorite earth magnet trick won't work with
some of the lath behind plaster walls.

The only way we've been successful is to start on a corner, measure the
usual 16 OC, then pray/sound with a 1/16" drill bit ... small enough to
cover up with a close match of putty.

IME, and no matter how much you spend on a Borg stud finder for a
plaster wall, you end up doing that anyway.

--
eWoodShop:www.eWoodShop.com
Wood Shop:http://www.e-WoodShop.nethttps://plu.../by/ewoodshop/
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)

OK. Was 16" "standard" before there was sheetrock? (and yes, I'm aware
that even if it was, I might not find that spacing) The house was
built in 1939, I think. My house has plaster walls as well, but over
"plasterboard"; like sheetrock, but with a grid of holes for the
plaster to grab onto. Their house is just plaster on lath.

On 2/9/2013 8:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:
This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here
can answer it.

My Dad is 92 and needs to grab onto things to climb the stairs. But
for a short section of the stairway in their house, there's no
sensible thing to grab.

Their house is plaster on lath if memory serves. Wood strips, I think,
not wire. [This is an ancient memory. My parents had a larger closet
made when I was a very young boy and I was allowed to bash away at the
plaster for a little while. I remember being disappointed when I came
back from school and found that the rest of the demolition had already
been completed. ]

Anyway, I have no experience finding studs in that kind of
construction. The walls are too rigid for me to just sound them out
with my fist. I don't own a stud finder, but I might buy one if it's
of any use in that kind of wall. I'm not eager to drill a series of
holes that I'll need to repair, and then match the paint. If it comes
down to it, I suppose I could remove the base molding and drill holes
at the bottom of the wall, but the molding is finished oak, and a
little complicated, and would be very hard to replace if an oaf like
me were to damage it.

Suggestions? I imagine I'd use oak railing parts from the Borg, by the
way.



ALTERNATIBELY, Drill lots of holes to find your studs in a straight
line even with where the rail will go.

Cover all of those holes up with a 1x4 piece of wood to match the hand
rail, anchoring it to the studs you found. Mount your hand rail to the
board you just used to cover the holes.

Leon wrote:

ALTERNATIBELY, Drill lots of holes to find your studs in a straight
line even with where the rail will go.

Cover all of those holes up with a 1x4 piece of wood to match the hand
rail, anchoring it to the studs you found. Mount your hand rail to
the board you just used to cover the holes.

Ah, the voice of experience

--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net

On Feb 9, 9:54*am, dpb wrote:
On 2/9/2013 8:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:









This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here
can answer it.

My Dad is 92 and needs to grab onto things to climb the stairs. But
for a short section of the stairway in their house, there's no
sensible thing to grab.

Their house is plaster on lath if memory serves. Wood strips, I think,
not wire. [This is an ancient memory. My parents had a larger closet
made when I was a very young boy and I was allowed to bash away at the
plaster for a little while. I remember being disappointed when I came
back from school and found that the rest of the demolition had already
been completed. ]

Anyway, I have no experience finding studs in that kind of
construction. The walls are too rigid for me to just sound them out
with my fist. I don't own a stud finder, but I might buy one if it's
of any use in that kind of wall. I'm not eager to drill a series of
holes that I'll need to repair, and then match the paint. If it comes
down to it, I suppose I could remove the base molding and drill holes
at the bottom of the wall, but the molding is finished oak, and a
little complicated, and would be very hard to replace if an oaf like
me were to damage it.

Suggestions? I imagine I'd use oak railing parts from the Borg, by the
way.

Don't suppose you know how regular the wall stud spacings are, even, do
you? *Sometimes in those old houses they're as regular as a Swiss watch;
sometimes not so much...if they are regular and there's a good corner at
one end from which to measure, you've got a reasonable chance.

I've not used one so can't say firsthand but reviews of some of the
better (as in higher-$$) Zircon and Bosch sounders worked reasonably
well w/ plaster walls in a Fine Homebuilding review -- not sure otomh
which issue; think it was about first of maybe 2011 based on a quick
view of comments...

There are those who say the rare-earth magnet "StudTHUD" is supposed to
be the cat's meow...

www.diamondresource.net/index.php?page=products-stud-thud

I've not further info other than that on it, though...

One thing is that if the plaster is in good shape on a wood lath paster
wall you can use a moly bolt and by getting across and behind the lath
it'll be very strong even if you do miss a stud...

--

I'd like it to be VERY strong. He doesn't just steady himself on the
railing, he practically seems to pull himself up the stairs. I'll
feel better, if nothing else, if I get the brackets into the studs.

On 2/9/2013 8:57 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:
K. Was 16" "standard" before there was sheetrock? (and yes, I'm aware
that even if it was, I might not find that spacing) The house was
built in 1939,

Depends ... 16" OC, for a 2x4 studs in platform framed is "standard" in
most codes dating far back; 24"OC is "standard" for 2x6 studs.

If the house is two story, and has balloon framing, which is not
uncommon in houses of that vintage, you may find it closer to the latter
(24").

I can tell you one thing ... you will not be happy with ANY stud finder
you can buy at a BORG. End of Story

If you have to get destructive to anchor that thing for your Dad's
safety, which is of paramount importance, Leon's suggestion about using
a trim board behind the hand rail is excellent advice.

--
eWoodShop: www.eWoodShop.com
Wood Shop: www.e-WoodShop.net
https://plus.google.com/114902129577517371552/posts
http://www.custommade.com/by/ewoodshop/
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)

On 2/9/2013 9:12 AM, Swingman wrote:
If you have to get destructive to anchor that thing for your Dad's
safety, which is of paramount importance, Leon's suggestion about using
a trim board behind the hand rail is excellent advice.

But still anchor the handrail brackets to the studs in as many locations
as you can.

--
eWoodShop: www.eWoodShop.com
Wood Shop: www.e-WoodShop.net
https://plus.google.com/114902129577517371552/posts
http://www.custommade.com/by/ewoodshop/
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)

On 2/9/2013 9:58 AM, Leon wrote:
On 2/9/2013 8:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:
This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here
ALTERNATIBELY, Drill lots of holes to find your studs in a straight
line even with where the rail will go.

Cover all of those holes up with a 1x4 piece of wood to match the hand
rail, anchoring it to the studs you found. Mount your hand rail to the
board you just used to cover the holes.


Just a question of interest. Using sensitive thermal imaging equipment
could you find the stud by the difference in temperature between the
wall over the between studs and the wall over the studs?

On 2/9/2013 9:14 AM, Keith Nuttle wrote:
On 2/9/2013 9:58 AM, Leon wrote:
On 2/9/2013 8:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:
This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here
ALTERNATIBELY, Drill lots of holes to find your studs in a straight
line even with where the rail will go.

Cover all of those holes up with a 1x4 piece of wood to match the hand
rail, anchoring it to the studs you found. Mount your hand rail to the
board you just used to cover the holes.


Just a question of interest. Using sensitive thermal imaging equipment
could you find the stud by the difference in temperature between the
wall over the between studs and the wall over the studs?

Only if there is a differntial in temperature between the outside wall
and inside wall.

IOW, in interior walls, IME, it will not show studs. BTDT

--
eWoodShop: www.eWoodShop.com
Wood Shop: www.e-WoodShop.net
https://plus.google.com/114902129577517371552/posts
http://www.custommade.com/by/ewoodshop/
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)

On Saturday, February 9, 2013 6:16:55 AM UTC-8, Greg Guarino wrote:
This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here

can answer it.



My Dad is 92 and needs to grab onto things to climb the stairs. But

for a short section of the stairway in their house, there's no

sensible thing to grab.



Their house is plaster on lath if memory serves. Wood strips, I think,

not wire. [This is an ancient memory. My parents had a larger closet

made when I was a very young boy and I was allowed to bash away at the

plaster for a little while. I remember being disappointed when I came

back from school and found that the rest of the demolition had already

been completed. ]



Anyway, I have no experience finding studs in that kind of

construction. The walls are too rigid for me to just sound them out

with my fist. I don't own a stud finder, but I might buy one if it's

of any use in that kind of wall. I'm not eager to drill a series of

holes that I'll need to repair, and then match the paint. If it comes

down to it, I suppose I could remove the base molding and drill holes

at the bottom of the wall, but the molding is finished oak, and a

little complicated, and would be very hard to replace if an oaf like

me were to damage it.



Suggestions? I imagine I'd use oak railing parts from the Borg, by the

way.

If there is no insulation in the wall cavity, I've had luck with the following procedu
Drill a 1/8" hole, bend a coat wire into two 90° angles (z shaped), insert one leg into the hole and rotate the wire. When you hit a stud, the outer identical leg, will show you where the edge of the stud is located. May require more than one hole.

Ivan Vegvary

On 2/9/2013 9:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:
This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here
can answer it.

My Dad is 92 and needs to grab onto things to climb the stairs. But
for a short section of the stairway in their house, there's no
sensible thing to grab.

Their house is plaster on lath if memory serves. Wood strips, I think,
not wire. [This is an ancient memory. My parents had a larger closet
made when I was a very young boy and I was allowed to bash away at the
plaster for a little while. I remember being disappointed when I came
back from school and found that the rest of the demolition had already
been completed. ]

Anyway, I have no experience finding studs in that kind of
construction. The walls are too rigid for me to just sound them out
with my fist. I don't own a stud finder, but I might buy one if it's
of any use in that kind of wall. I'm not eager to drill a series of
holes that I'll need to repair, and then match the paint. If it comes
down to it, I suppose I could remove the base molding and drill holes
at the bottom of the wall, but the molding is finished oak, and a
little complicated, and would be very hard to replace if an oaf like
me were to damage it.

Suggestions? I imagine I'd use oak railing parts from the Borg, by the
way.

What's on the other side of that wall? Perchance a closet or hidden
area behind a bed so that you can explore for a couple of studs and
transfer your measurements to the other side.

--
 GW Ross 

 The bigger they are, the harder they 
 hit. 

On 2/9/2013 10:52 AM, G.W.Ross wrote:
On 2/9/2013 9:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:
This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here
can answer it.

My Dad is 92 and needs to grab onto things to climb the stairs. But
for a short section of the stairway in their house, there's no
sensible thing to grab.

Their house is plaster on lath if memory serves. Wood strips, I think,
not wire. [This is an ancient memory. My parents had a larger closet
made when I was a very young boy and I was allowed to bash away at the
plaster for a little while. I remember being disappointed when I came
back from school and found that the rest of the demolition had already
been completed. ]

Anyway, I have no experience finding studs in that kind of
construction. The walls are too rigid for me to just sound them out
with my fist. I don't own a stud finder, but I might buy one if it's
of any use in that kind of wall. I'm not eager to drill a series of
holes that I'll need to repair, and then match the paint. If it comes
down to it, I suppose I could remove the base molding and drill holes
at the bottom of the wall, but the molding is finished oak, and a
little complicated, and would be very hard to replace if an oaf like
me were to damage it.

Suggestions? I imagine I'd use oak railing parts from the Borg, by the
way.

What's on the other side of that wall? Perchance a closet or hidden area
behind a bed so that you can explore for a couple of studs and transfer
your measurements to the other side.


Can you get under the stairway to check for where the support is nailed?

--
 GW Ross 

 The bigger they are, the harder they 
 hit. 

On 2/9/2013 10:18 AM, Swingman wrote:
On 2/9/2013 9:14 AM, Keith Nuttle wrote:
On 2/9/2013 9:58 AM, Leon wrote:
On 2/9/2013 8:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:
This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here

Snipped

Just a question of interest. Using sensitive thermal imaging equipment
could you find the stud by the difference in temperature between the
wall over the between studs and the wall over the studs?

Only if there is a differntial in temperature between the outside wall
and inside wall.

IOW, in interior walls, IME, it will not show studs. BTDT


It will work, if one places a couple 500 watt flood lights (work lights)
on one side. I've had the city engineer look at my walls for plumbing
issues, using the same thermal imager now carried by most fire & police
depts.

The city here carries an insurance policy on lateral sewer drain repairs
which is charged in property taxes and thermal imaging is a very
important means of assessing damage.

Better plumbing companies are now using thermal imaging to trace out
hidden and below grade lines by simply running hot/cold water. But of
course, there are always divining (dowsing) rods an sech! :-)

--
Digger
Bob O'Dell

On 2/9/13 9:07 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:

I'd like it to be VERY strong. He doesn't just steady himself on the
railing, he practically seems to pull himself up the stairs. I'll
feel better, if nothing else, if I get the brackets into the studs.


Thinking a little outside the box....
Think about supports that come off floor flanges, instead of the wall.
http://www.thehardwarehut.com/railing_components.php


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

On 2/9/2013 9:52 AM, G.W.Ross wrote:
On 2/9/2013 9:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:
This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here
can answer it.

My Dad is 92 and needs to grab onto things to climb the stairs. But
for a short section of the stairway in their house, there's no
sensible thing to grab.

[snip]


What's on the other side of that wall? Perchance a closet or hidden
area behind a bed so that you can explore for a couple of studs and
transfer your measurements to the other side.


Damn! You go, G.W.

Somebody build another box, so G.W. can think outside of it.

Two good suggestions! That's why I love this group. There ALWAYS seems
to be another way to do something and, if there is, you'll read it here.

On 2/9/2013 9:07 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:
On Feb 9, 9:54 am, wrote:
On 2/9/2013 8:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:
....

Anyway, I have no experience finding studs in that kind of
....


Suggestions? I imagine I'd use oak railing parts from the Borg, by the
way.

Don't suppose you know how regular the wall stud spacings are, even, do
you? Sometimes in those old houses they're as regular as a Swiss watch;
sometimes not so much...if they are regular and there's a good corner at
one end from which to measure, you've got a reasonable chance.

I've not used one so can't say firsthand but reviews of some of the
better (as in higher-$$) Zircon and Bosch sounders worked reasonably
well w/ plaster walls in a Fine Homebuilding review -- not sure otomh
which issue; think it was about first of maybe 2011 based on a quick
view of comments...

There are those who say the rare-earth magnet "StudTHUD" is supposed to
be the cat's meow...

www.diamondresource.net/index.php?page=products-stud-thud

I've not further info other than that on it, though...

One thing is that if the plaster is in good shape on a wood lath paster
wall you can use a moly bolt and by getting across and behind the lath
it'll be very strong even if you do miss a stud...

....

I'd like it to be VERY strong. He doesn't just steady himself on the
railing, he practically seems to pull himself up the stairs. I'll
feel better, if nothing else, if I get the brackets into the studs.

Well, you can always go to a rail board and then it can cover any
unwanted holes made to find the actual stud locations.

--

On Feb 9, 9:16*am, Greg Guarino wrote:
This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here
can answer it.

My Dad is 92 and needs to grab onto things to climb the stairs. But
for a short section of the stairway in their house, there's no
sensible thing to grab.

Their house is plaster on lath if memory serves. Wood strips, I think,
not wire. [This is an ancient memory. My parents had a larger closet
made when I was a very young boy and I was allowed to bash away at the
plaster for a little while. I remember being disappointed when I came
back from school and found that the rest of the demolition had already
been completed. ]

Anyway, I have no experience finding studs in that kind of
construction. The walls are too rigid for me to just sound them out
with my fist. I don't own a stud finder, but I might buy one if it's
of any use in that kind of wall. I'm not eager to drill a series of
holes that I'll need to repair, and then match the paint. If it comes
down to it, I suppose I could remove the base molding and drill holes
at the bottom of the wall, but the molding is finished oak, and a
little complicated, and would be very hard to replace if an oaf like
me were to damage it.

Suggestions? I imagine I'd use oak railing parts from the Borg, by the
way.

By eye. The studs might be high enough that you can see them
against a back light. A desk lamp is the only tool you need.

On Feb 9, 9:58*am, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:
On 2/9/2013 8:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:









This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here
can answer it.

My Dad is 92 and needs to grab onto things to climb the stairs. But
for a short section of the stairway in their house, there's no
sensible thing to grab.

Their house is plaster on lath if memory serves. Wood strips, I think,
not wire. [This is an ancient memory. My parents had a larger closet
made when I was a very young boy and I was allowed to bash away at the
plaster for a little while. I remember being disappointed when I came
back from school and found that the rest of the demolition had already
been completed. ]

Anyway, I have no experience finding studs in that kind of
construction. The walls are too rigid for me to just sound them out
with my fist. I don't own a stud finder, but I might buy one if it's
of any use in that kind of wall. I'm not eager to drill a series of
holes that I'll need to repair, and then match the paint. If it comes
down to it, I suppose I could remove the base molding and drill holes
at the bottom of the wall, but the molding is finished oak, and a
little complicated, and would be very hard to replace if an oaf like
me were to damage it.

Suggestions? I imagine I'd use oak railing parts from the Borg, by the
way.

ALTERNATIBELY, *Drill lots of holes to find your studs in a straight
line even with where the rail will go.

Cover all of those holes up with a 1x4 piece of wood to match the hand
rail, anchoring it to the studs you found. *Mount your hand rail to the
board you just used to cover the holes.

Funny thing. That idea occurred to me today while I was thinking about
something else. Delays really do increase the efficiency of my work
sometimes. I am seriously considering using this method.

Swingman suggested a 1/16" bit to find the studs. But I'm worried that
I may not have a sensitive enough "feel" for when I've hit a stud with
such a small bit and through thick plaster and wood lath. But a
decorative board to cover the holes seems pretty foolproof, which is
exactly the sort of method I need. Thanks.

On Feb 9, 10:12*am, Swingman wrote:
On 2/9/2013 8:57 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:

K. Was 16" "standard" before there was sheetrock? (and yes, I'm aware
that even if it was, I might not find that spacing) The house was
built in 1939,

Depends ... 16" OC, for a 2x4 studs in platform framed is "standard" in
most codes dating far back; 24"OC is "standard" for 2x6 studs.

If the house is two story, and has balloon framing, which is not
uncommon in houses of that vintage, you may find it closer to the latter
(24").

It's two stories, but is actually brick, attached on both sides.

I can tell you one thing ... you will not be happy with ANY stud finder
you can buy at a BORG. End of Story

OK. I doubted that a stud finder would work well in this type of wall
anyway.

If you have to get destructive to anchor that thing for your Dad's
safety, which is of paramount importance, Leon's suggestion about using
a trim board behind the hand rail is excellent advice.

Yup. That is the most important factor, but my Mom will prefer that it
look nice too.

On Feb 9, 10:14*am, Swingman wrote:
On 2/9/2013 9:12 AM, Swingman wrote:

If you have to get destructive to anchor that thing for your Dad's
safety, which is of paramount importance, Leon's suggestion about using
a trim board behind the hand rail is excellent advice.

But still anchor the handrail brackets to the studs in as many locations
as you can.

--
eWoodShop:www.eWoodShop.com
Wood Shop:http://www.e-WoodShop.nethttps://plu.../by/ewoodshop/
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)

I figure to get three or four studs; it's a very short run of stairs.
And yes, I'll be a lot happier if I get a nice long screw to groan
it's way in all the way.

On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 15:10:32 -0800 (PST), Greg Guarino
wrote:

On Feb 9, 9:58*am, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:
On 2/9/2013 8:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:









This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here
can answer it.

My Dad is 92 and needs to grab onto things to climb the stairs. But
for a short section of the stairway in their house, there's no
sensible thing to grab.

Their house is plaster on lath if memory serves. Wood strips, I think,
not wire. [This is an ancient memory. My parents had a larger closet
made when I was a very young boy and I was allowed to bash away at the
plaster for a little while. I remember being disappointed when I came
back from school and found that the rest of the demolition had already
been completed. ]

Anyway, I have no experience finding studs in that kind of
construction. The walls are too rigid for me to just sound them out
with my fist. I don't own a stud finder, but I might buy one if it's
of any use in that kind of wall. I'm not eager to drill a series of
holes that I'll need to repair, and then match the paint. If it comes
down to it, I suppose I could remove the base molding and drill holes
at the bottom of the wall, but the molding is finished oak, and a
little complicated, and would be very hard to replace if an oaf like
me were to damage it.

Suggestions? I imagine I'd use oak railing parts from the Borg, by the
way.

ALTERNATIBELY, *Drill lots of holes to find your studs in a straight
line even with where the rail will go.

Cover all of those holes up with a 1x4 piece of wood to match the hand
rail, anchoring it to the studs you found. *Mount your hand rail to the
board you just used to cover the holes.

Funny thing. That idea occurred to me today while I was thinking about
something else. Delays really do increase the efficiency of my work
sometimes. I am seriously considering using this method.

Swingman suggested a 1/16" bit to find the studs. But I'm worried that
I may not have a sensitive enough "feel" for when I've hit a stud with
such a small bit and through thick plaster and wood lath. But a
decorative board to cover the holes seems pretty foolproof, which is
exactly the sort of method I need. Thanks.
Drill with the 1/16 bit. 2 inched max depth. Sound the holes with a
3" pin. If it stops at 2", you are in a stud. If it goes farther than
2", you are not.

On 2/9/2013 7:05 PM, wrote:
On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 15:10:32 -0800 (PST), Greg Guarino
wrote:

On Feb 9, 9:58 am, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:
On 2/9/2013 8:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:









This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here
can answer it.

My Dad is 92 and needs to grab onto things to climb the stairs. But
for a short section of the stairway in their house, there's no
sensible thing to grab.

Their house is plaster on lath if memory serves. Wood strips, I think,
not wire. [This is an ancient memory. My parents had a larger closet
made when I was a very young boy and I was allowed to bash away at the
plaster for a little while. I remember being disappointed when I came
back from school and found that the rest of the demolition had already
been completed. ]

Anyway, I have no experience finding studs in that kind of
construction. The walls are too rigid for me to just sound them out
with my fist. I don't own a stud finder, but I might buy one if it's
of any use in that kind of wall. I'm not eager to drill a series of
holes that I'll need to repair, and then match the paint. If it comes
down to it, I suppose I could remove the base molding and drill holes
at the bottom of the wall, but the molding is finished oak, and a
little complicated, and would be very hard to replace if an oaf like
me were to damage it.

Suggestions? I imagine I'd use oak railing parts from the Borg, by the
way.

ALTERNATIBELY, Drill lots of holes to find your studs in a straight
line even with where the rail will go.

Cover all of those holes up with a 1x4 piece of wood to match the hand
rail, anchoring it to the studs you found. Mount your hand rail to the
board you just used to cover the holes.

Funny thing. That idea occurred to me today while I was thinking about
something else. Delays really do increase the efficiency of my work
sometimes. I am seriously considering using this method.

Swingman suggested a 1/16" bit to find the studs. But I'm worried that
I may not have a sensitive enough "feel" for when I've hit a stud with
such a small bit and through thick plaster and wood lath. But a
decorative board to cover the holes seems pretty foolproof, which is
exactly the sort of method I need. Thanks.
Drill with the 1/16 bit. 2 inched max depth. Sound the holes with a
3" pin. If it stops at 2", you are in a stud. If it goes farther than
2", you are not.

Yep, put a piece of masking tape on your drill bit at the two inch mark,
plaster/metal lathe house here, with the metal the stud sensor is
absolutely useless..

--
Froz...


The system will be down for 10 days for preventive maintenance.

On Sat, 09 Feb 2013 19:28:20 -0500, FrozenNorth
wrote:

On 2/9/2013 7:05 PM, wrote:
On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 15:10:32 -0800 (PST), Greg Guarino
wrote:

On Feb 9, 9:58 am, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:
On 2/9/2013 8:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:









This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here
can answer it.

My Dad is 92 and needs to grab onto things to climb the stairs. But
for a short section of the stairway in their house, there's no
sensible thing to grab.

Their house is plaster on lath if memory serves. Wood strips, I think,
not wire. [This is an ancient memory. My parents had a larger closet
made when I was a very young boy and I was allowed to bash away at the
plaster for a little while. I remember being disappointed when I came
back from school and found that the rest of the demolition had already
been completed. ]

Anyway, I have no experience finding studs in that kind of
construction. The walls are too rigid for me to just sound them out
with my fist. I don't own a stud finder, but I might buy one if it's
of any use in that kind of wall. I'm not eager to drill a series of
holes that I'll need to repair, and then match the paint. If it comes
down to it, I suppose I could remove the base molding and drill holes
at the bottom of the wall, but the molding is finished oak, and a
little complicated, and would be very hard to replace if an oaf like
me were to damage it.

Suggestions? I imagine I'd use oak railing parts from the Borg, by the
way.

ALTERNATIBELY, Drill lots of holes to find your studs in a straight
line even with where the rail will go.

Cover all of those holes up with a 1x4 piece of wood to match the hand
rail, anchoring it to the studs you found. Mount your hand rail to the
board you just used to cover the holes.

Funny thing. That idea occurred to me today while I was thinking about
something else. Delays really do increase the efficiency of my work
sometimes. I am seriously considering using this method.

Swingman suggested a 1/16" bit to find the studs. But I'm worried that
I may not have a sensitive enough "feel" for when I've hit a stud with
such a small bit and through thick plaster and wood lath. But a
decorative board to cover the holes seems pretty foolproof, which is
exactly the sort of method I need. Thanks.
Drill with the 1/16 bit. 2 inched max depth. Sound the holes with a
3" pin. If it stops at 2", you are in a stud. If it goes farther than
2", you are not.

Yep, put a piece of masking tape on your drill bit at the two inch mark,
plaster/metal lathe house here, with the metal the stud sensor is
absolutely useless..
Depends on the sensor. I have one that is adjustable for wall
density and it will pick up a 2X4 block on the back of a 2X4.. Adjusts
for 1/2", 1" or 1 1/2" thick plaster walls. Doesn't really care too
much about metal lath. Made by (or for) Stanley

"Greg Guarino" wrote in message
...

On Feb 9, 10:14 am, Swingman wrote:
On 2/9/2013 9:12 AM, Swingman wrote:

If you have to get destructive to anchor that thing for your Dad's
safety, which is of paramount importance, Leon's suggestion about using
a trim board behind the hand rail is excellent advice.

But still anchor the handrail brackets to the studs in as many locations
as you can.

--
eWoodShop:www.eWoodShop.com
Wood
Shop:http://www.e-WoodShop.nethttps://plu.../by/ewoodshop/
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)

I figure to get three or four studs; it's a very short run of stairs.
And yes, I'll be a lot happier if I get a nice long screw to groan
it's way in all the way.

Greg...Wax the screws and the go in easy. WW

wrote in message ...

On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 15:10:32 -0800 (PST), Greg Guarino
wrote:

On Feb 9, 9:58 am, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:
On 2/9/2013 8:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:









This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here
can answer it.

My Dad is 92 and needs to grab onto things to climb the stairs. But
for a short section of the stairway in their house, there's no
sensible thing to grab.

Their house is plaster on lath if memory serves. Wood strips, I think,
not wire. [This is an ancient memory. My parents had a larger closet
made when I was a very young boy and I was allowed to bash away at the
plaster for a little while. I remember being disappointed when I came
back from school and found that the rest of the demolition had already
been completed. ]

Anyway, I have no experience finding studs in that kind of
construction. The walls are too rigid for me to just sound them out
with my fist. I don't own a stud finder, but I might buy one if it's
of any use in that kind of wall. I'm not eager to drill a series of
holes that I'll need to repair, and then match the paint. If it comes
down to it, I suppose I could remove the base molding and drill holes
at the bottom of the wall, but the molding is finished oak, and a
little complicated, and would be very hard to replace if an oaf like
me were to damage it.

Suggestions? I imagine I'd use oak railing parts from the Borg, by the
way.

ALTERNATIBELY, Drill lots of holes to find your studs in a straight
line even with where the rail will go.

Cover all of those holes up with a 1x4 piece of wood to match the hand
rail, anchoring it to the studs you found. Mount your hand rail to the
board you just used to cover the holes.

Funny thing. That idea occurred to me today while I was thinking about
something else. Delays really do increase the efficiency of my work
sometimes. I am seriously considering using this method.

Swingman suggested a 1/16" bit to find the studs. But I'm worried that
I may not have a sensitive enough "feel" for when I've hit a stud with
such a small bit and through thick plaster and wood lath. But a
decorative board to cover the holes seems pretty foolproof, which is
exactly the sort of method I need. Thanks.
Drill with the 1/16 bit. 2 inched max depth. Sound the holes with a
3" pin. If it stops at 2", you are in a stud. If it goes farther than
2", you are not.

Brilliant idea. I may find this for use sometime. WW

On Feb 9, 8:49*pm, "WW" wrote:
wrote in messagenews:rvodh85g8nv7e0kgcc968vc4gc0r6dek6o@4ax .com...

On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 15:10:32 -0800 (PST), Greg Guarino









wrote:
On Feb 9, 9:58 am, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:
On 2/9/2013 8:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:

This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here
can answer it.

My Dad is 92 and needs to grab onto things to climb the stairs. But
for a short section of the stairway in their house, there's no
sensible thing to grab.

Their house is plaster on lath if memory serves. Wood strips, I think,
not wire. [This is an ancient memory. My parents had a larger closet
made when I was a very young boy and I was allowed to bash away at the
plaster for a little while. I remember being disappointed when I came
back from school and found that the rest of the demolition had already
been completed. ]

Anyway, I have no experience finding studs in that kind of
construction. The walls are too rigid for me to just sound them out
with my fist. I don't own a stud finder, but I might buy one if it's
of any use in that kind of wall. I'm not eager to drill a series of
holes that I'll need to repair, and then match the paint. If it comes
down to it, I suppose I could remove the base molding and drill holes
at the bottom of the wall, but the molding is finished oak, and a
little complicated, and would be very hard to replace if an oaf like
me were to damage it.

Suggestions? I imagine I'd use oak railing parts from the Borg, by the
way.

ALTERNATIBELY, *Drill lots of holes to find your studs in a straight
line even with where the rail will go.

Cover all of those holes up with a 1x4 piece of wood to match the hand
rail, anchoring it to the studs you found. *Mount your hand rail to the
board you just used to cover the holes.

Funny thing. That idea occurred to me today while I was thinking about
something else. Delays really do increase the efficiency of my work
sometimes. I am seriously considering using this method.

Swingman suggested a 1/16" bit to find the studs. But I'm worried that
I may not have a sensitive enough "feel" for when I've hit a stud with
such a small bit and through thick plaster and wood lath. But a
decorative board to cover the holes seems pretty foolproof, which is
exactly the sort of method I need. Thanks.

* Drill with the 1/16 bit. 2 inched max depth. Sound the holes with a
3" pin. If it stops at 2", you are in a stud. If it goes farther than
2", you are not.

Brilliant idea. *I may find this for use sometime. WW

I agree. Simple and sure. I'll try it.

"Greg Guarino" wrote in message
...

Anyway, I have no experience finding studs in that kind of
construction. The walls are too rigid for me to just sound them out
with my fist. I don't own a stud finder, but I might buy one if it's
of any use in that kind of wall. I'm not eager to drill a series of
holes that I'll need to repair, and then match the paint.


If you want to go looking for studs, here's the stud finder you want to use.

http://www.garrettwade.com/product.asp?pn=25T23.01

Makes a tiny hole, less than 1/32 in diameter, that you can fill with a
little smear of toothpaste, or just leave if it's in an inconspicuous place.
Never needs batteries :-)

Tom

On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 06:57:10 -0800 (PST), Greg Guarino
wrote:

OK. Was 16" "standard" before there was sheetrock? (and yes, I'm aware
that even if it was, I might not find that spacing) The house was
built in 1939, I think. My house has plaster walls as well, but over
"plasterboard"; like sheetrock, but with a grid of holes for the
plaster to grab onto. Their house is just plaster on lath.

My 1939 California bungalow in Vista was built using full 2" x 3"
rough sawn cedar and redwood studs on 24" centers. It also had knob
and tube wiring which looked like a busy Union Telegraph Center in the
attic. 1/4" ply topped the studs for the walls and ceilings, and the
floor was full 1" thick by 4" (or 5"?) wide pineywood.

In demos, I've seen plaster over chicken wire, plaster over lath, and
plaster over chicken wire over lath, but all had studs behind them.
I think most were built 24" OC and built before WWII. Lath is spaced
to provide a place for the plaster to overflow behind it and lock it
to the wood. I haven't seen your holey lath before.

--
Newman's First Law:
It is useless to put on your brakes when you're upside down.
--Paul Newman

On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 18:41:09 -0700, "WW"
wrote:

I figure to get three or four studs; it's a very short run of stairs.
And yes, I'll be a lot happier if I get a nice long screw to groan
it's way in all the way.

Greg...Wax the screws and the go in easy. WW

I always drill pilot holes for railing hardware rather than risk a
screw breaking at the wrong time.

--
Newman's First Law:
It is useless to put on your brakes when you're upside down.
--Paul Newman

On Sat, 09 Feb 2013 10:14:49 -0500, Keith Nuttle
wrote:

On 2/9/2013 9:58 AM, Leon wrote:
On 2/9/2013 8:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:
This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here
ALTERNATIBELY, Drill lots of holes to find your studs in a straight
line even with where the rail will go.

Cover all of those holes up with a 1x4 piece of wood to match the hand
rail, anchoring it to the studs you found. Mount your hand rail to the
board you just used to cover the holes.


Just a question of interest. Using sensitive thermal imaging equipment
could you find the stud by the difference in temperature between the
wall over the between studs and the wall over the studs?

How about renting a better radar-type stud finder at the local
equipment rental place?

--
Newman's First Law:
It is useless to put on your brakes when you're upside down.
--Paul Newman

On Feb 9, 11:04*pm, Larry Jaques
wrote:
On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 06:57:10 -0800 (PST), Greg Guarino

wrote:
OK. Was 16" "standard" before there was sheetrock? (and yes, I'm aware
that even if it was, I might not find that spacing) The house was
built in 1939, I think. My house has plaster walls as well, but over
"plasterboard"; like sheetrock, but with a grid of holes for the
plaster to grab onto. Their house is just plaster on lath.

My 1939 California bungalow in Vista was built using full 2" x 3"
rough sawn cedar and redwood studs on 24" centers. It also had knob
and tube wiring which looked like a busy Union Telegraph Center in the
attic. 1/4" ply topped the studs for the walls and ceilings, and the
floor was full 1" thick by 4" (or 5"?) wide pineywood.

In demos, I've seen plaster over chicken wire, plaster over lath, and
plaster over chicken wire over lath, but all had studs behind them.
I think most were built 24" OC and built before WWII. *Lath is spaced
to provide a place for the plaster to overflow behind it and lock it
to the wood. *I haven't seen your holey lath before.

It was apparently called "rock lath" or "button board". Here's a
photo:

http://starcraftcustombuilders.com/i...lasterLath.jpg

On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 20:50:16 -0800 (PST), Greg Guarino
wrote:

On Feb 9, 11:04*pm, Larry Jaques
wrote:
On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 06:57:10 -0800 (PST), Greg Guarino

wrote:
OK. Was 16" "standard" before there was sheetrock? (and yes, I'm aware
that even if it was, I might not find that spacing) The house was
built in 1939, I think. My house has plaster walls as well, but over
"plasterboard"; like sheetrock, but with a grid of holes for the
plaster to grab onto. Their house is just plaster on lath.

My 1939 California bungalow in Vista was built using full 2" x 3"
rough sawn cedar and redwood studs on 24" centers. It also had knob
and tube wiring which looked like a busy Union Telegraph Center in the
attic. 1/4" ply topped the studs for the walls and ceilings, and the
floor was full 1" thick by 4" (or 5"?) wide pineywood.

In demos, I've seen plaster over chicken wire, plaster over lath, and
plaster over chicken wire over lath, but all had studs behind them.
I think most were built 24" OC and built before WWII. *Lath is spaced
to provide a place for the plaster to overflow behind it and lock it
to the wood. *I haven't seen your holey lath before.

It was apparently called "rock lath" or "button board". Here's a
photo:

http://starcraftcustombuilders.com/i...lasterLath.jpg

Whoa! Dat ain't lath like I know it. They're long, thin strips.
Interesting. 18x36" strips? It's downright weird.

--
In an industrial society which confuses work and productivity, the
necessity of producing has always been an enemy of the desire to create.
-- Raoul Vaneigem

Greg Guarino wrote:
On Feb 9, 9:58 am, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:
On 2/9/2013 8:16 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:









This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here
can answer it.

My Dad is 92 and needs to grab onto things to climb the stairs. But
for a short section of the stairway in their house, there's no
sensible thing to grab.

Their house is plaster on lath if memory serves. Wood strips, I think,
not wire. [This is an ancient memory. My parents had a larger closet
made when I was a very young boy and I was allowed to bash away at the
plaster for a little while. I remember being disappointed when I came
back from school and found that the rest of the demolition had already
been completed. ]

Anyway, I have no experience finding studs in that kind of
construction. The walls are too rigid for me to just sound them out
with my fist. I don't own a stud finder, but I might buy one if it's
of any use in that kind of wall. I'm not eager to drill a series of
holes that I'll need to repair, and then match the paint. If it comes
down to it, I suppose I could remove the base molding and drill holes
at the bottom of the wall, but the molding is finished oak, and a
little complicated, and would be very hard to replace if an oaf like
me were to damage it.

Suggestions? I imagine I'd use oak railing parts from the Borg, by the
way.

ALTERNATIBELY, Drill lots of holes to find your studs in a straight
line even with where the rail will go.

Cover all of those holes up with a 1x4 piece of wood to match the hand
rail, anchoring it to the studs you found. Mount your hand rail to the
board you just used to cover the holes.

Funny thing. That idea occurred to me today while I was thinking about
something else. Delays really do increase the efficiency of my work
sometimes. I am seriously considering using this method.

Swingman suggested a 1/16" bit to find the studs. But I'm worried that
I may not have a sensitive enough "feel" for when I've hit a stud with
such a small bit and through thick plaster and wood lath. But a
decorative board to cover the holes seems pretty foolproof, which is
exactly the sort of method I need. Thanks.

As dadiOH mentioned, I have been there, although I used crown molding to
hide an exterior wall alarm contact wire.

On Feb 9, 11:58*pm, Larry Jaques
wrote:
On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 20:50:16 -0800 (PST), Greg Guarino









wrote:
On Feb 9, 11:04*pm, Larry Jaques
wrote:
On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 06:57:10 -0800 (PST), Greg Guarino

wrote:
OK. Was 16" "standard" before there was sheetrock? (and yes, I'm aware
that even if it was, I might not find that spacing) The house was
built in 1939, I think. My house has plaster walls as well, but over
"plasterboard"; like sheetrock, but with a grid of holes for the
plaster to grab onto. Their house is just plaster on lath.

My 1939 California bungalow in Vista was built using full 2" x 3"
rough sawn cedar and redwood studs on 24" centers. It also had knob
and tube wiring which looked like a busy Union Telegraph Center in the
attic. 1/4" ply topped the studs for the walls and ceilings, and the
floor was full 1" thick by 4" (or 5"?) wide pineywood.

In demos, I've seen plaster over chicken wire, plaster over lath, and
plaster over chicken wire over lath, but all had studs behind them.
I think most were built 24" OC and built before WWII. *Lath is spaced
to provide a place for the plaster to overflow behind it and lock it
to the wood. *I haven't seen your holey lath before.

It was apparently called "rock lath" or "button board". Here's a
photo:

http://starcraftcustombuilders.com/i...terWall/Perfor...

Whoa! *Dat ain't lath like I know it. *They're long, thin strips.
Interesting. 18x36" strips? *It's downright weird.

I found this:

"Gypsum or rock lath is a pre-manufactured plaster board, generally 16
inches by 48 inches in size, and 3/8 inch thick. Rock lath became
popular in the 1930s as a less expensive alternative to wood lath. It
is nailed directly to the wall studs and receives two coats of plaster
over it. The rock lath is called the first coat and replaces the wood
lath and the brown coat of the previous wet plaster system. The
second coat is a cement plaster about 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch thick. The
finish coat is then applied, which is comprised of hard finish
plaster, and is approximately 1/8 inch thick."

Here's a photo of what this kind of wall looks like from the inside:

http://inspectapedia.com/interiors/P...th014-DJFs.jpg

In my house the first coat of plaster is darker, more grey, than it
looks in that picture. But the "fingers" of plaster protruding through
are very much like what is shown.

I can tell you from experience that that first coat of "cement
plaster" is some pretty rough stuff. I used a regular sheetrock Roto-
Zip bit to cut out around an electrical box (why, you ask?). It worked
well for the first two inches then stopped dead, like I'd hit an
object behind the wall. I pulled the bit out of the wall and inspected
it. A 1/4" or so of the bit had been worn down to a 1/16" thickness,
exactly where it had been in contact with the grey "cement plaster".

The positives and negatives are pretty much like what you can read
online. The walls feel nice and solid, much moreso than sheetrock. But
yes, cracks can sometimes develop. I haven't had too much problem with
that, but here and there I've had to make a repair.

So here's the "why" about cutting around the electrical box. I had a
location with two 3-way switches, one above the other. They were of
the old "despard" type, which uses a plaster ring that is unsuitable
for any current switch. So I had to cut out a piece of wall large
enough to remove the whole double-gang plate. But the fun was only
beginning. It turned out that the existing box had screw thread
locations that are also no longer standard (they were inset from the
corners of the box about an inch). And get this, the box was NOT
located against a stud. It had an arm that went off to one side
several inches which was then affixed to the nearest stud. So
replacing the whole box would have required much more damage and much
more repair. If the builders weren't already dead I might have had to
kill them.

I ended up tapping threads into the corners of the *rear* panel of the
box and using long screws to hold the new plaster ring on. Followed by
an education in how to repair a hole in a plaster wall. Another "2
hour job" that took a weekend.

On Saturday, February 9, 2013 9:16:55 AM UTC-5, Greg Guarino wrote:
This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here

can answer it.



My Dad is 92 and needs to grab onto things to climb the stairs. But

for a short section of the stairway in their house, there's no

sensible thing to grab.



Their house is plaster on lath if memory serves. Wood strips, I think,

not wire. [This is an ancient memory. My parents had a larger closet

made when I was a very young boy and I was allowed to bash away at the

plaster for a little while. I remember being disappointed when I came


Locate the nail holes in the baseboard and you will know where the studs are.

RP

On Sun, 10 Feb 2013 07:57:59 -0800 (PST), RP wrote:

On Saturday, February 9, 2013 9:16:55 AM UTC-5, Greg Guarino wrote:
This is not really a woodworking question, but I figure someone here

can answer it.



My Dad is 92 and needs to grab onto things to climb the stairs. But

for a short section of the stairway in their house, there's no

sensible thing to grab.



Their house is plaster on lath if memory serves. Wood strips, I think,

not wire. [This is an ancient memory. My parents had a larger closet

made when I was a very young boy and I was allowed to bash away at the

plaster for a little while. I remember being disappointed when I came


Locate the nail holes in the baseboard and you will know where the studs are.

I thought baseboard was nailed into the bottom plate.