OP
Ductape
Elite Member
Thanks to everyone for the responses.
Pseudo...... sounds like you have completed a project nearly identical to mine. I wasn't 100% sure it was plaster in the joints...... maybe 70% sure. Now i'm at least 95% sure it IS plaster. I will look at the Depot or Lowes locally for some plaster mix this weekend.
Mike.... the is no horsehair in the plaster filling the cracks..... but there is plenty of it in the plaster on the walls. I have refinished the walls in two rooms so far, using mesh tape and joint compound to repair a hundred and thirty some-odd years of holes where pictures were hung, and cracks where the house has settled. Unfortunately, my patches don't exactly match the existing plaster. They are pretty smoothe, where the original plaster has the nubs of hair sticking out of the plaster.... almost making it look like it could use a shave. However.... i can live with that, since re-plastering all the walls is not in the plan. It looks as though the walls and floor were plastered at the same time..... just doesn't appear to be any hair in the plaster in the floor.
Scotty.... i appreciate the advise ! I played with the sander on a small section yesterday with 36 grit. It did OK, but i do think i may try a small section with the next grit down (somewhere around 28 grit or so?) , as some of the floor boards have a fair curl to them. I did opt for the orbital sander as i read many times during my research that inexperience with a drum sander will destroy pine floors in the blink of an eye.
I have no desire to make the floors look new, but i DO want my old floors to look nice ! Just wanted whatever i fill the cracks with to look close to what is still there. In fact.... when i did the small room last fall.... i intentionally left a little of the grey paint (that the floor had been painted with many years ago) in the dents because i felt it gave the floor a more rustic look.
Maybe i'll post a pic or two as i go. If anyone else has done this ... please keep the advise coming ! I've got a long way to go !
Scott
Pseudo...... sounds like you have completed a project nearly identical to mine. I wasn't 100% sure it was plaster in the joints...... maybe 70% sure. Now i'm at least 95% sure it IS plaster. I will look at the Depot or Lowes locally for some plaster mix this weekend.
Mike.... the is no horsehair in the plaster filling the cracks..... but there is plenty of it in the plaster on the walls. I have refinished the walls in two rooms so far, using mesh tape and joint compound to repair a hundred and thirty some-odd years of holes where pictures were hung, and cracks where the house has settled. Unfortunately, my patches don't exactly match the existing plaster. They are pretty smoothe, where the original plaster has the nubs of hair sticking out of the plaster.... almost making it look like it could use a shave. However.... i can live with that, since re-plastering all the walls is not in the plan. It looks as though the walls and floor were plastered at the same time..... just doesn't appear to be any hair in the plaster in the floor.
Scotty.... i appreciate the advise ! I played with the sander on a small section yesterday with 36 grit. It did OK, but i do think i may try a small section with the next grit down (somewhere around 28 grit or so?) , as some of the floor boards have a fair curl to them. I did opt for the orbital sander as i read many times during my research that inexperience with a drum sander will destroy pine floors in the blink of an eye.
I have no desire to make the floors look new, but i DO want my old floors to look nice ! Just wanted whatever i fill the cracks with to look close to what is still there. In fact.... when i did the small room last fall.... i intentionally left a little of the grey paint (that the floor had been painted with many years ago) in the dents because i felt it gave the floor a more rustic look.
Maybe i'll post a pic or two as i go. If anyone else has done this ... please keep the advise coming ! I've got a long way to go !
Scott
