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The
last 85 years have seen some dramatic shifts in the wall and ceiling
industry. In 1938, lath and plaster were king of interior finishing for
walls and ceilings. Even with metal lath already being invented, wood
lath was the predominant lath used throughout the ’30s and ’40s for
interior plaster. Drywall was invented in 1894. However, it was “rock
lath,” the father of drywall, which first grabbed significant market
share by replacing wood lath. This gypsum-based lath was soon the rage
as the housing economy heated up after World War II.
In
1938, interior plastering was so popular in America that manufacturers
had successfully overcome the need for lime pits with double-hydrated
lime and developed many pre-blended finish coats. Even basecoat gypsum,
known as “hard wall,” was a mainstay for three decades. I can remember,
as a young boy, being paid to scrape interior hard wall plaster in
preparation for the base coat of finish, or “putty,” coat. In the middle
of the century, gypsum plastering was so popular and widespread that
manufacturers had to formulate various interior finish gauging plasters
and limes to meet specific regional preferences.