What Is Horsehair Plaster?

If you’re renovating an older or historic property at the moment, you may well have come across horsehair plaster, also referred to as lath and plaster, typically a mixture of horsehair, plaster, sand and lime.

Drywall is more common in newer buildings, but there are all sorts of benefits to using lath and plaster, including structural strength and greater flexibility, making it easier to plaster curved or irregularly shaped walls.

It’s also worth noting that, while modern drywall is a more cost-effective option, it could be a false economy, since plaster provides better soundproofing, fireproofing and better insulation. It also doesn’t harbour mould, so it represents a healthier option, as well.

If your home already has plaster walls, it makes a lot more sense to stick with this if you can, rather than replacing it, especially in historic properties where you want to keep the original features of the building.

Not only is lath and plaster higher quality as a material in building work, it also looks a lot better than drywall does, so this is also something worth considering if you want to enhance the aesthetics of your property. It can also increase the value of the property itself, another consideration to bear in mind.

Avoid removing plaster and replacing or covering it up with drywall, as this can make your rooms look smaller and contrast quite harshly with other features in the space, such as mouldings, cornices and so on.

You should also perhaps avoid gutting the rooms, as this will remove everything, including all the original features of the property. A professional contractor will be able to carry out repair work without resorting to a gut renovation.