How do I fix a wood plasterboard/chipboard ceiling?

[johnnycab]

Please accept my apologies for not giving an accurate description.

I have a wooden ceiling - I don't know if it is plasterboard or chipboard or something else. Anyways, the ceiling is in the lounge and had a blister and felt damp to the touch, just where the taps for the bathtub are located in upstairs bathroom. I decided to check the integrity of this spot of ceiling when it decided to give way and some water just gushed out. Now there is a hole in the ceiling with a size of a tennis ball where the blister used to be...

The thickness of this ceiling cannot be anymore than an inch or so! and I can see the pipes that are running under the bathtub through this hole! I have a couple of questions, and would really appreciate some help.

1. How do I go about fixing this hole?
2. How do I reduce the dampness that has been caused by the leak from the bathroom, before I apply the fix?

Thanks
John

 

[masona]

Please accept my apologies for not giving an accurate description.

I have a wooden ceiling - I don't know if it is plasterboard or chipboard or something else.

Plasterboard is like a sandwich (a paper on the outside and plaster in the middle)

Ceiling laths have strip of timbers and plaster to that which you can feel it, my guess is that you have plasterboards as you cannot see any timber strip (?)which are very close together when the hole is the size of the tennis ball, once we know what ceiling material is then we can help you further

 

[johnnycab]

Plasterboard is like a sandwich (a paper on the outside and plaster in the middle)

masona,

Thanks - from your description it is definitely plasterboard!

John

 

[masona]

Might be an idea to make the hole bigger by making a square back to the centre of the ceiling joists, most likely the water has spread on the top of the plasterboard making it a little weaker, will need a small sheet of plasterboard (check the thickness as they are in difference thickness) use plasterboard screws and screw it to the joist, use the self-adhesive glass fibre mesh tapes all round the joint then cover the area with Gyproc easy fill which is easy to rub down to a smooth finish


Gyproc easi-fill

Self-adhesive mesh tapes

 

[johnnycab]

masona,

I really do appreciate your help.

I will pursue your advice and will make the hole bigger and also taking out some of the weaker parts on the plasterboard in the process. I can feel the surrounding area is still quite damp, as the water probably collected in the part which gave way. I hope it is not widespread as it has been a nightmare over the years to seal the gaps around the bathtub - I have tried every possible thing e.g. sealing tapes, silicone, grout etc. all of them tend to rot from even small quantities of water over relatively short period of time and current solution has been ok for a while!

Unfortunately, I don't have access to the ceiling from above i.e. where the bathtub is located, as it is all tiled-up. I will have to just keep feeling my way around to locate the nearest joists from below. However, I don't remember seeing any joists when the bathtub was placed...if that is the case how do I anchor the new bit of plasterboard into the infected area? Will the fibre glass tape be strong enough to hold it in place and then the Gyproc will act even further as a bond?

Thanks
John

 

[masona]

You should see the joists as they are normally 400mm centre, so it shouldn't be too far away, tapping the ceiling until you hear a solid sound will be the ceiling joists

 

[breezer]

johnnycab, have you ever been to mars? did you enjoy the ride, and please state your destination

sorry if the above means nothing, its just its your username

 

[johnnycab]

johnnycab, have you ever been to mars? did you enjoy the ride, and please state your destination

sorry if the above means nothing, its just its your username

;---)) yep got it in one!

I will report back when I have completed the job, at present resealing the bathroom, to find out where the f'ing leak is coming from!

 

[breezer]

for those that don't know what i mean clicky

 

[r896neo]

Not to sound smart but i assume you have fixed the leak before sorting out the hole?