Plastering over fibreboard ceiling

[baldman]

Hi
I've got an offer in to buy a first-floor flat built around 1939. The ceilings are divided into sections(8' by 4' I think) with shallow wooden mouldings round each of these sections and around the ceiling perimeter (presumably covering the 'joins'.)

Best advice so far is that these are probably fibreboard panels. The effect is pretty grim and I hoped it would be relatively simple to take off the mouldings and get my plastering pal to re-skim.

Does anyone have experience of this type of ceiling? Is it possible to remove the mouldings, PVA it and reskim?
Alternatively, will it be necessary to plasterboard over the top of it first? Is the additional weight likely to be a big problem (the supporting timbers appear to be 4" by 3")?

Thanks for any advice you can give! I'd be reluctant to give up on this flat, but if it looks really costly I might be best to negotiate the price down. I don't even dare to think it might be asbestos panels...

 

[noseall]

don't even think about trying to skim fibreboards!

overboarding with plasterboard should be ok provided the existing boards are dry and stain free.

for best results, take down the rubbishy fibreboards and re-fix directly to the floor joists.

at least this way, you can fit any cables or pipes in the ceiling void and add some sound deadening insulation too.

 

[baldman]

Thanks for the quick response Noseall. I take on board (no pun intended)that it must be a horror show...Is fibre board simply too absorbent? Why IS it such a disaster to skim?

Being a bit of a perfectionist, I welcome your encouragement to take the ruddy stuff down altogether. The flat has some really unsatisfactory pipe runs for central heating and I have to rewire extensively; both these might be easier with the ceiling down altogether. (Sweeping up the loose-fill insulation would be less welcome!)

Actually because the flat is as wide as two semi-detached houses, and mine is the upper of two floors, it would be fantastic if it was permissible to do a loft conversion - loads of space! Unless anyone has any experience to the contrary, I'm presuming that this would absolutely not be allowed under the terms of the lease (I've never bought leasehold before...). However I think it might be ok to 'informally' board over at least part of it for storage purposes.

The cheapskate in me wonders about recycling the fibreboards for this purpose i.e. replacing them on top of the joists. I'd be grateful if anyone is well-informed enough to put me straight by telling me if this is a nonsensical idea. Or workable, if it is...

Thanks in advance if so.

 

[noseall]

burn the fibreboards.

it was a crime to use these things in the building trade in the first place.

it absolutely cannot be skimmed.

unless it is stramit board....

i think you may be breaking the law if you wish to pursue a loft conversion.