Suspended ceiling unusual framing method

[TryAgain1]

I need advice on a 3"x2" suspended ceiling which did not need building control. The wooden framing was done in a corner of a 'to be' kitchen boarded by 2 load bearing walls and 2 steel beams. Idea was not to attach the CLS timber to the steel beams (to avoid weakening the steel beams) and to put the wooden framing at the same height as the steel beam so I can plaster over as one later.

3x2" CLS timber was screwed using masonry screws (7.5mm diameter x 150mm long) spaced at 60cm intervals onto the 2 walls. CLS timber was hung vertically directly down from the ceiling (attached to ceiling using a joist hanger) at 60cm intervals adjacent to the steel beams with horizontal CLS timber under the vertical timber to form a rectangular frame. Then standard 60cm timber spacing screwed (standard screws) with 18mm plasterboard screwed upward. There was a 20cm gap between one horizontal timber and a steel beam so I spanned the gap with 20cm timber (which is hung separately from the ceiling using band strapping).

Bear in mind this a Victorian property and there was very limited area on the existing plasterboard ceiling to attach the 3x2" timber to

Photos (pink fireboard marks the two steel beams).

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Was this done right? Advice please

 

[23vc]

The plasterboarding is a complete shambles and I can’t work out what’s going on in the rest of the pics

 

[TryAgain1]

Need a decent skimmer is all. Admit it wasn't a good job plasterboarding but it's 1st time.

 

[23vc]

It’s really bad and needs re-doing. No “decent skimmer” is going to skim over screws with washers. And there appears to be an unsupported corner hanging off.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Dunno what's going on there, photos are rubbish and don't show thing in context and I can't be doing opening up photos hosted on some random site by a newbie. Post some decent photos in the thread and are there actually any questions? Your Username checks out!

 

[cdbe]

Maybe ask before. Your steels/walls would probably have coped a lot better with additional load than old first floor joists, but it's marginal. You might need a coat of bonding over before it's skimmed.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

The timber is dangling on steel banding, so it's not rigid. Plaster will not flex at all, it will crack then fall off if there's any movement at all. Suspended ceilings are normally used in offices, they're not plastered but are just a metal frame with lightweight tiles hanging off them, if all flexes and moves but it's all flexible so it's fine.

Get a ladder out. Press upwards on the plasterboard in random places. If it moves upwards, as I'm sure it will, then it's not suitable for plastering over.

Honestly you should have asked when it was all a biro doodle. Pull it all down and start again. You need rigid joists from end to end, ideally with noggins between. Some rigid support to the ceiling above may be beneficial, but only if in addition to joists that are the right cross-section for the span.

The screws into washers used elsewhere will not plaster over and all need to be removed. Plaster skim is normally about 3mm, you need everything to be flush with the surface. You've used countersunk woodscrews into flat washers. You need plasterboard screws without washers. Plasterboard screws have a "bugle" shaped head that is designed to squeeze it without punching through.

 

[TryAgain1]

It’s really bad and needs re-doing. No “decent skimmer” is going to skim over screws with washers. And there appears to be an unsupported corner hanging off.

Ok I'll replace the screws with plasterboard screws

 

[TryAgain1]

Maybe ask before. Your steels/walls would probably have coped a lot better with additional load than old first floor joists, but it's marginal. You might need a coat of bonding over before it's skimmed.

2 sides are steel RSJ so I CANNOT attach the 3x2" CLS timber into those steel RSJs (drilling into steel RSJ/steel beams isn't good). The ONLY way to support these horizontal 3"x2" CLS timber is by using vertical 3"x2" dropping down from ceiling.

 

[TryAgain1]

Dunno what's going on there, photos are rubbish and don't show thing in context and I can't be doing opening up photos hosted on some random site by a newbie. Post some decent photos in the thread and are there actually any questions? Your Username checks out!

No need to be rude. I don't like leaving pics of my place as attachments in a random website so I use filelinks - filelinks expire attachments are there forever

 

[TryAgain1]

The timber is dangling on steel banding, so it's not rigid. Plaster will not flex at all, it will crack then fall off if there's any movement at all. Suspended ceilings are normally used in offices, they're not plastered but are just a metal frame with lightweight tiles hanging off them, if all flexes and moves but it's all flexible so it's fine.

Get a ladder out. Press upwards on the plasterboard in random places. If it moves upwards, as I'm sure it will, then it's not suitable for plastering over.

Honestly you should have asked when it was all a biro doodle. Pull it all down and start again. You need rigid joists from end to end, ideally with noggins between. Some rigid support to the ceiling above may be beneficial, but only if in addition to joists that are the right cross-section for the span.

The screws into washers used elsewhere will not plaster over and all need to be removed. Plaster skim is normally about 3mm, you need everything to be flush with the surface. You've used countersunk woodscrews into flat washers. You need plasterboard screws without washers. Plasterboard screws have a "bugle" shaped head that is designed to squeeze it without punching through.

The timber is dangling on steel banding, so it's not rigid: Answer: Ok I will add ceiling support 3x2" CLS timber going from the nearest joist (which is not vertically above) down to the wood.

Press upwards on the plasterboard in random places. If it moves upwards. Answer: I tested and it did not

You need rigid joists from end to end: Answer: As I have already said due to the 2 steel beams on 2 sides (out of 4) I cannot make the joists rigid as I cannot drill into steel beams. I have added noggins between

The screws into washers used elsewhere will not plaster over and all need to be removed: Answer: Ok I will remove the screws and replace with plasterboard screws

 

[stevie888]

Where have you got the idea that you can't fix to the steel? You're making it hard for yourself

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

...it begs the question, how is the pink plasterboard cladding the steel in the final photo attached?

If it's all dangling by its fingernails on bits of wood and straps from the original ceiling then do yourself a favour, pull it all down and start again.

Plaster's not particularly heavy but it can't take any flex at all. Everything has to be absolutely rock solid, with not even a mm of flex in it. Otherwise it will all crack.

 

[TryAgain1]

...it begs the question, how is the pink plasterboard cladding the steel in the final photo attached?

If it's all dangling by its fingernails on bits of wood and straps from the original ceiling then do yourself a favour, pull it all down and start again.

Plaster's not particularly heavy but it can't take any flex at all. Everything has to be absolutely rock solid, with not even a mm of flex in it. Otherwise it will all crack.

The pink fireboard cladding is attached to 3"x2" noggins which is hammered between the webs of the steel beam and held in by compression so is not mechanically fixed (not bolted not screwed) to the RSJ. I was told this method is approved. Exactly as in this youtube video;

. And yes I will replace the screws used in this one with plasterboard screws.

If it's all dangling by its fingernails on bits of wood and straps from the original ceiling then do yourself a favour, pull it all down and start again:

Answer: Again as I have said unless I drill into the steel RSJ beam (which you infer I should do!) there is no other way of securing the two 3x2" CLS timber going parallel with the two steel beams. You are not meant to drill into steel beams whatsoever as these steel beams are holding up load bearing walls. I can however add a lot more vertical drop down 3x2" from the ceiling

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

No need to be rude. I don't like leaving pics of my place as attachments in a random website so I use filelinks - filelinks expire attachments are there forever

The quality of answers you receive will be equal to the quality of your posts/questions and why should you expect us to open links by some random new user?