Anyone screw with lathe/plaster? Electrical ?

[Stumplegriltskin]

Customer of mine wants me to install a ceiling light. Current light just has a wire and a hole. I told him I wont do it unless I put in an old work box. Problem is I am not that well versed with plaster / lathe. Guy says the shit crumbles when he puts screws in it. So I'm wondering if something like this, which I've purchased is going to work. I know the teeth are going to be useless with this box, as plaster is like cement, but my question is, if I get through the plaster then use a jig saw to cut the slats, will this work out?

I'm worried about the whole fucking ceiling coming down. Any tips, appreciated. Maybe a bunch of painters tape around the area to prevent the whole area from cracking?

 

[Geo]

Pain in the ass. Dig a hole, put up light fixture, use 3/8 sheetrock and cover the ceiling.

 

[JackBootedThug]

Should be able to install a box easily. Get your hole to big fill it with joint compound. The only plaster work I have done is demolition though. Sorry.

 

[JackBootedThug]

 

[Stumplegriltskin]

Yeah already watched that LOL. Shit is a fucking horror show as far as dust.

 

[JackBootedThug]

Lot worse than drywall… they say it’s better for you health wise. It breathes and doesn’t off gas like everything else. I couldn’t imagine doing plaster for a living though unless you were spraying that shit. Like a popcorn finish or something.

 

[Floyd Eye]

Lot worse than drywall… they say it’s better for you health wise. It breathes and doesn’t off gas like everything else. I couldn’t imagine doing plaster for a living though unless you were spraying that shit. Like a popcorn finish or something.

Popcorn finishes suck. Eventually you want to get rid of it. And that is a pain in the ass.

The art of plastering is dead. Literally. I used to have a guy I used for that. He died.

 

[JackBootedThug]

Popcorn finishes suck. Eventually you want to get rid of it. And that is a pain in the ass.

The art of plastering is dead. Literally. I used to have a guy I used for that. He died.

Yup. I regret doing it every time I paint. At the time I was in a rush.

 

[VonBonfire]

Not sure how the whole ceiling would come down if there is lathe underneath the plaster. I had a house , 1947 circa, finished that way but only had to cut holes to access plumbing leaks in the wall. More work to cut into than drywall and patching it back up was a pain.. Maybe I'm off base with my assessment but I don't see how. Maybe one of the handier guys here could explain why this is a problem since lathe is strips of wood backing it and is a lot tougher than drywall. The plaster was crumbliy but I can't see how the ceiling would give way.. I'd honestly like to know if/how I'm off base here....

 

[Al Chapo]

Use a holesaw and a retrofit octagon.

 

[Stumplegriltskin]

Not sure how the whole ceiling would come down if there is lathe underneath the plaster. I had a house , 1947 circa, finished that way but only had to cut holes to access plumbing leaks in the wall. More work to cut into than drywall and patching it back up was a pain.. Maybe I'm off base with my assessment but I don't see how. Maybe one of the handier guys here could explain why this is a problem since lathe is strips of wood backing it and is a lot tougher than drywall. The plaster was crumbliy but I can't see how the ceiling would give way.. I'd honestly like to know if/how I'm off base here....

I'm exaggerating. I just remember putting up blinds and curtain rods for one of my customer in a huge old place. Put up 30 of them and the walls were like you could push your finger into the wall. Above the windows, there seemed to be no slats and I couldn't get a screw to attach, or an anchor in the plaster. Absolute horror show. I just don't want a situation where I cause a crack in the whole ceiling.

 

[Stumplegriltskin]

Use a holesaw and a retrofit octagon.

Some of that old plaster will eat the teeth right off a hole saw, according to a video I saw.
I bought the one in the original post.

 

[70 Mach 1]

Use a bar box. Cut a hole for the box in the ceiling.
Try to get it midway between 2 beams.

Take the bar box apart.

Flip the anchor legs around Or upside down

Cut 2 small holes near each beam.

Feed the wire through the box but leave it loose.

Slide the bar box in the hole and jimmy it around until the anchor legs pop through the small holes.

Get 2 steel screws and screw it into the beam on each side. Tighten the wire clamps.

Patch the 2 small holes.
Done.