LATHE AND PLASTER CEILING: SIMPLE ONE

[essex123456]

think we will take it down so we can see and run new cables etc.

i understand what you are saying about a frame.

Here are some images of the ceiling, not sure how well it shows the bowing:

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• essex123456
• 21 Apr 2013
• 1

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• essex123456
• 21 Apr 2013
• 1

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• essex123456
• 21 Apr 2013
• 1

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• essex123456
• 21 Apr 2013
• 1

 

[BrianCray]

Looks like Paul isn't posting again. Seems a bit much that people were rude to him rather than give their opinions on the wall. People told him about the ceiling – fair enough, but then he asked about the wall and then he got abuse.... and then a completely different discussion began. We could have just told him what we thought about the walls he posted. Instead, we're driving people away.

 

[BrianCray]

What I'm saying is: let's be nice, he was obvs worried about the walls

 

[tony1851]

Looks like Paul isn't posting again. Seems a bit much that people were rude to him rather than give their opinions on the wall. People told him about the ceiling – fair enough, but then he asked about the wall and then he got abuse.... and then a completely different discussion began. We could have just told him what we thought about the walls he posted. Instead, we're driving people away.

The OP was concerned about asbestos and kept getting advice that it almost certainly wasn't present.
I think what may have struck a lot of people was that he kept going on and on about it - because he had to 'walk through the office where the work was being done'. But did he consider any potential health risk to the men working? Possibly not, and this may have given some the impression that he was perhaps being a little bit precious.

 

[BrianCray]

Well, yes – but if he had got a 'that looks suspicious' maybe he could have warned the contractors or we don't know, he may have asked the contractors and they may have given an uncertain answer. That wouldn't have been the first time for people less contientious than those on this board..

and did you look at the walls? Is that really 'skim'? Did you look?

 

[BrianCray]

Just think people could have looked at the pics of walls and said: no, it's fine - or that looks a bit suspect. This is normally the most friendly board I read.

 

[tony1851]

This is normally the most friendly board I read.

 

[skenk]

essex,

Are the black beams decorative (fixed to the ceiling) or structural (supporting the floor above)?

In which direction(s) are the ceiling bowing? (parallel with beams or at right angles to beams, or both?)

 

[essex123456]

Hi they are decorative, I have checked and they are screwed through to the floor rafters. the rafters run at right angles to the beams. But I think they are helping to support the plasterboard above as its boing inbetween them

 

[skenk]

The black beams could have been added to help stop the lathe and plaster separating from the ceiling and if this is the case removing them may mean the whole ceiling does need to come down.

To make the ceiling flat you will need to fit a new suspended ceiling (cannot use old joists they will be warped) and you will lose the decorative cornice and ceiling height will drop by the thickness of the new ceiling (frame+board+skim). To do this, remove the cornice and fit a new timber frame just below the old ceiling height per previous replies (then sheet and plaster). Removing the old ceiling will only get you a little extra ceiling height (about 20-30mm if lathe and plaster), if you leave it in it will help with thermal and acoustic insulation, plus a lot less mess. You could try removing one of the black beams and seeing if the ceiling becomes less solid - the beams could always be left in but you would lose another few mm ceiling height (the depth of the beams)

You can install cabling etc after the new frame is up before it is sheeted.

Top of wall will need repaired if the new ceiling height is higher than the bottom of the old cornice.

Good luck.

 

[essex123456]

Thanks for the replies.

The ceiling bows along the direction of the black beams, but also bows in the other direction in between them. I think Plasterboard has been fitted over lath and plaster with nails rather than dry wall screws, and then the beams fitted. These are nailed into the joists. As screws would have pulled it up a bit. But I think they obviously help support the plasterboard in someway.

I was going to batton out with 2.5" deep wood in the same direction as the beams as this is deeper than the black beams. Thus not havingto remove the black beams. I was going to fix the new battons to the joists with 100mm Screws. Why would the joists be bowed? I was going to place the battons 2ft apart. Surley screwing the new battons in will pull the existing ceiling up a bit? I can then pack the new battons where needed to get a level on them. This would then give me a flat surface to screw the new plasterboard to. I understand this has to be placed in an alternating pattern.

How does this sound?