Lath and Plaster Ceiling - what should I do?

evilgoose

Are you planning to put anything in the attic? I'd prefer latte and plaster more flexible if you going to be walking above - you likely get cracks appear in the boards if there any give in the joists above. my house is mostly plasterboard and its cracked the room with the lattes isnt! (though could just have been a rubbish job by previous owner - everything else was! eek!)

Saying that plaster boarding would be easier, just pulling down the lattes is a bit of a task. If you know someone with a coal fire, lattes are great for lighting a fire (if a little sparky).

JennyB

The lath is coming coming down. Sounds like the right way to go really. I don't mind doing the work and want to end up with a good result at the end of it.

Chipped all the lime plaster off yesteday and finished the last bit of the ceiling - bags and bags of rubble everywhere.

Going to start work on taking out the lath now. Picked up crowbar yesterday - thanks Tom - and will be looking forward to using the laths on the fire! Very relieved that I'm not doing a wallbash and taking down all ceilings and plaster everywhere... well, not yet anyway.

wallbash

I'm not doing a wallbash and taking down all ceilings and plaster everywhere... well, not yet anyway.

:rotfl:

Further to my claim , I did not mention that the wooden downstairs floor was removed and rplaced with concrete.

Stairs was replaced.
All windows went
All plumbing
All electrics

But I was A LOT younger then

PS forgot the roof was retiled, but as not good with heights , got a man in :j

Pretani

Jenny, you could save a few bob in plasterers wages if you get the ceiling done in a random pattern, it takes 1/4 of the time to plaster than a smooth finish, so if you make your plasterers aware that you know this, you'll be in the position to negotiate with them. You wouldn't believe the amount of times I have seen plasterers charge the full whack for patterned ceilings, when it took them 1/4 of the time than a smooth ceiling.

Also, as you're keen on getting your hands dirty you could negotiate a futher discount from them if you're prepared to unibond all the walls before the plasterers arrive.;)

ormus

you can do it either way.
my SIL did thw whole house when he bought it. every ceiling was pulled down and new PB installed.
be aware the mess was very very bad! no problem in a complete refurb, but could be nasty in the home youre living in!

70/100 yrs of dust!!!

evilgoose

I'm having a refirb on my house, to help cut down the costs I'm doing the labouring for the plasterer (when I eventually get to the position when he's needed).

Have a claw hammer to hand and a block of wood to help remove any nails which dont come out with the Lathes (its a bit easier on the shoulders than a crow bar if there alot of them. Also I had a few where the heads snap on the nail and so they need to be tapped flush.)

Lychee

ormus wrote: »

you can do it either way.
my SIL did thw whole house when he bought it. every ceiling was pulled down and new PB installed.
be aware the mess was very very bad! no problem in a complete refurb, but could be nasty in the home youre living in!

70/100 yrs of dust!!!

There's a crack in my kitchen ceiling and I'm trying to decide whether to overboard or take down & replace. What are the con's to overboarding?

I'd still be living in the house so as the post above says - taking down and replacing is very messy... And on top of that would it take longer as well (meaning I'd be without my kitchen for longer) ? Thanks

wallbash

I'd still be living in the house

You don't have an option, overboard.

What are the con's to overboarding?

You lower the ceiling height!

jason_s_2

Over board it with 9.5mm plasterboard. Alot less mess (ALOT MORE). As for tomstickland's comment further up, dont mean to be rude but absolute tosh. I would gladly take you along when i overboard and skim a ceiling and i'd like you to tell me the difference at the end. Yes you will lower the height, but 13mm, is the really going to make any difference.