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Stuck between screws and nails for hanging over old plaster.
Screws feel solid, but nails go in fast without cracking the lath. Which way do you lean on these tricky walls?
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haydenmurray2mo ago
Maybe @michaeltorres is overthinking it, but are cracks from nails really that big a deal?
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paige3312mo ago
Oh, the classic speed versus surprise repair debate. I'm with Michael on this one. Nails are a quick date that might trash your place, screws are the slow one who helps you clean up. That lightning bolt crack Amy mentioned? That's your wall telling you it preferred the careful option. I'll take ten extra minutes with a drill over an afternoon with spackle any day.
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michaeltorres2mo ago
Honestly, the real issue isn't screws or nails but how they go in... hammering vibrates the whole lath. A pilot hole for a screw disturbs less material, so it's kinder to that old brittle plaster. Speed might tempt you with nails, but a slow screw job means no surprise cracks later.
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amy_anderson2mo ago
Yeah, that bit about hammering vibrating the lath is spot on. My buddy skipped pilot holes and used nails for his plaster, and now his ceiling has a crack that looks like a lightning bolt. He's kicking himself for rushing it.
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