Replace ceiling?

Mickey666

Jeepers_Creepers said:

If the ceiling needs replacing, it would be by taking down all the lathe and redoing with p'board and skim as normal - an everyday job for a 'wet' builder. Only a loon would remove only the plaster and redo it with lime and horsehair... :-)

I must be a 'loon' then

Pre-mixed lime plasters are no more difficult to use than modern gypsum plasters.  In fact, in my amateur experience, lime plaster is actually EASIER to use than gypsum plaster because the working time is so much longer.  Not to mention being more reslient to cracking as things move.

Also, not all lime plasters use horsehair - modern formulations use synthetic fibres for extended life. 

Something like this:  http://www.anglialime.com/products/wet-mix-plasters-angliamix-mortars-renders/fibrechalk

PS:  Many ceilings have laths but not many have lathes.  This is a lathe: 

Davesnave

This was my daughter's kitchen ceiling about a day or two after completion. She seemed to cope well enough with all the lath removal and clearing-up, but got someone in to do the rest.

AdrianC

kayen said:

AdrianC said:

To remove polystyrene tiles? Half a day with a stepladder and a scraper...
Then see what the ceiling behind is like. I've removed them and found the ceiling perfectly good and just needing a bit of cleaning then a coat of paint.

So is it common for the previous ceiling/s to be covered by poly tiles?

In the 70s and 80s, it was considered attractive.

And from what you're saying there's a possibility that after removing the poly tiles, the ceiling underneath may be ok and just need some paint and/or skim...?

Yep, absolutely.

"Ooh, this ceiling's really bland - I know, a quick smear of glue on the back of these gorgeous, cutting-edge-of-fashion polystyrene tiles, and we'll get the neighbours round for some cheese and pineapple on cocktail sticks washed down with Blue Nun."

I'm not a DIY-er (yet!)  so will need to get someone in to do the work! 

If ever there was a nice easy job to start your DIY journey...

Owning a house and not DIYing is going to get VERY expensive VERY quickly.

FreeBear

Mickey666 said: I must be a 'loon' then

Pre-mixed lime plasters are no more difficult to use than modern gypsum plasters.  In fact, in my amateur experience, lime plaster is actually EASIER to use than gypsum plaster because the working time is so much longer.  Not to mention being more reslient to cracking as things move.

PS:  Many ceilings have laths but not many have lathes.  This is a lathe: 

Join the club. Lime plaster is very forgiving, and if you use lime putty, it keeps - Some say it even gets better if stored in a cool frost free place with a bit of water to cover the surface in a sealed tub. I have some that was mixed three/four years ago, and is still good to use. An added advantage is once on the wall, a quick spray of water and you can rework it. And.... Mix some artists pigment in, and you can skip painting the wall afterwards. For a wow factor, polished and waxed, it can look stunning.

Oh, and that lathe... pfft... Tiny compared to the one in my workshop. 

Mutton_Geoff

I wouldn't bother removed the lath and plaster. The polystyrene tiles, yes, but they just scrape off. They used to be fitted to improve insulation before central heating became common as well but are a fire risk. Get them off then just overboard with 9mm plasterboard (lighter and easier to lift for overboarding) or buy/hire a plasterboard lift.

kayen

ok....so perhaps I'll try removing the poly tiles myself.  - what equipment will I need?....a ladder and...?a screwdriver to dislodge the tiles??    mask for dust?...     spot the DIY newbie

Are the tiles heavy to manage at height and can they be disposed of in domestic rubbish?

 

hazyjo

They are literally very light polystyrene so no weight at all (to the best of my knowledge!).

You'll be better off using something like a wallpaper scraper which is wide and flat. If you use a screwdriver, you'll find you dig into the ceiling, and the tiles will just split where you put the screwdriver rather than lifting sections.

Depending on your local collection restrictions, can't see why not normal rubbish collection if you can break them up small enough. Or just a quick trip to the tip!

Davesnave

While you'll get the tiles off one way or another,  the glue used to stick them up there might well be a different matter. You may be lucky and the surface the glue adheres to might come away with them, but in my experience you'll be left with many hard to shift 'blobs.'

A plasterer will be able to advise whether skimming is a viable option. It probably will be if the surface is sound.

Jeepers_Creepers

Mickey666 said:

Jeepers_Creepers said:

If the ceiling needs replacing, it would be by taking down all the lathe and redoing with p'board and skim as normal - an everyday job for a 'wet' builder. Only a loon would remove only the plaster and redo it with lime and horsehair... :-)

I must be a 'loon' then

Pre-mixed lime plasters are no more difficult to use than modern gypsum plasters.  In fact, in my amateur experience, lime plaster is actually EASIER to use than gypsum plaster because the working time is so much longer.  Not to mention being more reslient to cracking as things move.

Also, not all lime plasters use horsehair - modern formulations use synthetic fibres for extended life. 

Something like this:  http://www.anglialime.com/products/wet-mix-plasters-angliamix-mortars-renders/fibrechalk

PS:  Many ceilings have laths but not many have lathes.  This is a lathe: 

'tard :-)

Jeepers_Creepers

kayen said:

ok....so perhaps I'll try removing the poly tiles myself.  - what equipment will I need?....a ladder and...?a screwdriver to dislodge the tiles??    mask for dust?...     spot the DIY newbie

Are the tiles heavy to manage at height and can they be disposed of in domestic rubbish?

 

Yikes!  Yes, you'll require a screwdriver to unscrew the tiles. And a hydraulic jack to lower them down to ground level one at a time. Don't forget your crash-hat and safety boots. 

You will need - a way to get to reach ceiling height safely and comfortably. A couple of good scrapers - probably worth getting two, one firm (a scraper) and one flexible (more of a filling knife). Safety glasses, yes, because there will be debris coming off all the time and it'll ne annoying. Dust mask? Probably not essential - unless the plaster is soft and powdery, so have one handy. Music? Definitely - BBC Radio 6 (or R4 for more thoughtful working conditions).

Try and find a balance with applied force and blade angle so that the tiles are removed as intact as possible but without digging in to the ceiling surface. It really comes down to how well attached they are. If they are fully attached (and not by 'dabs' of adhesive) ), then, once you remove a strip, attack the rest with narrow strips - ie not a full blade width. Hopefully the ceiling will have had a good few coats of paint/limewash before the tiles were fitted, so a chance that it'll part nicely at this layer. 

If it turns out to be a 'mare, get someone in.