Get matched with top plaster repair specialists in Bogata, TX

Once dried, Venetian plaster becomes a rock-like substance that’s durable and excellent at resisting damage. If properly sealed to resist moisture and maintained, Venetian plaster should last for at least a decade but potentially as long as a lifetime. Thanks to its mineral content, it can also develop a patina.

Drying alone can take 1 to 4 hours to dry to the touch per plaster layer, but some types of plaster take several hours longer to dry. However, this doesn’t mean the job is done because plaster doesn’t fully harden until it cures, which can take a few days to a couple of weeks. It may take even longer if you’re building a new, pretty thick plaster wall. Allow the plaster to cure before painting it.

If your home was built before the 1940s and was not remodeled in the past 50 or so years, you probably have plaster walls. Aside from assuming, there are some practical ways to tell if you have plaster walls, including the following: If you knock on the wall and it feels solid, not hollow, if you can’t insert a thumbtack easily, if there are cracks that look like spiderwebs, or if your home has curved, arched, or swirled walls, doorways, or window openings.

If you have an unfinished basement or attic, you could examine the backs of any finished walls to check, too.

You can drywall over plaster, but there are some things to consider. First, installing drywall over plaster will increase the wall’s thickness. This could create challenges for window and door frames that no longer fit the wall’s thickness. You may also have to adjust power outlets so they are accessible. When done right, drywall can create a smooth, flat appearance, but it’s best when handled by professionals.