Thoughts on ceiling bowed

[dormermike]

Hi

We are decorating our living room and will be stripping and repapering the ceiling which is currently papered.

The ceiling is mostly flat except for a approx 1.5mx1.5m area which is sagging down. I've lifted a floor board above this area and there is no evidence of a leak, it just looks like it wasn't attached to the joist properly originally (c1994) and has sagged.

I guess I need to fix this, as it'll get worse over time?

Can I cut out the area and attach a new section or sections of plasterboard and get someone to skim?

Ceiling is approx 35sqm so hoping I would not have to skim entire area?

My reluctance to do this stems from having "plasterers" in the past who've done a rubbish job. Seems hard to find a decent one.

Thanks
Mike

 

[pilsbury]

Perhaps it wasn’t fixed properly. Nails or screws have come loose or popped the board.

Can you push the sag up? If so, why not just screw it back to the joists? Fill the screw head holes with filler and bobs your uncle.

 

[dormermike]

I can push it up a bit but I was reluctant to push too hard. I guess if it breaks it's coming down anyway haha. I assumed it must have stretched a bit? Worth a go I guess..

 

[JohnD]

use a deadman.

Put a biggish piece of board under the sag (chipboard will do) and a wooden "leg" at least as long as ceiling height under it. Put the top end of the leg under the middle of the board and slowly bring the foot under it so it pushes the board up. When fully tight, restrain the leg from moving, and start screwing up your plasterboard. It will be easier if you have slots or big holes in the chipboard, otherwise you can slide it slowly sideways as you work, which is fraught with danger.

The same method can be used on L&P ceilings that have sagged. You have to remove all loose nibs and other debris first, then you put e.g. expanded metal lathing on the ceiling joists in trays that reach close to the plaster, and pour a thin runny plaster mix into it so it bonds to the old plaster and the lathing. Your chipboard should be wrapped in plastic sheet or some other material that the runny plaster will not stick to when it runs through the cracks.

if the old wooden laths are very sound, you can omit the new lathing. But as well as the timber deteriorating, the old nails may have rusted.

 

[dormermike]

OK cool. Thank you. This is a basic modern skimmed plasterboard ceiling so hopefully the approach with spreading the load will work. Nothing to lose anyway!!

Thanks

 

[^woody^]

Plasterboard and skim is not elastic, and if it has sagged into a bowed shape, it can't be pushed back in to a flat shape.

It's unusual for a ceiling to bow in the absence of moisture, and unusual for a section to bow due to the absence of fixings

 

[dormermike]

Plasterboard and skim is not elastic, and if it has sagged into a bowed shape, it can't be pushed back in to a flat shape.

It's unusual for a ceiling to bow in the absence of moisture, and unusual for a section to bow due to the absence of fixings

OK... that's sort of what I was thinking originally, as if it's "stretched" over time I suspect it will just break as I try and push it back.

What would you suggest, cut it out and put new board up and then skim? Back to original question if I get it skimmed should a plasterer be able to blend in the area or is that impossible to get a good finish for even a good plasterer?

 

[HERTS P&D]

Re-board the whole ceiling and plaster.

At least it will be nice and smooth.

Andy

 

[^woody^]

Cutting in a new section is the normal way.

You'll never get it perfect and will see a patch if you just emulsion, but if you paper again you won't see it.

If you want to emulsion, then the whole ceiling will need to be skimmed.

 

[dormermike]

It's 35sqm of ceiling so I can't see a plasterer getting it smooth, so we planned all along to repaper it's just the bowing concerning me and whether it's likely to fall down at some point. Getting rid of the awful existing paper is the priority though.

Will try the push up, then if or when it cracks I'll do the pull down for that section.

What trade would typically do this out of interest or is it too small a job for anyone who's likely to be half decent?

Thanks all.

 

[HERTS P&D]

What trade would typically do this out of interest or is it too small a job for anyone who's likely to be half decent?.

1. Chippy
2. Plumber
3. Sparks
4. Gas engineer
5. Plasterer
6. Gardener

YOU DECIDE!

Andy

 

[JohnD]

7. DIYer

 

[^woody^]

8. Archer

 

[dormermike]

1. Chippy
2. Plumber
3. Sparks
4. Gas engineer
5. Plasterer
6. Gardener

YOU DECIDE!

Andy

I'd pick #5 if I thought they existed!

So a plasterer would be happy with cutting out old plasterboard and putting up new plasterboard to the ceiling??? Last ones I had in wouldn't touch anything other than chucking a bit of plaster at the wall.

 

[^woody^]

There are plasterers, and those who masquerade as plasterers.

Plasterers will board and plaster.