In this article's photo ("lath seen from the back.") the curls of plaster are called keys and are necessary to keep the plaster on the lath. After the plaster is completely dry, the walls are ready to be painted. A smooth, white finish coat goes on last. In three coat plastering it is standard to apply a second layer in the same fashion, leaving about 1⁄ 2 inch (13 mm) of rough, sandy plaster (called a brown coat or browning (UK)). When the wall is fully covered, the vertical lath "guides" are removed, and their "slots" are filled in, leaving a fairly uniform undercoat. A helper feeds new plaster onto the board, as the plaster is applied in quantity. The applier drags the board upward over the wall, forcing the plaster into the gaps between the lath and leaving a layer on the front the depth of the temporary guides, typically about 1⁄ 4 inch (6.4 mm). Lime or gypsum plaster is then applied, typically using a wooden board as the application tool. Temporary lath guides are then placed vertically to the wall, usually at the studs. As Americans and Canadians expanded west, saw mills were not always available to create neatly planed boards and the first crop of buildings in any new western or northern settlement would be put up with split beam lath. Splitting the timber along its grain greatly improved the laths' strength and durability. and Canada well into the second half of the 19th century. Early American examples featured split beam construction, as did examples put up in rural areas of the U.S. In Canada and the United States the laths were generally sawn, but in the United Kingdom and its colonies, riven or split hardwood laths of random lengths and sizes were often used. Metal lath is available in 27-inch (69 cm) by 8-foot (240 cm) sheets. Each horizontal course of lath is spaced about 3⁄ 8 inch (9.5 mm) away from its neighboring courses.
![covering lath and plaster walls covering lath and plaster walls](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/8f/f7/d1/8ff7d158ca1d06122f321d525d817ae0.jpg)
Wood lath is typically about one inch (2.5 cm) wide by four feet (1.2 m) long by 1⁄ 4 inch (6 mm) thick. Each wall frame is covered in lath, tacked at the studs. These are narrow strips of wood, extruded metal, or split boards, nailed horizontally across the wall studs or ceiling joists. The wall or ceiling finishing process begins with wood or metal laths. ( March 2012) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. I prefer to play it safe for peace of mind.This section does not cite any sources. You cannot lift them single handed (well I can't anyway) and you really do not want them coming off.
![covering lath and plaster walls covering lath and plaster walls](https://3dsblue.org/thumbs/746x746x2/upload/product/3820334.61a660c22e0cd.jpeg)
Whilst possibly over the top but these radiators are seriously heavy and more so when filled with water (they take a lot). With the larger verticals and no feet I found it easier to take down the lathe and plaster and build a studwork frame to suit the radiator fixings before plasterboarding and re-skimming. With the largest of the column cast iron rads I have fitted I removed a horizontal rectangle of the lathe and plaster and fixed timber at the height of the studs before plastering back over. I would strongly recommend buying the Zircon stud detector which I have found excellent and picking up the line of small lathe nails. The radiator stays can go between any of columns to suit the stud spacing. The advantage to the columns is you have much more leeway that with the majority of standard radiators where it will be fixed.
![covering lath and plaster walls covering lath and plaster walls](https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/images/repairinglathandplaster.jpg)
In my experience the rad brackets never align with two sets of studs even with the small amount of horizontal play. Still I would want it fixed to the studs. The majority of the weight is being directed straight down. With the rads like the one pictured I would use feet like mentioned above if at all possible. Current task is a wall hung vertical weighing in a 68Kg dry to lathe and plaster. Have had and am still having the same problem as yourself.