How to Repair Holes in Plaster Walls Although plaster is a sturdy and inexpensive way to build a wall, it will still wear out over time Small screw and nail holes are easy to take care of, but even larger holes don't require muchDespite the rumors you can repair old plaster yourself Lime plaster has been in use for thousands of years from Japan to Egypt and has been employed in many historic structures around the globe Lime plaster is a far superior product than today's modern wall coveringsThis plaster repair consists of two coats a basecoat plaster for reestablishing the keyways for a binding layer, and a topcoat finish layer to provide a smooth surface (Key ways are spaces between the slats of the wooden lath) The basecoat is a limebased plaster, also called "brown coat," that is heavily sand or silicatebased How To Repair Old Plaster Walls Plaster wall repair materials