Lath & Plaster ceilings must come down

ic

I've just taken down a false ceiling above my stairs. The original ceiling was in-line with the up-stairs ceiling. In the past the ceilings were replaced up stairs. It looks like when this happened the contractors went in the loft, knocked down all the ceilings cleared up and replaced. However the ceiling above the stairs simply came down on to the false ceiling below - and it was left like that, even though this caused the ceiling bulge in all directions.

Removing the ceiling was horrendous. The 110 years worth of soot and dust and building rubble (there were bricks and all sorts in there, they must have been throwing stuff in as an alternative to bothering with a skip) was horrible. I came out looking like I'd been down the mines (worse than in that picture posted earlier). Even though I'd sealed off the top and the bottom of the stairs with heavy dust sheets, dust still got through and caked the entirety of the rest of the house. Weeks later I'm still cleaning up and my white cats are only now getting white again.

I really would recommend you go for the easy option of re-boarding over the existing ceiling. However the final result in my house is much better, as I've now put back a much higher, and straight, ceiling - looks awesome.

If you do decide to go ahead - shut all doors and seal them. Open windows in the room you're working in, prepare to destroy your vacuum cleaner, wear clothes you're prepared to bin, goggles, and get a good dust mask. Also wear a head torch, as when that dust comes down, you'll loose all visibility until the dust clears!

Sami_Bee

:rotfl: this thread is hilarious!

I definitely think you are right to get it removed if you aren't living there, our kitchen ceiling was L&P that had been boarded over, one leaky bath later both fell down! :eek: we did our best to seal the room (Dexter's murder room stylee) but even so I had to take my pregnant self and toddler son to my parents for over a week while Hubby and parents cleaned the ENTIRE house of the black dust.
We hired a rug doctor to clean the carpet in the lounge (your average smallish square front room of a terrace) we went over it about 10 times and the water still wasn't coming out clean!

The actual kitchen work of ceiling removal and new one put up took just under 2.5 days so i think your schedule is fine.

Ps, slather vaseline around your eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and nails - it'll stop the dust getting ingrain so you won't look like a goth that can't remove their make up

polishing_peanuts

I know that this is an old thread but in case others are searching for how to do it!

At last I got around to writing an article on my blog on how to remove or repair an old lath and lime plaster ceiling or wall for that matter!

I am a pro and have been doing it for years. All the above posts are true, it is a mucky old job, but it is the best way to do it IMHO.

You can read how to remove your lath and plaster ceiling by copying and pasting this

polishingpeanuts.com/how-to/repair-or-remove-lath-and-plaster-ceilings/

into your browser and don't forget to leave a comment on how you got on, or I can answer specific questions about your own job if you have them.

Good luck! :j
Ian

alm721

For anyone who's reboarded rather than removing an existing ceiling, would you just screw the new plasterboard through to the existing joints or would you put battens over the existing joints then board to that? Our decorator is suggesting the latter but I can't think why.
Thanks

ormus

ive never done it that way.
simply overboarded. direct.