Ceiling level?

[rich65]

Hi can anyone advise how much difference in height between joists will be noticable when ceiling is boarded and plastered?

I had a separate small kitchen and dining room which have been made into one and the ceilings were past it so the old boards have been pulled down ready to reboard but there is quite a difference in "level" between joists the worst being 15mm between adjacent joists approx 400mm apart.

I was thinking that the best way to bring them something like level would be layers of ply to build up the gap, but to what tolerance? would 5mm be noticable.

Ceiling dimensions are 4500 x 3500mm.

Also was it usual practice in the mid 60's to use bits or floorbaord for joist bridges and to put them in vertically with no fixing at all just loose?

Thanks for any advice,

Rich

 

[1john]

I cant tell you anything about "normal" practice in the 60's. Its before my time but I feel there were alot of hippy types about, embracing love and smoking some funky weed. Brown I think was also popular.

To sort your ceiling I would be counter battening perpendiculat to the joists, bang on 400mm centers and packing out the battens on each joist to make the ceiling as true as possible though!

 

[rich65]

Thanks 1john,
I see what you mean, what size of batten would be required?

Rich

 

[1john]

2x1 would be fine if the joists are on 16" centers, it;s nice if you can get 3x1 or 4x1 for where the boards meet too, but not essential. IIRC roofing batten comes in 5.2m lengths which can be handy.