Pasterboard covering in bathroom

[johnnywashngo]

We have recently had a leaking roof fixed in our house. The roof felt had corroded and let water into the bathroom, just above our bathroom window.

As a result, some of the covering on the plasterboard around the window area has started to come away from the plasterboard.

I haven't yet tried to take the covering off, it kinda looks like a lining paper has been put on top of the plasterboard. Is it safe to assume that I can try to scrape off the covering and then apply some lining paper to the board before painting over it with bathroom paint?

I have little experience with plasterboard, every house I have lived in so far has been brick and mortar. Because of that I do not know if I can scrape off the covering from the plasterboard or wether that would just destroy it.

By the way, I understand that plasterboard has it own covering. I am not talking about removing that. I am talking about removing the covering on top of that that has been applied by the previous occupants.

Thanks in advance.

JohnnyWashngo

 

[alex77]

So the plasterboard has not been skimmed with plaster? That sounds odd. If this were mine I would chop out the damaged plasteboard completely and pop in a new peice.

 

[messenger]

i agree with alex take it out and replace,as you say the water has come though the ceiling so it would also have penatrated the whole plaster board so as they say better to be safe than sorry.

 

[johnnywashngo]

So the plasterboard has not been skimmed with plaster? That sounds odd. If this were mine I would chop out the damaged plasteboard completely and pop in a new peice.

Nope, it doesn't look to have been skimmed at all.

I am no expert on plasterboard but it looks like the people responsible for doing the bathroom put a covering onto the board, like lining paper, and then painted it with some type of moisure proof bathroom paint.

I think, given my inexperience with the board and the complexity of the job (its a very small area which will probably require tools I do not have), I may see if a local joiner can have a look and price up the repair for me.

Cheers guys !

 

[alex77]

That seems rather unnecessary; it will be an easy job.

Work out which way your ceiling joists run. Make a hole with a hammer where the damage is then using a ‘stanley’ knife cut through the board in a square. This should extend halfway across the joists to either side, i.e. exposing half of the timber, to give you something to fix to. It the other direction i.e. perpendicular to the joists, make the cuts just beyond the damage.

Break this area out using a striking tool - hammer/fist/rock etc.

Measure the thickness of the board and buy a piece at the builder’s merchants. Cut a piece out using the ‘stanley’ knife and offer it up. You can nail it in, but given the lack of skim I would stick it in using plasterboard jointing compound. Use the compound to fill any gap. Stick up some paper and paint.


If you don’t feel up to this and are going to get in a pro, then you might as well try your first suggestion of stripping the paper and re-finishing first – what do you have to loose??