Demolition, or Behold the Power of a Four Pound Hammer

This is what our living room looks like today. I did this all with a four pound hammer and a snow shovel. Here is how. I took the hammer and hit up and down the wall to loosen the plaster from the slats behind it. At first I hit hard enough to go through the plaster and the slats but I learned how hard to hit it just to crack the plaster. I did this up and down the walls until I thought I had the plaster just hanging there. Then I used the hammer to open up an area to the slats big enough for the blade of this snow shovel. For the most part, the plaster fell off the wall like butter off a hot knife. I decided to leave the lath on the wall. There is blown in insulation behind it and I want to preserve that.

Really, it was easier than I thought it would be. But I will admit, it was really amazing how much heavier that hammer got as the day went on. Eerie.

When removing horsehair plaster, it is really important to use all eye and respiratory safety precautions. There are things in this plaster that can make you sick so I didn't take any chances. And I learned that although wearing the hat backwards looks cooler, the bill of the hat helps keep plaster crumbles out of my safety glasses.

After a while, I was able to lose the coat, even though there is no heat in the house. I finished removing the walls in the living room and the library and tomorrow will take some of the moulding out of the house and get started on the kid's play area.

This seems to be moving along rather well (knock on wood.) Tomorrow I will call to get trash service started to get some of this plaster out of here and hopefully remove the plaster from the walls in the kids play room. I also need to call an electrician and schedule a time for him to come by and look at the wiring.

Overall, I am happy with the progress of the main floor.