# Forum Home Renovation Demolition  how much effort to rip this plaster off?

## toooldforthis

Haven't seen this used in Perth before but remembering it from the 60's in Sydney.
sort of mesh with terracotta nodules, nailed to frame/rafters then plastered. 
this lot is pretty thick, maybe 20mm. attached to jarrah/karri timbers *I have got the feeling it is going to be a lot of work to take off.*
advantages to removal? rewiring (timber frame, skillion roof), insulating external walls, might even move some walls. 
anyone removed this stuff before?

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## DaveTTC

Hard to say. If few fixings are used should come easy. I imagine clouts were used. If the heads snap easy or the plaster pulls through it should not be too bad. Typically I start at a bottom corner and try to peel old stuff off in a single sheet. If it starts to come off that way you will be able to flick from the bottom the way you air or flick a blanket on a bed and it will pop all the way up.  
Let us know how u go.

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## anangia

We recently renovated our laundry room and there was a small area which had this same stuff. It is very strong.  
I did manage to remove it. However it was hard work. I just used a hammer and started banging it and the section become weak and very soon the whole section came tumbling down. However, the initial start off was very hard work. Plus lots of dust in the house. 
As it was my first time demolishing  I was not very literate. If I had to redo it again, I would just take a small jack hammer and start using that instead of doing it using manual hammer. 
But worth the effort  :Smilie:

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## toooldforthis

> We recently renovated our laundry room and there was a small area which had this same stuff. It is very strong.  
> I did manage to remove it. However it was hard work. I just used a hammer and started banging it and the section become weak and very soon the whole section came tumbling down. However, the initial start off was very hard work. Plus lots of dust in the house. 
> As it was my first time demolishing  I was not very literate. If I had to redo it again, I would just take a small jack hammer and start using that instead of doing it using manual hammer. 
> But worth the effort

  thanks for the replies.
When in Sydney I seem to remember it being only in wet areas (my school holiday job was cleaning up building sites) but this house is *all* done like it, ceilings included, and the plaster work is way thick. I was going to keep most of it but other trades in to quote on stuff, electricians, roofers etc all want it removed. Of course they do, it makes their job easier but my job more expen$ive. 
will be trying a small wall area in the next week or so.

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## toooldforthis

> Hard to say. If few fixings are used should come easy. I imagine clouts were used. If the heads snap easy or the plaster pulls through it should not be too bad. Typically I start at a bottom corner and try to peel old stuff off in a single sheet. If it starts to come off that way you will be able to flick from the bottom the way you air or flick a blanket on a bed and it will pop all the way up.  
> Let us know how u go.

  just like flicking a blanket?  :Biggrin: 
okay had a go this arvo, about 3m2, no change out of 2 hours.  :No: 
have about 100m2 of ceilings and 200m2 of walls to go. might rethink that. ceilings will be a lot harder 
started trying to take the backing and plaster off in one go. not possible.
so took plaster off then backing. some bits tricky in the corner with later stud work jamming backing.

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## DaveTTC

> just like flicking a blanket? 
> okay had a go this arvo, about 3m2, no change out of 2 hours. 
> have about 100m2 of ceilings and 200m2 of walls to go. might rethink that. ceilings will be a lot harder 
> started trying to take the backing and plaster off in one go. not possible.
> so took plaster off then backing. some bits tricky in the corner with later stud work jamming backing. 
> <img src="http://www.renovateforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=96909"/><img src="http://www.renovateforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=96910"/><img src="http://www.renovateforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=96911"/><img src="http://www.renovateforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=96912"/><img src="http://www.renovateforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=96913"/><img src="http://www.renovateforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=96914"/>

  Ok so they didn't use clouts. That was some serious tying it on lol 
Well many of us have learned a serious lesson - I thank you for your pain. Definitely bookmarking this in case I come up against it one day. 
While I laugh on the inside I feel your pain.

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## anangia

That is some serious stuff. I only had about 1.5m2 to remove. It is one nasty stuff to deal with. Keep going mate. Install Gyprock and no more pain. 
Keep the photos coming.

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## goldie1

Gees who ever installed that must have owned shares in a nail factory. Must remember to run a mile if I ever come across it. Good luck   Whats the mesh made of?

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## paddyjoy

That looks nasty, could you pry it off with a long bar? or could you cut sections out with a grinder and diamond blade, would be messy but if your not living in the house it might make getting it off easier?

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## David.Elliott

that was most probably put up before nail guns...
So he probably had a apprentice that could not hit a nail and needed practice.. 
'oi!... here's 20lbs of nails, I wanna see 'em all in the studs by the time I get back...from the pub"

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## r3nov8or

I've had to remove/modify Conite walls in the past, which is formed with a similar concept, and as suggested it is indeed easier to slice it up using a grinder and remove it in complete managable slabs.

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## SilentButDeadly

Holy smokes....that's even worse than asbestos sheeting!!  Nails, wire, plaster and...<stuff>.  I thought Conite was bad enough! 
A bigger crowbar? ...perhaps a reciprocating saw to cut the nails as you 'fold' the sheet down? 
Either way...sheeting gyprock onto well seasoned hardwood isn't exactly a barrel of funnies either.

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## toooldforthis

just an update. 
took the wall out.
using recycled doors and windows to reclaim the 60's. 
before/during:  
after:

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## shauck

Looks great. Nice one.

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## Sir Stinkalot

> That looks nasty, could you pry it off with a long bar? or could you cut sections out with a grinder and diamond blade, would be messy but if your not living in the house it might make getting it off easier?

  I think this sounds like a good plan. By looking at your photos it should (could) be possible to follow the lines of the studs and noggings and cut through it all in one go enabling you to remove the entire square almost complete. Then come back and pry the remainder off the studs. Obviously you would need to be mindful of power and bracing so a few inspection holes may be needed.

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## DaveTTC

looking good - I echo the words

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## toooldforthis

here we go again  :Rolleyes:   :Rolleyes:

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