[slowjo]

We are doign a lof of repair work on a newly bought 1880's colonial. When we removed the siding we saw this;

aside from the obvious rot and issues we were getting at there is vVertical lath and plaster on the inside of the wall. Does anyone know why this was done? Its only on one section of the house for about 15ft.

 

[Bob Mariani]

looks like it was patched, maybe from a leaking window above.

 

[Ron6519]

It looks like the original wood siding was also the sheathing substitute. Did you remove that as well or was there just the vinyl siding?
I see "J" track at the top of the exposed wood and lath, what was below this? You don't normally have a "J" track in the middle of a wall.
Is that the plaster of the interior wall?
Ron

 

[slowjo]

Thats the bottom of a window frame. There was Vinyl covering concrete tile siding, tar paper under that, then the original wood siding, then 130 year old tar paper, then 1" tongue and groove, then exposed whatyou see now under that. The plaster is between the interior side which was plaster at one time and the exterior tongue and groove. So it was burried in the wall against the toungue and grrove. I just think thats totally bizare

 

[Bob Mariani]

Seems it is what I said. A bad window leak and then patched without knowing to do plaster.

 

[slowjo]

I dont think so, I'm fairly certain it was original. Its horse hair plaster and it looks like the rest of the plaster in the house. Its not just under a window, its from the corner of the house and extends about about a 3rd of the house. There was healthy original wood behind it, there would be no reasons to plaster inside of a wall. Unless you wanted your finished wall to have exposed studs?

 

[Ron6519]

If this situation occurred under this window, there's a good chance it's happening under all of them. Are these replacment windows or new construction windows?
Do you have a photo of this window? Are all the windows the same?
Ron

 

[Gary in WA]

Maybe the owner then was a paranoid plasterer, worried someone would shoot him through a wall because he kept skipping with the money.
To stop the rising water from the river when it beached the banks.
Because his dog liked that neighbor's dog and kept digging through the 1st interior wall.
Was a plaster, not a carpenter, wanted to stop the air leaks from poorly installed siding.
Early sound control for his 12 children from the neighbor. Trying to find the time to finish the wall higher was difficult, to say the least. Be safe, GBAR

 

[slowjo]

I think GBAR is probably right.

If this situation occurred under this window, there's a good chance it's happening under all of them. Are these replacment windows or new construction windows?
Do you have a photo of this window? Are all the windows the same?

Ron, the problem at the bottom was caused by ignorance. A previous owner thought it would be nice not to have to step up into his home, so he concreted up to the doorway. Concrete against the sill/studs/joist ends retained water and rotted them all out. The slab after years ended up pitched towards the house. No gutters didnt help. The windows are all screwed up too. We just go the house.

See the following thread: http://www.diychatroom.com/f19/rotted-sill-plate-joist-ends-stud-bottoms-oh-my-41337-new-post/

 

[Maintenance 6]

I've run into that in old houses. I think it was an attempt at some insulating qualities. A sort of extra layer of plaster to slow down the heat loss through the walls. It's usually just a scratch coat on lath.

 

[slowjo]

I've run into that in old houses. I think it was an attempt at some insulating qualities

cool. That was sort of my initial thought. If any of you guys want to help me out with the other issues, feel free to check out this thread.