Another cracked ceiling question

[c00]

This is about the ceilings in a house we're about to move to - they seem basically sound, just very cracked. They've also got a strange effect created with shallow wood batoning fixed to the the lower surface of the ceiling, in a pattern reminiscent of half-bond brickwork, where each rectangle is about 18 inches x 3 foot. (It's not a good look).

Assuming I first decide whether to pull down the old ones or overboard, this post is really about the next question, ie whether there's any chance that I'd be able to get a reasonable finish on the new ceiling without skimming the whole thing.

All the pros reading this will wonder why I wouldn't want to skim the ceiling - the answers are (a) there are 4 of the offending ceilings and I'd like to fix them up before decorating, (b) I'm generally a competent all-round DIYer but plastering just isn't something I can do convincingly and (c) there isn't going to be a lot of cash going spare to be able to get a proper plasterer in!

So....if I had plasterboard with tapered edges and the smooth (white papered?) surface facing downwards, could I just tape/scrim the joints and then fill with normal filler, and then sand down ? (...and probably re-fill, re-sand until it looks reasonable ).

I've not come across any mention of this on DIYnot, although I did find this page which seems to suggest the same approach... http://www.diy-extra.com/plasterboard-ceiling/

Any good reasons for not doing this?

 

[kingandy2nd]

You can do it like that but no matter how hard you try, you’ll always be able to see the joints in the plasterboard. I’d suggest that to get the best finish you really need to pull the old stuff down and fix the new PB to the joists.

Normal TE plasterboard will only be tapered on two sides so if the rooms are longer and wider than 2.4m then the joints will be more noticeable on those non-tapered edges.

So it really depends if you can live with being able to see the joints on the ceiling!

I opted for this method in one room in my house two years ago, and every time I go into that room I notice the joints. (It’s true that most people wouldn’t notice with just a passing glance, but I know the joints are there so I see them all the time and it bugs me!). It’s now on my to-do list to skim that ceiling.

You can always put lining paper on the ceiling to cover the PB, but if you put wall or lining paper directly onto PB you’ll never get it off and won’t be able to over-skim. I wouldn’t recommend it.

If the old ceilings are sound, do see if you can get a couple of quotes for skimming before you take any action. I know some people that think that plasterers are so extortionately expensive they don’t even make any enquiries before discounting them completely.

When you consider the cost of the PB, fixings, jointing compound, etc plus the time (and mess) of you taking the old stuff down and putting the new stuff up (also you’re going to need a helper to put the PB up), it might work out to not be too different to get someone in to skim. (Note: I’m an accountant, not a plasterer touting for work ).

Whatever you do, get the ceilings sorted first before you do any other decorating (or even move you stuff in if possible!).