PLASTERBOARD JOINTS - USING A FLEXIBLE SEALANT??

[RONCHAM]

Hi - I've got zero plastering experience (including plasterboard) but I'm hoping to cover a small ceiling (about 9' x 9') with plasterboard and then papering over with a woodchip type paper. If I fix the board with plasterboard screws, is it likely I can fill joints with a flexible sealant? Or is it just impossible to get the horizontal surfaces of two adjacent boards flush with each other? Using joint filler and spreading it several inches either side of joints and feathering out etc. seems a skill in itself and I'm worried about making a dog's breakfast of it. Also, what's the procedure with any gaps around the perimeter - just simply fill with filler only? I'm hoping the woodchip paper will hide most imperfections.
My apologies if this query offends skilled plasterers!!
Regards.

 

[Alastairreid]

Fix the boards lengthways across the joists, stagger the joints and keep them tight together, keep the boards hard against the wall,screw the boards every 100mm, use plasterers scrim tape for all joints in boards and apply 2 or 3 coats of easi-fill. fill any discrepancies in the perimeter with decorators caulk.
Spend a bit of time on the sanding and you may get away with just painting it.

Good luck.

 

[RONCHAM]

Thanks for your quick reply and advice. So it looks like there's no ducking out of scrim tape and filler at joints, but at least caulk around perimeter. Advice I've seen elsewhere suggests 3 layers of filler, progressively wider and feathering the edges (which is probably easier to say than do!). I know scrim is about 2" wide - does it presumably lap beyond the joint each side??
Regards.

 

[NickB_99]

I'm hoping the woodchip paper will hide most imperfections.
My apologies if this query offends skilled plasterers!!
Regards.

Personally would prefer for the more elegant solution of a skimmed ceiling (may not cost that much even if you paid someone as it's only small).

If you go with it - filler/scrim usually works best with tapered edge boards.

Last option - very nasty bodge solution - as it's woodchip it does cover imperfections...
Assuming boards well butted and flush with each other, you may get away with just scrim tape over the joins prior to papering.
You would also want to avoid drywall screws sticking up above the surface level of the board.

 

[Alastairreid]

I know scrim is about 2" wide - does it presumably lap beyond the joint each side??

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[RONCHAM]

Thanks to you both for additional advice. Nice dog! - what's his name?

I've read that you countersink the screws but without going thru paper backing, which must be quite a fine divide (or does plaster compress a little when screwed into?). I originally had a painted pine-cladding ceiling (lath and plaster underneath) which probably took far longer than plasterboard to put up. But being in a kitchen, I thought many people (and they're probably right) would regard it as a fire hazard??
Regards.

 

[AdrianMealing]

Get yourself some of THESE stops you going through the board with the screws.

 

[RONCHAM]

Thanks for that - whatever will they think of next!!

 

[1john]

Are you certain the ceiling is 9'x9', perhaps it is a little smaller one way, this will work to your benefit. Do you like coving?

btw, you need to go into this job with the slogan "woodchip is not an option" and you will come out fine

Ask as many questions as you need, if you do go for tape and fill I would say it is very easy to acheive a "good" finish with little to no experience and minimal tools, i'm certain the job will turn out nice for you!!

 

[RONCHAM]

Thanks for your encouragement! Actually the kitchen is L-shaped - 9' is longest dimension and joists run at right angles to it. Other dimension of main area is 7' so even with 8' x 4' sheets, would be a few joins. If woodchip or similar is "not an option", are you suggesting a skim coat? - I'd have to get that done by a pro! Don't think coving would be appropriate, I'd be more inclined to a decorative timber moulding (if anything). Thanks again.
Regards.

 

[1john]

Ok, so you have the benefit of not needing to have and butt joins if you use tapered edge board. You will need a friend to help you as it helps in the ability of being accurate with the board cutting and getting them up there I find. Install the boards with the square "raw" edges to the walls so you have a rolled and tapered edge running the width of the room, with some carefull measurments it would be advisable to put a board in the center of the too and then two cuts either side so you dont have and tapers too near the edges. Once this is done you apply a self adhesive scrim tape along the joins inside that tapered part.

You have a boarded ceiling, scrimed and ready for filling.

The beauty of the tapered board from a DIY perspective is that it gives you a datum to fill out too, I would advise you used "easyfill" for this, as it can be sanded, you can do all of your work with this product and any left overs will be useful around the house

Mix the easy fill in a bucket, you dont need alot and remember that you havent got to go everything in one go, take your time. Then with a trowel or even a wide scraper (needs to be wider that two tapers) apply the easy fill across the join, pushing it in firmly but also leaving it slighty proud of the board. Dont worry too much as you can go over it again. Once you have done the whole join or ran out of easy fill pull your trowel down the join applying firm pressure so you remove the majority of easy fill from the face of the boards and leave only the taper mainly filled flush with the board. once that is set up nice and firm you can apply another layer a few inches wider than the taper, and then even a third coat if you are keen, once properly dry you can sand this to an acceptable finish with 120 grit paper, be carefull not to work at the paper on the plasterboard too much, youy dont want to go through it. When it comes to the screw heads, just dab a spot of easy fill over them and then swipe over with your trowel at 90 degrees to the way you put the easy fill on to leave it slightly proud of the board, these again can be lightly sanded to flush them up.

If your measuring and cutting was neat then the edge can simply be caulked into the wall at the corners, or a cover strip / coving used to fill anything too large for caulk.

Good luck, I hope that makes sense, ask more questions if you need

 

[RONCHAM]

Looking at other threads, if I get the whole area skimmed does this also take care of joints or are joints still taped and filled, prior to skimming?? Also if I'm butting square edges of cut board, do I give the edges a bit of a taper (what with?) or no need to bother??

This job now taken on some urgency as a small (but heavy) section of plaster (ceiling is lath and plaster) fell down unprovoked today and nearly took out my wife! - could have been a manslaughter charge!!

 

[Alastairreid]

If you are getting the ceiling skimmed the plasterer will take care of the taping.
the joints will not need filled with easi fill they get plastered over before skimming..
You can butt square edged board to tapered.