Overboarding a kitchen

[caparn]

I would like to overboard my kitchen ceiling. It is currently plasterboard with a textured finish. I have knocked a partition wall down so there is a line/gap missing from the ceiling where the wall was taken out, this is about 2 inches wide. I figure the best way to deal with this is to overboard the ceiling.

What plasterboard should I use?
What size plaster board should I use (2.4m * 1.2m looks pretty big to deal with)
What fixings should I use to attach the boards to the ceiling?
Must I fix the new boards to the joists?
What finish would I apply to the overboarded ceiling (make and type of plaster)?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

What condition is the ceiling in you are plastering to, is it sound and secure?
Are there any large peaks in the artex?
Do you know you joist distances?

You must secure the boards to the joist and use dry wall screws, securing screws about every 150mm-200mm.
The screw length needs to take in to account what is already in place: Artex, plaster and board. Plus the extra bit that screws in to the joist, I would be looking at 60mm screws. Be careful not to have them too long as you could damage, electrical cable or/and pipe work in the ceiling void. I would check the location of theses service if possible?
Use the standard 12.5mm plasterboard, 2.4X1.2mm can be quite difficult to handle in confined spaces if you on your jack. You can build a dead man or two which will help hold the board in place when up, but recommend a helper.
You can use either multi-finish or board finish. Multi-Finsh will give a little extra setting time, so I would use that.
Remember to stagger the joints to this will help avoid cracking alone the joint lines.

 

[caparn]

The ceiling is very secure, it was built in about 1985.

The artex is just a gentle ripple and the boards are very flat. I did get a plasterer to scrap off the artex and put a layer of skim over the top on the rest of the house, but the kitchen was not done at that time. Because I have removed a partition wall and there is a 2 inch gap in the plasterboard where the wall is remove I would rather overboard than skim over the top.

I'm not sure what the joist distances are but I suppose I could drill test holes to find them as they will be covered up with the overboarding.

Should I get tapered edge or square edge board?

Also, thanks for the link to the dry wall screws, dead man and the advice on staggering the joints.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Square edge boards for plaster and if you have access to the floor above it will give a good indication of the way and distances the joist are.
If the house was built mid 80s, the joist should be somewhere near 400mm centres.
But you will have to find the starting joist. The stud locators I find in general are poor, so if access above can be made via lifting carpets and the odd floorboard, you could poke a screwdriver, nail or drill bit through the ceiling from above to indicate were joist are.
I generally try to find the first couple joists, hole each side to find centres and end to end, then measure the rest from that point, look at the points where the floorboards are fixed from above, this will give the distances the joists are spaced.
Then place once measured from below, secure a nail/screw in each end of the joists at the ceiling and snap a chalk line across them and also mark up a line on the wall below the joist lines, so you know where they are at the wall side.

 

[caparn]

Can you tell me how far apart the screws should be when I screw it to the ceiling?
Should I cut the boards so the edges line up with the joists or is it ok to overhang the joists?
If so is there and recommended fixings for fixing the plaster board directly to the plasterboard above and not going through the joists?

 

[Alastairreid]

Screw 150-200mm max apart.

Boards always staggered and half bonded to joist.

 

[caparn]

Should I scrape off as much artex as possible before I start or just screw the boards straight on it. It's only a gentle ripple.
photos attached of gap where partition wall was removed and close up of artex.
View media item 40021 View media item 40022

 

[cantaloup63]

Must admit that if it were me doing it, I'd be inclined to screw 2-by-1 timbers onto the ceiling (firmly and at right angles to the joists) at appropriate spacings to ensure that the plasterboard has something firm to be screwed flat up to, whilst smultaneously reducing the number of cuts of boards and thus wastage (local tips are sometimes funny about accepting plaster related waste).

If the ceiling had an uninsulated flat roof above it, I'd also use these battens to fix that foil-bubble insulation sheet in place

PS - I'd also advise that you get some of these. You won't regret it

 

[caparn]

Thanks, the driver bits look good. Do they also hold the screw while you are drilling so you can drill with just one hand?

I'm a bit concerned that if I also screwed 2 by 1 to the ceiling I'd be reducing the ceiling hight too much. I've already fitted a wooden floor which has added about 1 inch to the floor and adding a plasterboard and 2x1 batons to the ceiling would take another 1.5 inches off the ceiling height.

There is already rock-wool insulation between the rafters. Above the kitchen there is the bathroom and a bedroom so I don't see the need for additional insulation as the heat is just lost to other rooms in the house.

I bought 4.2mm 65mm screw Toolstation drywall screws. But the look like they might be a little big, so I'm going to change them for the 3.5mm 60mm ones.

 

[cantaloup63]

Okey dokey about the insulation then. The bits don't hold the screws I'm afraid, but they do allow you to drive them in to the correct depth without breaking the plasterboard paper and/or without having to slow down the drill to estimate that final tweak Not sure how well they will work though if your drilling through a void (loads of them since the board will have to sit on the peaks of the artex).

Hear what you're saying about the timbers and your reasoning. Try using a smallish offcut of board first on the artex to see if it's going to be a nightmare or not without the timbers.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I have to agree with cantaloup63, regarding the artex and secure fitting of the boards, the peaks can cause problems with both leveling the board specially on joints and can also cause bruising/damage to the board.
There other options but all will cause a bit of mess:
Remove the existing ceiling
Remove the artex (using either a steamer/hot air gun/x-Tex)
Skim over the artex. (make sure ceiling is secure and priming ceiling with bond-it)

 

[caparn]

I'm going to buy a 100mm scraper and use that to scrape off the ends of the pimples. This should make the artex nearly level and not cause a problem with unevenness or damage/bruising to the boards.

 

[cantaloup63]

Good luck with that scraper. Reckon you'll give up after 5 minutes and get some timber, but hey ho, prove me wrong

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

If your trying scrape the artex off you will need to soften it first.
You should not try to scrape dry artex as it may contain asbestos the artex must not be allowed to have airborne particles.

 

[caparn]

Does artex from 1984 have asbestos in it?

I was looking at some timber that I could screw into the joists in the ceiling at right angles to the joists.
Would one of these be ok?
Sawn Kiln Dried Timber (L)2400 x (W)38 x (T)19mm
Sawn Kiln Dried Timber (L)2400 x (W)50 x (T)22mm
I'd rather use the 19mm thick wood as this will lower the ceiling by less.