a new plaster board ceiling

[AnonymousImport]

Yes m8 if you tap the clg with a hammer you will hear it change when you reach a joist.A timber clg joist will be between 38mm to 50mm wide depending on what type of roof you have (traditional or cut&pitch).
Or you could use a stud detector from say wickes.

 

[AnonymousImport]

ok here it is
1) you can decorate plaster board wiyhou skimming by using tape then covering it with a jointing compound. But the plaster board must be tapered edge.
2) also before painting you musy apply a dry wall primer

BUT FOR THE ULTIMATE FINISH SKIM THE CEILING THEN PAINT.

 

[Jimmy]

http://www.technosolution.co.uk/diy/building/Plasterboard/plasterboard.htm

 

[Pelhamdog]

Tehnically right, but if your any good (im not implying that your not)you can tape and fill a square edge board to perfection as well tapered edge. Skimming is far better though, tape and fill is for diy and skimming for the pro ( or at least a pro diyer), tape and fill its easy and leaves an adequate finish, but youll end up with tram lines after a few years of regular decorating though. The finish (as in the way the emulsion appears) is similar to lining paper (which is really what it is). A ceiling should always be skimmed, it stiffens the joists, and offers greater resistance to the effects of long term movement.

 

[aaront]

I'm about to replace the ceiling in my bathroom - am I better off skimming it? Do you need to used a different moisture resisitant plaster in a bathroom?

Cheers.

 

[Jimbo]

If all you condescending builders/dry liners/plasterers/etc. out there really must climb on your high horse and belittle the other users of this list, at least have the decency to sign in with a proper ID, so we can tell one smug git from the next.

I would also like to echo the comments of another contributor to this thread -- simply telling people they're doing it wrong doesn't help. If you can't offer constructive advice, just keep schtum.

(No offence intended to those helpful professionals who are capable of realising that not everyone chooses the same career path as them)

 

[Pelhamdog]

Aaront, moisture resistant plasterboard/plaster not needed in bathroom (wouldnt do any harm though),but it is reccomended to place a layer of polythene vapour barrier behind the boards, particularly when against a cold roof (ie with insulation between ceiling joists).

Jimbo, if your comments were aimed at me (which I assume they were) I did offer constructive advice. And if I am condescending, then Im a condescending Structural Engineer, not builder/dry-liner/ plasterer etc, please get it right. I shall get off my high horse now.

 

[benny builder]

being new 2 this site and reading all the being given I thought I'd join in . you can paint plaster board if the whiter side is facing you. if the darker side is facing you then its best 2 plaster. if you TAPE AND JOIN, it is best 2 use PAINTERS CAULK around the edge where the ceiling meets the walls

 

[aaront]

Cheers pelham

 

[Pelhamdog]

Aaront, you may need to take account of the existing joist spacing, if they are irregular or imperial, you'll struggle with tapered edge boards, as you'll end up with alot of cut edges, defeating the purpose of the taper - you may need to batten out the ceiling first. And the plasterboard should be fixed with the lighter side facing out, whichever method you use (it used to be that the darker face was for skimming, but this is no longer the case). I hope that is some help.

 

[aaront]

The ceiling has y4et to be taken down so I dont know what the gap is between the joists. The gap between the floor above and the bottom of the joists is a healthy 200mm. I am planning on installing halogen lights so plenty of clearance is essential and to do it properly means dropping the ceiling (otherwise how do I wire the lights - 6 all together)?

I'm in the process of installing a new floor so it could be a few weeks before the ceiling gets attention.

 

[Pelhamdog]

Aaront, if you're dropping the ceiling, you won't have any problems with either type of board as you can space the battens exactly to your needs. However, alot of halogen lights would be ok with 200mm joists without the need to lower the ceiling, but you should obviously check with the manufacturer - I dont wish to responsible for a fire.

 

[aaront]

I'm not lowering the ceiling. The only reason I'm going to remove the existing ceiling is to install halogen lighting - I cant see how to wire it with the current ceiling in place.

 

[DAZB]

Have you got a lot of spare time and money to burn or something ?
By far the easiest way is to lift floorboards above and install that way and run the wiring along the joists or drill a small hole to pass a cable through the joist if needed. I'm sure others in the know will be able to relate the procedure a lot better than I just have but there is certainly no need to drop the ceiling.

 

[Pelhamdog]

Aaront, I didnt realise that the the only reason that you wanted to change the ceiling was purely because you wanted to install lighting. Dazb is certainly on the ball - there are many other ways to do it other than renewing the ceiling. If the ceiling is sound and you simply want to install halogen lights then either lift a few floor boards (or cut a few service panels) as he said, fit the wiring behind coving, or chase the top of the wall out for the wiring - feed you cable through and then fill the gap.