Could I skim these walls?

[thedoomed]

I'm looking at buying a house and the walls and ceilings are all plasterboard.

There is also a strapping running floor to ceiling and across the ceiling - that I don't particularly like.

I would be very reluctant to remove all the boarding and re-do them. But I would quite happily have someone in to remove the straps and skim the walls and ceiling.

Walls are original (1950's) and seem in very good condition.

Any thoughts? Image attached

 

[roughcaster]

No problem at all to skim/plaster the walls and the ceiling. The wooden straps are only there to cover the joints in the plasterboard. Nowadays, plasterboard has tapered joints and are taped, but years ago, the plasterboard joints were "hidden" with strips of timber, both on the walls, ceilings, and also around the room where walls meet ceilings. Anyway, "carefully" remove each of the timber strips, then fill up any gaps in the exposed joints. Allow the filler/plaster in the joints to set, then tape the joints. Check all the boards for movement, and if required, put in extra screws to tighten up the sheets. A reputable, competent plasterer would have no problem plastering the walls and ceiling in that room, leaving a job ready for painting. Get 2 or 3 quotes locally, and to be honest, i'd get the plasterer to do the whole thing, prep included.

 

[joe-90]

Personally I like it the way it is. Even the door is original.

 

[thedoomed]

No problem at all to skim/plaster the walls and the ceiling. The wooden straps are only there to cover the joints in the plasterboard. Nowadays, plasterboard has tapered joints and are taped, but years ago, the plasterboard joints were "hidden" with strips of timber, both on the walls, ceilings, and also around the room where walls meet ceilings. Anyway, "carefully" remove each of the timber strips, then fill up any gaps in the exposed joints. Allow the filler/plaster in the joints to set, then tape the joints. Check all the boards for movement, and if required, put in extra screws to tighten up the sheets. A reputable, competent plasterer would have no problem plastering the walls and ceiling in that room, leaving a job ready for painting. Get 2 or 3 quotes locally, and to be honest, i'd get the plasterer to do the whole thing, prep included.

Great. This was exactly my thinking but I'm obviously not an expert. Many thanks

 

[stevethespreader]

No problem at all to skim/plaster the walls and the ceiling. The wooden straps are only there to cover the joints in the plasterboard. Nowadays, plasterboard has tapered joints and are taped, but years ago, the plasterboard joints were "hidden" with strips of timber, both on the walls, ceilings, and also around the room where walls meet ceilings. Anyway, "carefully" remove each of the timber strips, then fill up any gaps in the exposed joints. Allow the filler/plaster in the joints to set, then tape the joints. Check all the boards for movement, and if required, put in extra screws to tighten up the sheets. A reputable, competent plasterer would have no problem plastering the walls and ceiling in that room, leaving a job ready for painting. Get 2 or 3 quotes locally, and to be honest, i'd get the plasterer to do the whole thing, prep included.

Rc I've never worked on any ceilings or walls that have had straps so I'm asking this are the boards still staggered? If not there won't be any integrity after removal of the straps surly?

 

[thedoomed]

No problem at all to skim/plaster the walls and the ceiling. The wooden straps are only there to cover the joints in the plasterboard. Nowadays, plasterboard has tapered joints and are taped, but years ago, the plasterboard joints were "hidden" with strips of timber, both on the walls, ceilings, and also around the room where walls meet ceilings. Anyway, "carefully" remove each of the timber strips, then fill up any gaps in the exposed joints. Allow the filler/plaster in the joints to set, then tape the joints. Check all the boards for movement, and if required, put in extra screws to tighten up the sheets. A reputable, competent plasterer would have no problem plastering the walls and ceiling in that room, leaving a job ready for painting. Get 2 or 3 quotes locally, and to be honest, i'd get the plasterer to do the whole thing, prep included.

Rc I've never worked on any ceilings or walls that have had straps so I'm asking this are the boards still staggered? If not there won't be any integrity after removal of the straps surly?

Staggered?

I assume the straps are cosmetic. That said, before removing them I'd be checking for any screws etc and replace them as it was removed (assuming I do that part myself, which I may not)

 

[stevethespreader]

No problem at all to skim/plaster the walls and the ceiling. The wooden straps are only there to cover the joints in the plasterboard. Nowadays, plasterboard has tapered joints and are taped, but years ago, the plasterboard joints were "hidden" with strips of timber, both on the walls, ceilings, and also around the room where walls meet ceilings. Anyway, "carefully" remove each of the timber strips, then fill up any gaps in the exposed joints. Allow the filler/plaster in the joints to set, then tape the joints. Check all the boards for movement, and if required, put in extra screws to tighten up the sheets. A reputable, competent plasterer would have no problem plastering the walls and ceiling in that room, leaving a job ready for painting. Get 2 or 3 quotes locally, and to be honest, i'd get the plasterer to do the whole thing, prep included.

Rc I've never worked on any ceilings or walls that have had straps so I'm asking this are the boards still staggered? If not there won't be any integrity after removal of the straps surly?

Staggered?

staggering the boards is how you give the ceilng strengh from cracking Ect if the straps are hiding the joints I'm wondering if they have been staggered or not if the strap runs the length of the ceiling and you take it off and it reveals the joint then it hasent been staggered "therefore" will be less weak and prone to cracking

 

[thedoomed]

With you. Thanks.

As an aside, perhaps an unanswerable question - is there much in replacing a ceiling like this for a pro? 2-3 days?

 

[joe-90]

You need to check for asbestos before you do anything. Those fifties houses are often problematic.

 

[stevethespreader]

With you. Thanks.

As an aside, perhaps an unanswerable question - is there much in replacing a ceiling like this for a pro? 2-3 days?

I'm slow at boarding ceilings it would take me a morning with a lab to board an average size lid I would skim it in the afternoon , there are some fast boarders out there that could board a lid in 2 hours or under, I got the sack from a job once because they wanted me to board and skim 2 lids in a day when by 12-1230 I had only just finished boarding the first lid "I started at 9" I'll always remember that that's the only time I was ever sacked