"Mike Tomlinson" wrote in message
...
As subject.
I am about to start redecorating a room in a 1930s semi-detached with
original lath and plaster ceilings. I want to drill holes and fit LV
halogen lights and if possible, do not want to get into the nitty-gritty
of tearing down the ceiling and replacing it with plasterboard.
I had the idea of punching a screwdriver through the ceiling in each
light location, then going up into the loft and pouring a water/PVA mix
around each hole (to bind the lath and plaster together) and leaving it
to set for a few days before attempting to drill a hole from below.
Any comments?
This is a dodgey job Mike. You need to remove the plaster in the size and
shape you need first, then cut the laths carefully with a saw, but
remembering not to push them up and away from the plaster itself. A good
way is to slip a piece of wire or string over the lath before you begin the
first cut, so you can hold on to it and stop is pushing away from you. But
you can't put to much strain on the downward pull of the string either, in
case you pull the lath through the plaster, so it is a dodgey job and takes
a bit time to do properly, so try to rush it. After you've made the first
cut through the lath, then you can simply hold on to the loosened timber and
make the second cut.
Use your plaster hole you made as the template and only cut out what timber
has been exposed by its removal. If you've ended up on half and half of the
laths, then you can slide a piece of metal, or big bent nail, through the
gap and then make your cut with the saw around the shape of the hole.
Sorry, should have said at the beginning, that you'll need a big hacksaw
blade, just the blade, and wrap a cloth tightly around one end, making sure
the teeth are pointing away from your cloth handle.
Take your time, and good luck with it.
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