Just for Laths

Lath. I'm not sure if it is supposed to be pronounced with a long 'A' or short. I heard it pronounced both ways, but I've grown up using the short 'A' pronunciation. To-may-to/to-mah-to, I guess. Regardless, as a kid, I only knew them as those thin strips of wood we used to nail plastic to our house in order to prepare for the harsh South Dakota winters.

Many years later, when had my own house, we wanted to put in a smaller, more efficient window. While doing so, I thought  “Why not tear out the old plaster-and-lath wall and replace it with sheet rock?” That was a chore and 3/4. Afterward, my wood storage compulsion kicked in. “Let’s keep some of these laths.” I told myself. I hate throwing away wood. Just ask my wife about keeping every scrap of wood. “There has got to be something I can do with some of these strip.”

As I finished my new sheet-rocked wall, I needed to create pillar dividing plastered wall from the new and sheet-rocked section. I wanted a nice wood texture to this pillar. So, I completely covered this pillar with the lathes, and then sanded, stained, and varnished them. It created a nice rustic wood feel, that I loved.

Found in dumpster

Back in her college years, my wife found a two-drawer night stand in a dumpster. (In that regards, a woman after my own heart. Although, she still appreciates nicer things than I do.) This night stand, although MDF, is a solidly built hunk of furniture, but with the painted-on fake wood-grain chipping away and falling off, it is as ugly as it sounds. My wife was debating whether or not to spend the money on a new one. The decision may have been easier if it wasn’t so expensive for a small piece of furniture, or if they readily came in that two-drawer design she so loves. She hates all these one-drawer designs with the big wide open gap at the bottom. So, I suggested instead of buying a new one, that I just cover the one we have with laths. A bundle costs around 11 dollars.

Nail and glue laths to DIY project

For next to nothing, I bought a bundle of laths, glued and nailed them to that night stand. Afterward, using left over stains and varnishes, I sanded, stained and varnished that old two-drawer night stand my wife found in a dumpster during her college years. It's given new life to the pile of junk.

You may have to rip edges

What else can you do with lathes? I’m sure there are gobs of DIY and craft projects out there. One other simple trick is to make your own crates. Taking two identically cut boards, nail laths to all sides but one. Square or rectangular boards are easier to cut and use, but you can play around with the shapes. The key is to leave open the top, and presto, you have a decorative storage box. If you want to add a unique means of labeling, take a picture (of your kids for instance) brush varnish on the back, adhere it to the face of your crate, and then add several layer of varnish over the picture. You want at least three, but the more the better. When done you have created an inexpensive, decorative storage solution.

Take out drawers to finish

So, I have discovered the power of Laths. A great inexpensive wood option to for all sorts of DIY projects. Whether you have ripped them from an old house, or have purchased a bundle, laths are useful to have around the house.