Best way to support sagging old ceiling

S

Scottdiy

New Member
Hi I’m new to this forum and delighted to find you. I’m a serious diy and generally turn my hand to anything. Done a fair amount of plastering but I’m faced with a sagging ceiling that the owners (friends) don’t want to pull down because it has some lovely decorations. It’s old horsehair board and gone a bit soft , in some places sagging between the bearers. I was thinking to put extra timbers in the ceiling and then a lot of glue, screws and props while it drys but came across this old bloke who said you fix it from the topside. Use fiberglass ‘scrim’ dipped in cornice cement and lay it over the bearers and across the weak parts, which should be propped from underneath.
Can anyone help with more information on this method or point me to where to find more information?
Thanks heaps.
 
Scottdiy said:
but came across this old bloke who said you fix it from the topside. Use fiberglass ‘scrim’ dipped in cornice cement and lay it over the bearers and across the weak parts, which should be propped from underneath.
Can anyone help with more information on this method or point me to where to find more information?
Thanks heaps.
Click to expand...
@The Hobo
 
Scottdiy said:
Hi I’m new to this forum and delighted to find you. I’m a serious diy and generally turn my hand to anything. Done a fair amount of plastering but I’m faced with a sagging ceiling that the owners (friends) don’t want to pull down because it has some lovely decorations. It’s old horsehair board and gone a bit soft , in some places sagging between the bearers. I was thinking to put extra timbers in the ceiling and then a lot of glue, screws and props while it drys but came across this old bloke who said you fix it from the topside. Use fiberglass ‘scrim’ dipped in cornice cement and lay it over the bearers and across the weak parts, which should be propped from underneath.
Can anyone help with more information on this method or point me to where to find more information?
Thanks heaps.
Click to expand...

Prime it...slap a tight coat of bonding on bedding glass fibre mesh in as you go. Prime again and the skim. Or Prime and use lime finish coat again embedding the mesh. But remember is it's f**ked its f**ked you will be adding a fair bit of weight. Last think you want it to collapse on top off them while watching the box. Another option is to chop out the ceiling leaving the decorations in situ and replace with plasterboard. Or if they have the budget take moulds of the decorations rip the lot down and renew the ceiling and re instate the decorations.
 
Scottdiy said:
Hi I’m new to this forum and delighted to find you. I’m a serious diy and generally turn my hand to anything. Done a fair amount of plastering but I’m faced with a sagging ceiling that the owners (friends) don’t want to pull down because it has some lovely decorations. It’s old horsehair board and gone a bit soft , in some places sagging between the bearers. I was thinking to put extra timbers in the ceiling and then a lot of glue, screws and props while it drys but came across this old bloke who said you fix it from the topside. Use fiberglass ‘scrim’ dipped in cornice cement and lay it over the bearers and across the weak parts, which should be propped from underneath.
Can anyone help with more information on this method or point me to where to find more information?
Thanks heaps.
Click to expand...
Plaster buttons, you have to order them from the states though.
 
Thanks for the tips. guys. Here are some photos - belatedly! When you say bonding, I’ve been advised to use cornice cement. Would that be right?
 

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I wouldn't go down the mesh route as your just adding extra weight to an already shot substrate.
It's a lot of extra time to try saving the detail in the centre of the ceiling so cut around the perimeter to save the cornice and pull the old lathe down then re plasterboard and plaster.

You could also batten and plasterboard but you'll lose nearly 40mm of detail on the cornice.

Another option is to just overboard with plasterboard using plenty of screws then dub out any hollows before finish plaster that way you only lose about 15mm of detail on the cornice.

The last two options will save alot of time and mess.
 
Thanks for the ideas and advice. And yes there is horsehair board. If we end up taking it down or it comes down I’ll post a picture!
 
Scottdiy said:
Hi I’m new to this forum and delighted to find you. I’m a serious diy and generally turn my hand to anything. Done a fair amount of plastering but I’m faced with a sagging ceiling that the owners (friends) don’t want to pull down because it has some lovely decorations. It’s old horsehair board and gone a bit soft , in some places sagging between the bearers. I was thinking to put extra timbers in the ceiling and then a lot of glue, screws and props while it drys but came across this old bloke who said you fix it from the topside. Use fiberglass ‘scrim’ dipped in cornice cement and lay it over the bearers and across the weak parts, which should be propped from underneath.
Can anyone help with more information on this method or point me to where to find more information?
Thanks heaps.
Click to expand...
I think you're thinking of something like this.
This is not a recommendation, every situation has a different solution and of course different outcomes.
About 12 minutes in.
 
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