bowing ceiling

[Ell]

Hello, I bought a 1930's terrace house 18months ago and one of the bedroom ceilings is bowing, I think its the original lathe plaster? My partner wants to bring the whole thing down with dust mask, tape up doors etc... However my neighbours son did this in her house before we met her and she said it covered the whole house in thick black dust and destroyed the house. Other people have similar stories, but he's adamant it will be ok.

What do you think, should we try putting new plasterboard over the top or bring it down?

Also the room needs other jobs doing;i.e;
1. ceiling as mentioned above
2. Plaster skim all walls and ceiling (approx 4 x 3m room)
3. Fit spotlights to ceiling
4. Sink 2 plug sockts into wall
5. Sink old pipe in corner of room to enable skirting board to be fitted
6. Fit new skirting board and door frame

My partner could probably do most of these jobs and he as an electrician friend and gas engineer/plumber friend he could ask for help if needed. But we were wondering whether we should do the room ourselves except for the plaster skimming or whether we should get a general builder to do the whole room, i.e. less hassle but more cost?

Does anyone have any idea how much it would cost to pay someone to do the whole room and how long it would take? And whether it would be worth paying the extra to have someone do all the hard work for us?

Sorry its so long!

 

[JohnD]

Hello, I'll just comment on the dirt. There will be plenty. If he tapes up the door and lays something over the floor it should be caught, but he will need to take the big hoover in there before he starts, and not come out until cleaned up (so a bin for his dirty overalls too). Best to supply a thermos and packed lunch...

This is one of the jobs that is much less trouble in an empty house before you move in.

If it is an old lath and plaster ceiling, and bowing, you'd better take it down before it falls down.

It is possible to hoover the upper surface from the loft, if you can be bothered, which will reduce the amount of black dust that accumulates in an unfelted old loft.

 

[dougalhouse]

And buy a good quality dust mask!!

And goggles!!

 

[masona]

The bow in the ceiling will never goes back to how it was unless you pack it out with strip of timber on every single joists with a straight edge that if it's the ceiling joists is bowed.

If you don't mind dropping another ceiling slighty below depending the old ceiling sounds then this might be the best option specially it will be a lot easier with electric wiring just above it.

Also a lot quicker and cleaner!

 

[dougalhouse]

I had the same situation in my old house and I did what masona suggested. It came up lovely in the end but it took me ages as the joists were badly bowed.

This will be a tricky job but not beyond someone with a good eye and staight edge some props a laser level etc etc.

You could do most of the prep first but I'd suggest getting a trademen in as you probably will be for the plastering anyway.

Get several quotes first and don't go for the cheapest, ask for references or a portfolio if you are worried about getting ripped off.

Good luck.

 

[JohnD]

I got the idea that the plaster was sagging away from the timbers, as often happens in pre-war houses as the nibs break off. But is it the roof timbers bending, as Masona and Dougalhouse have had?

Is it caused by the weight of something heavy stored in the loft?

 

[pitbull]

Put a false/dropped ceiling in.Save a whole lot of trouble!

 

[Belle427]

it is an awful job,i took 10 ceilings down in my own house last year,i found that on most it was the plaster that was sagging,but some did need the joists packing out to re level the new stuff,personally i would take it down and get rid ,depends on how much mess you want to make,even with the door sealed the dust finds its way everywhere

 

[JohnD]

It is actually possible to repair a sagging L&P ceiling if it is just the plaster nibs breaking away from the laths. I once did one, bit fiddly but not hard, can be worth it if it is ornate or decorated, doesn't need the skill or strength or replastering a ceiling. I got it from a restoration book and thought I'd give it a try.

What you do is get access to the upper side, and with your aquavac suck away all the dirt and broken nibs. A few of them may have slipped between the laths and the plaster.

If the laths are in poor condition you can fix expanded metal sheet and galvanised lathing to the ceiling timbers (only use a screwdriver; no hammering as the ceiling may fall with the vibration).

Then you put large boards under the ceiling from the room below (I used 8x4 laminated chipboard as I had it handy) and prop it carefully and evenly up so it presses the sagging plaster back into place against the old laths (and any new lathing you have fitted). You will know when you're up against the roof timbers as the props feel tight.

Then, you make up bucketfuls of fairly runny finish plaster, and pour it evenly over the laths so it spreads and soaks down onto the (clean) old plaster to a depth of half an inch or so. When it sets hard it will grip well to the (very uneven and jagged) back of the old plaster and bond it back to the lathing. After a couple of days you inspect for any signs of trouble and slacken off the props while firmly crossing your fingers.

I was actually surprised and gratified at how well it worked; I had a few cracks to smooth off before decorating, that's all.

In my case it was an oldish house in outer London where the street had been rattled by a bomb damage during the war, and the timber and laths were in good condition. I imagine if the fixing nails had rusted, or the laths rotted, it would have been a harder job. If you think the ceiling is likely to fall while you're working, you can prop it first thing, but may have trouble nipping loose nibs.

 

[Ell]

Thanks for everyones suggestions, some of them I can't use, i.e. going in from above, as the attic has already been converted. We do have quite a lot of heavy stuff up there but assumed that it complied with current building regs etc.. However we only got a homebuyers survey done on the property when we moved in and they said there was no way for them to check it was structurally sound etc.. and said we would have to get a structural surveyor in if we wanted confirmation. However after speaking to the surveyor on the phone he didn't seem worried and said he brought it up on the survey to be on the safeside.

Anyway back to the ceiling, I think he's still keen to drop it, but I hope its just the plaster lathe that is bowing, and nothing else???