I'm done fooling around with bad drywall installers.

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LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
That's what a drywall hatchet is for.

Did you notice the drywall was narrow sheets?
16 inches wide. That's what was used for plaster veneer. That's what came after plaster and lath. That was the beginning of drywall. Metal mesh in corners, and 1/2 of plaster on top. Much faster than nailing on all those narrow lath boards
You just beat me to it. The house we moved into when I was built that way.

Plaster over scratch coat over gypsum lath.
 

James L

Senior Member
Location
Kansas Cty, Mo, USA
Occupation
Electrician
You just beat me to it. The house we moved into when I was built that way.

Plaster over scratch coat over gypsum lath.
I've worked in a lot of houses with plaster veneer. Door jambs were wide, just like when plaster and lath were used. But I lived in a 50s duplex that was interesting.

Door jambs were 4-9/16 like modern.
1/2" drywall lath was put on tight to jambs.

Then a 1/2" metal 1/4 round with mesh backing was nailed onto the jamb and covered the edge of the drywall befor plaster went on.

The end result was narrower jambs, and no wood trim. It looked ok except for the baseboard had no transition at the doors. It just stopped
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Wow! Finishing a wall used to be a lot harder and require much more skill than today.
That was when they used gypsum lath, now imagine installing all that wood lath before they had gypsum lath. One thing they didn't worry about as much with wood lath was keeping things plumb, level, square. Sheet goods made plumb, level, square become more important so that the sheets would end on a framing member.
 

Coppersmith

Senior Member
Location
Tampa, FL, USA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Now imagine if they eliminated the skill out of our jobs by having pre-fabricated wiring and devices in wall sections for houses. Mount wall board, plug wall wiring together. Circuit breaker panels come prewired. Just plug your wiring into the receptacles around the outside of the can.
 

James L

Senior Member
Location
Kansas Cty, Mo, USA
Occupation
Electrician
Now imagine if they eliminated the skill out of our jobs by having pre-fabricated wiring and devices in wall sections for houses. Mount wall board, plug wall wiring together. Circuit breaker panels come prewired. Just plug your wiring into the receptacles around the outside of the can.
They tried that back in the 50s

We have entire houses here with prefabbed wall sections. Door sections have a switch in them already. Wall sections are with or without receptacles. Molding golds sections together
 

drcampbell

Senior Member
Location
The Motor City, Michigan USA
Occupation
Registered Professional Engineer
They did that during WWII at the Willow Run airplane factory. Fuselage halves were fitted with devices, wiring & piping before being assembled. A lot more people could work simultaneously than if they all tried to cram themselves into an assembled fuselage. Along with a zillion other well-orchestrated techniques, it enabled them to manufacture 24 airplanes per day.
Nose_Fuselage_Side_PanelB-24LiberatorWW2Construction.jpeg
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
When I first read thread title I though OP was planning on opening drywalling business or division, and refuses to install wiring on projects if he doesn't get the drywall bid also;)
 

Coppersmith

Senior Member
Location
Tampa, FL, USA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
When I first read thread title I though OP was planning on opening drywalling business or division, and refuses to install wiring on projects if he doesn't get the drywall bid also;)
I have contemplated putting a drywaller on staff. I routinely have to say to clients "I'm going to have to open this wall to run wire. You'll have to hire a drywall guy to fix the wall." It would be nice to say instead "our drywall guy will fix the wall. (but the repainting is up to you)."
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
I have contemplated putting a drywaller on staff. I routinely have to say to clients "I'm going to have to open this wall to run wire. You'll have to hire a drywall guy to fix the wall." It would be nice to say instead "our drywall guy will fix the wall. (but the repainting is up to you)."
I just recently told a client that was concerned about a big hole in the ceiling after I remove something no longer needed that I could put a piece of drywall in the hole right away, but you need to finish or find someone to finish it.
 

Coppersmith

Senior Member
Location
Tampa, FL, USA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I just recently told a client that was concerned about a big hole in the ceiling after I remove something no longer needed that I could put a piece of drywall in the hole right away, but you need to finish or find someone to finish it.

I am able many times to remove and replace a strip of drywall. I give thought to where the studs are when I cut it away so the patch has a place to rest on when replaced.
 

Frank DuVal

Senior Member
Location
Fredericksburg, VA 21 Hours from Winged Horses wi
Occupation
Electrical Contractor, Electrical Engineer
I used to go to the joist/stud, now I just use scrap chunks of wood (1 X will work) behind the opening that can be smaller. Screw to existing wall and patch piece. Sort of like the wings on an old work box.

Parent's house was built with those plaster boards, 1950.

I like wood lath for rework, you can screw the "plaster ears" to the lath to secure the new box, if you drill a small hole first.
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I have adopted a few patching methods over the years. One is mentioned above: hold one or two lengths of 1x2 against the back of the wall, run screws through the wall surface to pull the 1x2 against the back of the wall, then screw patch to 1x2.

Another, which is better for small holes, is to cut a piece a couple of inches larger than the hole, cut the back side to fit in the hole, then peel the excess gypsum off the front, leaving the paper like a flange, to mud to the wall without needing tape.

If doing recessed-light removal or relocation, I'll use the appropriate hole-saw to make a round patch, or save one from a new hole, and use the 1x2 method. I always carry a small tub of joint compound, mesh tape, and a couple of taping knives.
 

mikeames

Senior Member
Location
Germantown MD
Occupation
Teacher - Master Electrician - 2017 NEC
If doing recessed-light removal or relocation, I'll use the appropriate hole-saw to make a round patch,

Same, it's so much nicer than hand cut. I use traditional hole saws and run them backwards so they don't grab. Works perfectly.
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Same, it's so much nicer than hand cut. I use traditional hole saws and run them backwards so they don't grab. Works perfectly.
I learned about running hole-saws in reverse years ago, when I installed car stereos in the days of 8-track players. It kept from pulling carpeting threads when making speaker holes.

These also work well. The ears break off after screwing to the wall:

1610384932233.png 1610385013125.png
 
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Coppersmith

Senior Member
Location
Tampa, FL, USA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Another, which is better for small holes, is to cut a piece a couple of inches larger than the hole, cut the back side to fit in the hole, then peel the excess gypsum off the front, leaving the paper like a flange, to mud to the wall without needing tape.
Some pro drywallers I know call this a "Hollywood Hot Patch". I have no idea why.
 
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