# Plaster walls and Lathe



## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

You don't really need to find the studs. Use 1/4" toggle bolts.
Ron


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## ChrWright (Aug 19, 2007)

Stud finders will not work with plaster/lathe.

It would have to be one VERY small cabinet to mount to the lathe only.

You can find the studs by drilling test holes with a masonry drill bit where the cabinet will go, OR... look at the baseboard for the finish nails---they are usually into studs. Another method is to use the receptacles and switches. The boxes are usually nailed to studs & you can use them to establish a 16" layout to ballpark where the studs should be.

1/4" toggle bolts are a poor fastener for a cabinet in plaster, IMO....


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## andromelas (Jan 3, 2008)

*find studs in lathe*

use a magnetic finder or metal detector finder, to find the nails, 
you can buy a magnetic one for under 3.00 or try this trick

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Use-a-Magnet-to-find-Studs/


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## oldfrt (Oct 18, 2007)

ChrWright said:


> Stud finders will not work with plaster/lathe.
> 
> It would have to be one VERY small cabinet to mount to the lathe only.
> 
> ...



Not necessarily true in older homes with lath and plaster.A lot of the electrical boxes were just set in the walls where needed or in the baseboards.
I have never found an older home with plaster and lathe that have studs on 16" centers.
However the small finish nail method along with tapping on the wall to find the sweat spot(where the stud is)will help along with a stud finder,provided there wasn't metal lathe used.Some models can be adjusted for the depth of the plaster(sensitivity setting)
Molly bolts are a good solution in case there isn't a couple of studs in the area where the cabinet is going.

The problem with the Toggle bolts is,once it's through the wall,it isn't coming back out ,so you have to set it through the cabinet,line it up with a pre-drilled holes and tighten it up while holding pressure on it so it doesn't spin behind the wall .
Molly's on the other hand can be pre-drilled and set in the wall and the screw can be extracted to insert through the cabinet .

Best shot is to try and find a couple of studs,easier and guaranteed support.
Sometimes you can see the spacing in the studs by going in the attic.A lot of the older homes were balloon framed and the exposed stud you see in the attic is the same one all the way down to the first floor.

Also in Connecticut
JR


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## Rehabber (Dec 29, 2005)

oldfrt said:


> Not necessarily true in older homes with lath and plaster.A lot of the electrical boxes were just set in the walls where needed
> 
> 
> JR


Excellent advice:yes:


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## BCClassic (Aug 24, 2017)

Lathe is challenging . . . .


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I've never seen a plaster lathe :biggrin2:

While everyone things of the wooden slats as plaster lath they also used gypsum lath for a lot of years. Now it's blue board [similar to drywall]


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