Posted by nhs76 on April 04, 2006 at 24:11:56:
It is possible to remove plaster from lathe. I did it when rehabbing my last house. Just don’t make my incredibly stupid rookie mistake and try to shop-vac up the plaster dust afterward! I filled the whole house with plaster dust suspended in the air, because the vacuum’s filter was not fine enough to catch the particles.
On the positive side, it looked right pretty in the sunlight… 
Repair with plaster vs. drywall - Posted by Marcia
Posted by Marcia on April 03, 2006 at 09:36:55:
Have a plaster wall that was damaged by a leak. Approximate size is about 5 ft x 2 ft wide. Can the plaster be cut out to the studs and a piece of drywall put in for the repair?
Hammer Time - Posted by Mike
Posted by Mike on April 03, 2006 at 10:23:37:
There are several ways to repair your wall. You can do a Google search for “plaster lathe” for ideas.
For an area that size, I would break the loose plaster away from the lathe with a hammer. Then replace it with a thin sheet of drywall cut to fit the hole. The drywall should be thin enough to screw to the wood lathe without being thicker than the adjacent plaster. 3/8" drywall might work best. Finish the patch with joint compound and fiberglass tape, then sand and paint it.
Cutting the plaster to the studs with a saw would make a horrible dust cloud and tear out the lathe, which would probably be going farther than you need to.
Re: Repair with plaster vs. drywall - Posted by John
Posted by John on April 03, 2006 at 10:22:30:
It is possible to do. You have to account for thickness differences. Plaster will be thicker than the drywall to patch you may have to shim out the drywall. If not you will see the patch after paint, it will look like a big indentation. Why not just plaster in the area? Plastering is cheaper than drywall in my area.