Plaster Patching Part II by Walter Jowers Last month, we talked about patching holes in plaster walls and ceilings the way it was done before the days of drywall-with plaster. And we left off with a cliffhanger: How do you finish the patch? One option-the more familiar one for most builders-is to use drywall mud, not genuine finish plaster, for the finish coat. I've done it myself, when the patching job was small; or, when I was doing a one-day job and didn't want to fool with mixing finish plaster and waiting for it to cure. (You can't even prime finish plaster until about three days after it's applied.) Drywall-mud patches are definitely quicker-the stuff is premixed, and you can paint
