Old lath and plaster bedroom ceiling – repair, overboard or strip and replace?

[Jason42]

Old lath and plaster bedroom ceiling – repair, overboard or strip and replace?


I'm looking for some advice on the best way to deal with an old lath-and-plaster bedroom ceiling.


I've attached photographs showing its current condition.


The ceiling has an opening measuring approximately 75cm × 40cm. The original wooden laths appear to be in reasonably good condition.


There are also some hairline cracks elsewhere on the ceiling and an area of historic water damage. The leak has been resolved and there is no current water ingress.


I'm trying to decide whether it's worth retaining the existing ceiling or whether it would be better to start again.


The options I'm considering are:

1. Repair the damaged section and make good the existing plaster.
2. Overboard the entire ceiling with plasterboard.
3. Strip the old ceiling back to the joists, install new plasterboard and skim.

A few questions:

• If the laths are sound, is there any reason not to repair the existing ceiling?
• Would overboarding be a sensible compromise?
• How can I establish whether the remaining original plaster is securely attached?
• Given the age of the ceiling, would stripping it back be the better long-term solution?

I'm planning other renovation work in the house, so ideally I'd like to get this sorted properly in one go rather than revisit it in a few years.


Any advice from people experienced with traditional lath-and-plaster ceilings would be appreciated.

 

[JohnD]

Is it sagging?

Do you have access from above, for example in a loft?