Suspended / false ceiling - how to fit it?
 

Hi,

I have a room, with a gently (20 degree?) sloping ceiling,
following the roof line, in which I wish to fit LV ceiling lights. I'm
quite comfortable with the slope. I need advice on how to create a
ceiling to which to attach the lights.

The ceiling plaster seems to me to be the original, probably on
laths. There are some major cracks in the plaster but when I tap it
very few areas have a hollow sound. By pushing on areas of the plaster
it doesn't seem the plaster has come away from the laths.

So, should I make a frame attached to the walls and with 2 by 1
timbers on to which to nail the plaster board, leaving the original
ceiling in place and creating the void for insulation and the light
fittings? Or should I take the current ceiling down, exposing the
laths, then nail 2 by 1 (or whatever) to the exposed roof beams then
nail the plaster board to that? My thinking about taking the current
ceiling down is although it seems sound it may "detach" from the laths
in future (even though if it is original it has been in place for 100
years !).


Thanks

Clive

Suspended / false ceiling - how to fit it?
 

Clive wrote:
Hi,

I have a room, with a gently (20 degree?) sloping ceiling,
following the roof line, in which I wish to fit LV ceiling lights. I'm
quite comfortable with the slope. I need advice on how to create a
ceiling to which to attach the lights.

The ceiling plaster seems to me to be the original, probably on
laths. There are some major cracks in the plaster but when I tap it
very few areas have a hollow sound. By pushing on areas of the plaster
it doesn't seem the plaster has come away from the laths.

So, should I make a frame attached to the walls and with 2 by 1
timbers on to which to nail the plaster board, leaving the original
ceiling in place and creating the void for insulation and the light
fittings? Or should I take the current ceiling down, exposing the
laths, then nail 2 by 1 (or whatever) to the exposed roof beams then
nail the plaster board to that? My thinking about taking the current
ceiling down is although it seems sound it may "detach" from the laths
in future (even though if it is original it has been in place for 100
years !).


Thanks

Clive

As a general rule, unless there is something truly wonderful about the
original structure, I go back to a well tried principle:-

'When in doubt, rip it out'

That way you have a simple job of reinstallation using 'known quality'
materials to whatever standards you (or the BCO) insist upon.

'Bodge over ********' always ends in a lot of work and an indeterminate
result.

Suspended / false ceiling - how to fit it?
 

Clive (Clive ) gurgled happily, sounding much like
they were saying:

I have a room, with a gently (20 degree?) sloping ceiling,
following the roof line, in which I wish to fit LV ceiling lights. I'm
quite comfortable with the slope. I need advice on how to create a
ceiling to which to attach the lights.

The ceiling plaster seems to me to be the original, probably on
laths. There are some major cracks in the plaster but when I tap it very
few areas have a hollow sound. By pushing on areas of the plaster it
doesn't seem the plaster has come away from the laths.

So, should I make a frame attached to the walls and with 2 by 1
timbers on to which to nail the plaster board, leaving the original
ceiling in place and creating the void for insulation and the light
fittings? Or should I take the current ceiling down, exposing the laths,
then nail 2 by 1 (or whatever) to the exposed roof beams then nail the
plaster board to that? My thinking about taking the current ceiling down
is although it seems sound it may "detach" from the laths in future
(even though if it is original it has been in place for 100 years !).

Pull it down. It'll make a ****ing *horrific* mess whilst you do it, but
it's the best opportunity you'll ever get to get some insulation in
behind that plaster.

We did this earlier in the year in an upstairs bedroom - again, Victorian
house, in the roof slope. The plaster was, like yours, cracking slightly,
but seemed solid. It really didn't take much to bring it down in sheets.
There was _nothing_ behind it until the roof tiles. Not even tar paper.
Except for some long-empty wasp's nests.

75mm insulation went in there, between the rafters, then plasterboarded
and skimmed.

Very well worth the effort.

Suspended / false ceiling - how to fit it?
 

Thanks people.

It's coming down (when I have someone lined up to skim the plaster
boards).

Lovely jubbly.

Clive

Suspended / false ceiling - how to fit it?
 

"Clive" wrote in message
...
Thanks people.

It's coming down (when I have someone lined up to skim the plaster
boards).

Lovely jubbly.

Clive

Just one comment to your original message:

SCREW the plasterboard, don't NAIL. Much better.

Suspended / false ceiling - how to fit it?
 

JoeJoe wrote:
"Clive" wrote in message
...
Thanks people.

It's coming down (when I have someone lined up to skim the plaster
boards).

Lovely jubbly.

Clive

Just one comment to your original message:

SCREW the plasterboard, don't NAIL. Much better.


Well YES. if you are slightly more intelligent than a gibbon.

My plasterboarders were not, and they managed top break the cardboard so
I have floppy boards and popping screw heads..

Suspended / false ceiling - how to fit it?
 

On 13 Dec, 11:55, Clive wrote:
Thanks people.

It's coming down (when I have someone lined up to skim the plaster
boards).

Lovely jubbly.

Clive

Take it down - why ? It will create a serious mess and I mean serious
- and you will also have to get rid of the muck. If you are putting
up 2 x 2 battens for the 'screwed on' plasterboard, they will hold the
original plasterwork in place perfectly well - just user longer screws
into the ceiling joists. Taking off the plaster is an unnecessary
operation.

And because it all screwed, there won't be any shocks to disturb the
old plaster. If it does detach later, it's only going to fall in small
bits an inch or so and will happily sit on the plasterboard. Ive
done one ceiling myself that way and two that were done by a builder,
and there's a bedroom one to do and SWMBO will certainly not tolerate
any further mess after all these years.

Rob

Suspended / false ceiling - how to fit it?
 

robgraham wrote:
On 13 Dec, 11:55, Clive wrote:
Thanks people.

It's coming down (when I have someone lined up to skim the plaster
boards).

Lovely jubbly.

Clive

Take it down - why ? It will create a serious mess and I mean serious
- and you will also have to get rid of the muck. If you are putting
up 2 x 2 battens for the 'screwed on' plasterboard, they will hold the
original plasterwork in place perfectly well - just user longer screws
into the ceiling joists. Taking off the plaster is an unnecessary
operation.

Agreed - I've done a very similar project in my own bathroom without ill
effect.

The *only* possible justification for ripping it down would be to add
insulation as has been suggested and having done it both ways in my
house I'm not convinced the massive extra aggro would be worthwhile.
Bear in mind that if the old ceiling is left, the new room will be
better insulated than before due to the extra layer of ceiling and air
trapped between the two layers.

David

Suspended / false ceiling - how to fit it?
 

Lobster wrote:
robgraham wrote:
On 13 Dec, 11:55, Clive wrote:
Thanks people.

It's coming down (when I have someone lined up to skim the plaster
boards).

Lovely jubbly.

Clive

Take it down - why ? It will create a serious mess and I mean serious
- and you will also have to get rid of the muck. If you are putting
up 2 x 2 battens for the 'screwed on' plasterboard, they will hold the
original plasterwork in place perfectly well - just user longer screws
into the ceiling joists. Taking off the plaster is an unnecessary
operation.

Agreed - I've done a very similar project in my own bathroom without ill
effect.

The *only* possible justification for ripping it down would be to add
insulation as has been suggested

What about if there are rotten timbers behind it?

Or potential roof problems?

Or mice?

Or just about anything that could happen after a 100 years!

The WHOLE POINT of taking it all down is that you reduce the
uncertainties to zero.

And you can do the job properly to a standard and bring it up to scratch.

Sure you can cover it in woodchip and sell the house and hope it stays
up a few years.

Cowboy bodging is common enough...

HOWEVER you may find that you don't know where the tinmbers are, and
trying to whack up more board ends up with it falling down, and then you
wish you had done it properly to start with.




and having done it both ways in my
house I'm not convinced the massive extra aggro would be worthwhile.

Its LESS aggro.

Bear in mind that if the old ceiling is left, the new room will be
better insulated than before due to the extra layer of ceiling and air
trapped between the two layers.

Sure. But not nearly as good as a few inches of celotex whacked up..

David