Ceiling Repair

[padstar]

I have read a number of posts on this topic but am after some advise from those in the know.

The walls have been insulated and boarded and whilst i was doing this job i have cleared out the floor voids. The ceilings are lath and plaster construction. The ceilings are as flat as you can get with cracking in areas. The timber laths are in very good order as is the plaster in 90% of the areas.

Where i have been clearing out the floor voids i have checked for any loose plaster and removed where found. This has left a patch of approximately 300x300 in most room rooms with a few more in the larger room. 1 was even self inflicted after Henry took a nose dive off the scaffold board after inhaling to much debris from the void. .

I am not going to kick the lath and plaster down. It does not need it. Structurally its sound, no sagging etc. What is the best way forward? Do i get the plasterer to patch and then skim the lot or do i overboard and then skim? Over boarding will probably cost me £50 a room and half a day so not preferable if it can be avoided but at the same time i am happy to do it if it will give benefit in the long run. If these ceilings can be patched with no future issues then i will not bother boarding.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Overboarding will be the cheapest and easiest way of getting a good finish. Your ceiling looks pretty good but hit it with some nice wet heavy plaster and that might change. Make sure you use decent length screws for the boards

 

[padstar]

Thnaks. I must admit i hadn't thought about the weight of the plaster!

If using 9.5mm boards and assuming 10-15mm for the lath and plaster are 60mm screws going to give enough bite?

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Usual deal is 20mm into wood. L &P can go up to 25mm but even then 60mm screws will work. Do put a straight edge on the ceiling to check for divots and high spots- long as there aren't any then 9mm board will be fine (12.5 is a bit stiffer so will flatten out lumps and bumps).
And mark where the joists are before you start (sharpie & straight edge)

 

[padstar]

12.5mm and 9mm are almost the same price. Would you recommend i just go for the 12.5mm? I had intended on using 9.5 purely for ease of moving the boards

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Yes to 12.5, its stronger, less prone to damage while installing and the extra weight gives better sound deadening. You'll want a friend if you're using 8 x 4 sheets- it is doable on your own but hard work & needs tricks to get the sheets up.

 

[padstar]

I am going to see if i can get a loan of a board lift for the job to hopefully make things easier.

 

[23vc]

Deffo go for the overboard, ceiling may be ok now but sagging will only get worse. Plus (slightly) better noise insulation. I board ceilings on my own with 6x3 half inchers and use a “board mate” - little red plastic bracket thing, total game changer for boarding ceilings, makes it easy. Google it

 

[padstar]

Just had a look at the board mate. Are they easy to use? This may be an easier option than the board lift which is fairly large and difficult to move around. As the full size boards are the same price as the 1800 x 900 are the board mates easy to use with full size boards and 1 person?

 

[oldbutnotdead]

How high are your ceilings and how strong are you? I've done 8' ceilings on my own using similar bodges (bits of batten), fairly straightforward (but I am 6'4" tall). If you need to gain some height to reach the ceiling you'll need a platform not a ladder.

 

[padstar]

I am 6ft 3 and the ceilings are 2.8m so i will give it a go with a few blocks on the floor to lift me up a bit..

Need to work out the best method of throwing the board above my head without destroying it.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Have a look at the youtube vids for the boardmate things. Another way to do it is to use a length of 3 x 2 with a batten on the end as a T leant against the wall, offer the short end to that then walk the other short end up. Have another length of batten loose screwed to support that end, then shimmy the thing into position, then fix.

 

[23vc]

Just had a look at the board mate. Are they easy to use? This may be an easier option than the board lift which is fairly large and difficult to move around. As the full size boards are the same price as the 1800 x 900 are the board mates easy to use with full size boards and 1 person?

yes they’re easy to use. I only use one but you can use them in pairs, screw it through the previous board into a joist, then it takes the weight of that end of the board leaving you to fix the end your holding with your other hand.
Only ever done 6x3s for ceilings, don’t fancy 8x4s, so cant comment.

 

[23vc]

I use a hop up for normal height ceilings

 

[padstar]

So just gave the board mate a go and it works a treat. Full boards are impossible but boards cut down to 900-1000 work a treat.

How many fixings are recommended?

Also my joists are spaced at 325mm which means standard boards dont work anyway and need to be cut smaller in width.

1st 2 boards up as below