Unibond Vs new plaster bard?

[TEC]

I’m having some plastering done and as part of this I need a couple of ceilings made good, we’ve got quite a few cracks which look very much like they are running around the edges of the originally plaster boards (which will now be some 40 years old). I’ve had one plasterer tell me that we should put up new boards ontop of what is there then skim, and another who said he’ll dig the cracks out, fill them, unibond and then skim.

Which method do people think is better in terms of preventing the cracks coming back or new cracks emerging from the same problem?

 

[Richard C]

Unless there are other problems with the ceiling boards, I can’t see the point of over boarding. Just digging out & filling the cracks won’t work; to avoid the cracks reappearing, your plasterer should fit additional screws down reach side of the join, (providing it’s on a joist) tape the cracks, PVA, skim over & blend in with the surrounding ceiling around 250mm each side of the crack. If the crack is bad, I use 3 overlapping strips of reinforcing tape & if there are many cracks it may be best to skim the whole ceiling.

If the boards are generally loose sometimes it's necessary to fit screws throughout.

 

[jbonding]

I would definetly go with over boarding its quicker and a lot less mess plus less chance of it cracking. It will take about 5/6 boards per room and stagger the joints over the original cracks, this will reduce cracking and also give you extra sound and fire protection.

 

[TEC]

That looks like one vote each to me, anyone else?

 

[Plastile]

Tec,
Definatly over-board, this will eliminate any further cracks or problems that soon may arise, remember to increase screw size, and stagger the new boards over existing, you can punch holes in existing to atain direction of boards.
Good luck
(don`t skimp, it pays to do it properly)

 

[TEC]

Thanks Plastile