Replacement of lath and plaster ceiling

[Homeownernewbie]

A section of our ceiling fell in and has left the original lath and plaster exposed. We're looking to replace the ceiling ourselves (as much as possible). Our plan, which is what has been suggested by all builders that have visited to quote, is to remove the plasterboard ceiling left and the lath and plaster and replace with a new plasterboard ceiling. The ceiling had already been overboarded so we didn't want to add extra weight and potentially be in teh same problem a few months down the line. What plasterboard would you recommend us using? Looking at 12.5mm plasterboard options and uncertain about whether we should use acoustic or PIR. Thanks

 

[StephenStephen]

What's above the ceiling?

 

[Homeownernewbie]

What's above the ceiling?

The first floor bedroom is above. The ceiling is in a room at ground level. It's a victorian house if that helps at all.

 

[23vc]

It’d be 12.5mm yes, but removing the lath and plaster is a very messy and unpleasant job. Many, many ceilings in houses like that are overboarded lath and plaster, it’s a very common system, so I’d say yes to removing the existing boards, but do a proper job (not hard, use the right length screws) of a reboard leaving the L&P in place. You also end up with more mass, (a bit) more sound reduction…

PIR doesn’t come into it as they’re both habitable rooms, so we’re not talking about thermal insulation, and acoustic boards are a lot heavier, more expensive etc

Another option to really lock the old ceiling in place is to batten it out, with decent length screws, then fix new boards to the battens. Also good if the ceilings not flat/needs levelling.

 

[Homeownernewbie]

Thanks. What type of filler would you suggest us to use between the plasterboards? We are planning to fill the gaps between the plasterboards, sand down and then paint if that is at all possible. Think it’s probably the easiest option.

 

[23vc]

It’d be easifil, and they’d need to be tapered edged boards. I wouldn’t go that route, and pay someone a couple of hundred to skim it instead.

 

[Homeownernewbie]

Thanks. So we could fill the bits between the plasterboard ourselves and then get someone in to skim?

 

[23vc]

You wouldn’t need to fill. As long as you do a decent job of boarding it (right direction across the joists, stagger the boards, enough screws, gaps no more than about 8mm ish) any plasterer would be good to go.

 

[Homeownernewbie]

Thanks. That’s really helpful.

 

[cdbe]

If you're doing it yourself to save money then easifill etc as stated above. If you're going to get someone in to skim it you may be better getting them to do the boarding as well - it's physically hard work (for you, but a plasterer and labourer will knock it out in no time). - they will deal with the areas with missing plaster, stagger the boards properly, know how many and what length fixings to use etc and if anything goes wrong they won't be able to blame you for not boarding it correctly.

 

[23vc]

Agree. I’ll randomly give you a guesstimate figure of about £350 ballpark which it might cost. It wouldn’t be that much less, if you went for just a skim