Hello
We're looking at an old 3 level (walk up attic) Victorian, early 1900s. Structurally, it appears to be sound, solid foundation, straight lines, etc - however, most of the walls in the house have floor to ceiling wood paneling (nice looking wood, not 70's style!) which appears to have been put up over the original plaster, and accoustical tiles on the first floor ceiling, a dropped ceiling in a bedroom on the second floor, etc. In the 2 bedrooms that do still have walls and ceilings exposed, the walls seem OK, but there is considerable fine cracking in the ceilings. I guess what I'm asking is, how should we react to having most of the walls covered in this manner, and to have tiles or dropped ceilings? From reading various sources, this was a common way of dealing with plaster issues, but should we be considering this a good thing that all of these things were already done (it does look nice, not a shotty job by any means), or should we see this as a point of concern? Most of this stuff was clearly done many many years ago, based on the etchings and painted patterns that were applied to them. Thanks for any thoughts...

I do a lot of renovating of old houses. I do see a lot of the things that you mentioned used to deal with old plaster.

Acoustic tiles were all the rage a while ago. The biggest problem that I've seen with them is that over time, the tiles sometimes tend to sag in the middle, especially if they weren't installed correctly. One thing that I have done to dress up acoustic tiles is to paint them. You have to put a good sealer on first, like Kilz odorless, otherwise the tiles will just soak up the paint like a sponge.

In house built in the 20's or earlier, the plaster is usually applied over wooden slats of lath. Actually the first layer that was put on the lath was usually a mixture of cement, lime and sand, and is very hard. If you ever need to drill it, use a masonry bit. One thing that I have done to replace bad plaster walls is to remove the plaster down to the lath and put drywall on top of it. It is a very dirty job, but it's actually not as hard as it sounds. All you need to do is take a mason's chisel and hammer it under the plaster. Once you get under it it usually peels off the lath fairly easily. Sometimes it comes down in big chunks, so you have to be careful to not get hit by the falling debris.

Another option is to put 1/4" drywall (sometimes hard to find, but it is available) right on top of the old plaster. The biggest drawback to this is dealing with the trim, but if you are planning to paint the trim, sometimes you can get away with cutting the drywall around the trim and filling in the cracks with joint compound.

Thanks for the reply!

The accoustical tiles look pretty old (have a lot of character) - don't see any sagging or drooping so that is a positive. As for the wood paneling, it is all trimmed up around the wood doorframes, and anything it meets. The downside for me is that it does take away from the depth of the wood framing. I guess I'm looking at this and wondering how it will be perceived in 10 years when time to sell...

In your opinion, when you see these additions to an old house (1912 in this case), do you consider them a positive for home value, assuming they fit the vintage look and were installed professionally?

In your opinion, when you see these additions to an old house (1912 in this case), do you consider them a positive for home value, assuming they fit the vintage look and were installed professionally?These days, most people that are looking to buy an old house are definitely looking for much of the original character of the house. Things such as hardwood floors, natural finish on moldings, crown moldings, etc. are a must.

Most hardwood floors can be refinished to look fabulous. I have seen some very nasty looking hardwood turn into a beautiful floor that looks as good as when it was new. Rent a floor sander, put on some ear protection, and sand, sand, sand.

But even buyers of old houses tend to want modern kitchens and baths. I almost always put granite countertops in kitchens--buyers love them. There are a lot of good vintage-looking bathroom fixtures available that can allow you to update a bathroom, but retain its vintage charm.

When I renovate old houses, I try to retain as much of the original feel of the house, but blend the modern in as tastefully as I can.

I put anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000 into renovations, and have always been able to get a good return on my investment. Kitchens and baths are what sells houses--that's where I put most of my money. The rest is mostly cleanup and refinishing.