Overboarding - Easy option or best option??

[leespot]

Hi guys,

We had some work done recently in the kitchen (we were on holiday at the time). All along one wall in the kitchen the builder has used boards over the existing wall because of the quality of the plaster. We haven't started any plaster work yet as we're not ready for that, but we did have walls taken down / boiler installed etc.

Is it standard to board over poor quality existing plaster or would you guys recommend taking the walls back to the brick first? The ceilings are also old L&P which they said would be better boarded over and less messy - but again, is that an easier option or the better one? Thanks in advance for your advice, would like to make sure we get the job done the best way possible.

Cheers!

 

[roy c]

"Boarding over" is usually called "Dot andDab"...This method is a good way of straightening out walls and making a nice flat wall. It is also a lot quicker than hacking all the old substrate off and reinstating. As long as the walls are sound and there is no wall paper on them. It would be a little thicker than the normal way of plastering a wall so you would probably lose your skirtings and have to reinstate them on the new boards. Also if you have door frames on "said" wall then you would (or maybe) have to change the architraves (mouldings around the door).Also the other way of "Boarding over" is (But this can only be done on a "stud" wall) which would usually be a wall that is made up of wooden studs (3"x 2") or (4"x 2"),fixed to a wall plate (wooden one to suit size of studs) at the bottom and same at top of wall. This would mean just finding where the studs were and putting plasterboard on the walls and nailing them to the studs underneath the old boards. This will bring your wall out by the thickness of the plaster boards and the skim on top. You would also have to change skirts, but may get away with leaving the architraves on the doors, and would mean just putting longer screws in all your sockets and light fittings on that wall.(Thats no problem).. I will tell you now if you are going to knock an old lath and plaster ceiling down then it is best to do it with the house empty!!!! As the dust (and most of it will be black) will be everywhere and take ages to clean up, So can you imagine what it would do to a furnished house!! So I would recommend over boarding..But make sure that the joists holding the ceiling up are strong enough to take the weight of the new plasterboard. If not then you have got to get a joiner in to tell you how to strengthen the existing joists and structure to take the extra weight. In fact get a reputable joiner to do that job and not the plasterers. (They can skim it when its done..) Hope this helps you understand a bit of what you are going to get done. But also get a few local builders round to see what they say about what needs doing and get a few quotes off them and dont take the cheapest quote .Ask where they have been working , what houses in your area they have worked on (Addresses and go and ask them to see the work that they have had done and see if they are happy with it. I am afraid to say if you dont get to know what needs doing and haven't a clue of what you are paying you will get "chancers" trying to take your well earned money off you!! Hope this helps you along the way to a house that you get done how you want and are happy with the workmanship...

 

[leespot]

Hi Roy - thank you so much for your reply, it's really helpful.

We're replacing all of the the skirting in the house as it has been cobbled with different types in almost every room. Would the boards go all the way to the floor and then the skirting fastens to it? The door architraves will be replaced in the kitchen but we've found a very similar match to the old ones.

We're living in the house as we get the work done, so knocking down the ceilings is probably not the best route to take I'm more than happy with boarding now that I know it's as common as you've said - especially if it gives a better end result in terms of being more straight. The ceiling in the kitchen is being lowered slightly too. The ceilings downstairs have a wallpaper centre with some sort of border? (see photo). I'm not sure how we get around keeping the borders but getting rid of the wallpaper - the plaster would probably fall down to be honest.

The guy I used a few years ago on a previous house is booked solid for the next few months, so we had the one room skimmed (ceilings and walls) by another local guy and we're not impressed with the finish to be honest - there are rough patches of filler that are prominent and need to be sanded down all over the place The job just isn't very good and will need to be finished by someone else who knows what they're doing.

Thanks again!

 

[stevethespreader]

Overboarding walls is cheap and nasty I would never do it on my own property, it's lazy, convenient "for the builder" and inferior

 

[leespot]

Hi Steve - it was only the one wall that had been boarded in the kitchen. The other room we had skimmed didn't have any boards except for the ceiling where the old plaster had cracked and was loose. The chimney breast wall that was down to the brick they used a mix (sorry, the name escapes me) then a skim (debatable!) finish.

 

[stevethespreader]

Hi Steve - it was only the one wall that had been boarded in the kitchen. The other room we had skimmed didn't have any boards except for the ceiling where the old plaster had cracked and was loose. The chimney breast wall that was down to the brick they used a mix (sorry, the name escapes me) then a skim (debatable!) finish.

Just answering the question you asked as in easy option or best option

 

[leespot]

Hi - Yep, just wasn't sure if I'd explained myself properly! I'm happy enough to leave the wall 'as is' in the kitchen, but I would prefer (where I can) not to board over the other walls in the house. They didn't ask me before they did it, I came home and it was done. I'll be around for the rest of the work Thanks for your reply, appreciate it. Just out of interest, which way would you do it?

 

[Handymanjo]

Overboarding is a quick clean fix
Years down the line when the old lath and plaster ceiling has shagged and the plaster board bellowed from poor fixings,you will do the job correctly.
The old plaster on the walls will have blown and the plaster board will sound hollow and un firm will then need to be re done.
I would never over board in my own home .I would always take it back to the bare wall or ceiling.You will get a better finish.Its very very very messy ,but you will always get a good finish and you will not end up doing the job twice. Chimney breasts need special attention due to old soot bleeding though the new plaster ?

 

[vinn]

Did you have any damp issues or what looked like damp/salts on the external walls or the chimney breast?
Boards always stop short of the floor - any floor. Plastering should also stop short of the floor esp. solid floors.
I'm also against boarding walls when it can be plastered or rendered.

 

[leespot]

Thanks for the replies - appreciate the different views. No damp or salt on the walls - but handy to know about the boards stopping short of the floor. The other walls in the kitchen won't be boarded