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Positioning of the Wooden Laths
For plastering on the hard, the background to adhere to will normally be either brick or stone.
For lath and plaster work, wooden laths are fixed by butt and break joints to joists or battens fixed back to wall or
ceiling, with gaps between the laths of approx, 8-10mm. These are normally fixed with thin non ferrous lathing nails
to avoid splitting the ends of the wood. It is important that the gap between the laths is not too great, master craftsmen
often gauge the distance by placing their little finger on top of the last lath to ensure the right size of gap.
The Wooden laths, 1¼ wide x ¼" thick (usually oak, chestnut or Scots pine) can be either sawn
or riven (i.e. traditionally hand made) and are thoroughly dampened before plastering. If mortar is applied to dry
laths they are likely to swell, causing them to bow either inwards or outwards.
Riven lath's are much stronger
and provide a much better keying surface because of their rough texture. Both oak and chestnut make particularly good
riven lath as they contain natural oils to ensure long life.
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