Helath* (for Health*)

You don't necessarily have to be a he-man in order to refinish a wall, or even be especially healthy, but for the fortunate remodeler, it's a pleasure to work with plaster and lath. There were 41 instances of Helath* (for health*) in OhioLINK today, and 267 in WorldCat. According to Wikipedia: "The lath and plaster method's popularity declined in the 1950s, as it was replaced by the more efficient drywall." However, as someone who recently watched while layers of paint and wallpaper were painstakingly peeled away to reveal creamy plaster walls constructed in the 1920s, I feel confident in saying that while drywall may be more "efficient," plaster is really preferable. And once it's truly past its prime, you can always make "lath art."

(John Deere House, historic site, food pantry with wall cutaway to demonstrate lath boards beneath, Grand Detour, Illinois, 2007, from Wikimedia Commons.)

Carol Reid