Worrying Cracks!

KatieDee

Hi everybody,

I will shortly be starting work on my living room. I'm hoping it won't be a big job, perhaps a few coats of paint, new carpet and new furnishings.

As you can see from the photos, I have a bay window. When I moved in over a year ago, one side of the bay window roof had lifted, so I arranged to have the entire thing replaced with fibre glass. I have noticed in the bay window area, there are considerable lines in the ceiling and it looks as though it is bulging slightly (again, please see my photos).

I am just waiting for a plasterer to come out and appreciate that all will become clear when I eventually rip the wallpaper down but judging by the picture, can anybody tell what the issue could be? I don't want to pull the wallpaper down and end up with no ceiling but at the same time, I need to pull the wallpaper down to see the extent of the ceiling underneath. I'm hoping it's a skim rather than a full replaster!

The house is almost 100yrs old so will always have its cracks. I just don't want to end up being taken advantage of by any plasterers who see me coming a mile off!

http://tinypic.com/r/2vdgtw5/8

http://tinypic.com/r/2r754bm/8

Apologies for not imbedding the photo for ease...they are absolutely mahoosive.

Thanks in advance

I_have_spoken

The house is almost 100yrs old

I'd say the plaster has 'blown' or come adrift from the laths use for a lath and plaster build. Not unusual in Victorian era houses.

You really want to avoid pulling the ceiling down which will be expensive and immensely messy. If the plasterer is any good, he should suggest repair by injecting adhesive via holes to set it followed by a scrim to give a good finish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4D0sESi5So

KatieDee

I_have_spoken wrote: »

I'd say the plaster has 'blown' or come adrift from the laths use for a lath and plaster build. Not unusual in Victorian era houses.

Thank you very much - I have done a bit of research myself and this was one of my guesses!

I don't know how much knowledge you have in this area but is it likely the laths will need replacing in that particular area? If so, is it easy to "spot replace" laths or will that entire section need redoing?

If none of the above is relevant...is this just a replaster job?

Also, do you think I'll be okay to strip the wallpaper, or should I leave that for a plasterer?

Doozergirl

You can strip it. You will find chunks coming down, if not sheets. You don't replace lathe as we don't build that way anymore and they are interlinked anyway.

Stripping wallpaper might be pointless. You either bite the bullet and bring the whole lot down and reboard, or you overboard what is there.

My preference is always to do the dirty stuff, but do it once and do it right.

KatieDee

Doozergirl wrote: »

You can strip it. You will find chunks coming down, if not sheets. You don't replace lathe as we don't build that way anymore and they are interlinked anyway.

Stripping wallpaper might be pointless. You either bite the bullet and bring the whole lot down and reboard, or you overboard what is there.

My preference is always to do the dirty stuff, but do it once and do it right.

Thank you so much for this

So, clear the living room completely, call a plasterer in and strip the wallpaper to survey the damage.

I'm just nervous about making the first leap I suppose!

missprice

KatieDee wrote: »

Thank you so much for this

So, clear the living room completely, call a plasterer in and strip the wallpaper to survey the damage.

I'm just nervous about making the first leap I suppose!

It really is messy. So if you pull the whole lot down be prepared. Cover everything you can think of and then everything else too.

I am of the pull it down do it properly school. But the mess could put you right off.

If it def blown then pulling paper off could mean chunks of plaster come off with the paper too.