Advice on repairing old ceiling

E

eddersc

New Member
Hello,
I'm looking for some advice as a householder (rather than a professional plasterer -- hope that's OK as I'm new to this forum!).

We live in a 1850 farmhouse in Devon and have been renovating a room and had the walls re-lime-plastered. I'm now wondering what to do with the ceiling (picture attached). We've had a couple of people round who have said that we should rip it down and put up plasterboard but that seems both wrong and completely unnecessary...

It was previously papered which I've now removed and it seems in pretty good condition in most places:
-- general solid if I whack it, it doesn't sag off the laths or anything
-- some minor cracks
-- one or two dents/bulges following the lines of joists above, plaster wobbles a bit along these
-- some gaps around the edges (deep but only an inch or two from the wall)

We want to repaint it but aren't bothered about a perfect look. I was wondering about sanding down some of the bulges -- would that work? Any recommendations for products to use for the cracks/gaps? Would we need to get someone to lime skim or anything or can it be painted after more basic repairs?

Any advice would be really appreciated!

Thanks,
Edwin
 

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Thanks all! I've been trying to persuade the chap who did the walls to come back, but without luck... @Olican are you local to Tiverton?!
The dip in the middle of the ceiling still makes it harder to overboard, hence wondering about sanding it. What would happen?
Some of the holes around the edge are quite deep (but narrow) and have no laths visible to add plaster to, any suggestions?
 
eddersc said:
Thanks all! I've been trying to persuade the chap who did the walls to come back, but without luck... @Olican are you local to Tiverton?!
The dip in the middle of the ceiling still makes it harder to overboard, hence wondering about sanding it. What would happen?
Some of the holes around the edge are quite deep (but narrow) and have no laths visible to add plaster to, any suggestions?
Click to expand...
You wont get rid of dip with sanding. It might pull up with over boarding . Or you might be able to remove that bit and over board. You should of done this really before you did walls .
Why wont other lad come back
 
Sanding a bumb? Good luck with that. You've had people out to look at it but don't want to take their advice, not sure what a picture can help us with then. Chop out the bump, Board and skim. Job done
 
that doesn't look like lath and plaster ceiling at all, it looks like old asbestos board, I wouldn't poke around with it anymore and call someone to come and look at it who specialises in asbestos removal.
you can see the joins in the boards from the picture.
 
eddersc said:
Hello,
I'm looking for some advice as a householder (rather than a professional plasterer -- hope that's OK as I'm new to this forum!).

We live in a 1850 farmhouse in Devon and have been renovating a room and had the walls re-lime-plastered. I'm now wondering what to do with the ceiling (picture attached). We've had a couple of people round who have said that we should rip it down and put up plasterboard but that seems both wrong and completely unnecessary...

It was previously papered which I've now removed and it seems in pretty good condition in most places:
-- general solid if I whack it, it doesn't sag off the laths or anything
-- some minor cracks
-- one or two dents/bulges following the lines of joists above, plaster wobbles a bit along these
-- some gaps around the edges (deep but only an inch or two from the wall)

We want to repaint it but aren't bothered about a perfect look. I was wondering about sanding down some of the bulges -- would that work? Any recommendations for products to use for the cracks/gaps? Would we need to get someone to lime skim or anything or can it be painted after more basic repairs?

Any advice would be really appreciated!

Thanks,
Edwin
Click to expand...
So you've had two professional opinions but rather than listen, you've come on here to keep asking until you get the answer you want?

You sir, are going to get caspered.
 
Come on guys, I'm just canvassing for some clever alternative ideas! All your input so far is much appreciated.

The chaps who visited (who weren't professional lime plasterers, unlike you guys) claimed that the ceiling would fall down if I pulled off the paper (in fact it's rock solid) and also a little bit of online research on old buildings advises strongly against ripping out old lime plaster ceilings unnecessarily (so I was uncomfortable about damaging a listed building). So I don't think they were right on the money.

I haven't yet had anyone visit as a professional who's suggested a solution they could do that doesn't involve destroying the existing ceiling.

Bumps won't push up, I think a joist above has shifted down slightly or something.

Definitely not asbestos, it's clearly lath and plaster from above.

Realise we made a mistake not doing ceiling at the same time, we'd intended to leave it alone originally, but we are where we are.

Suspect conclusion is I need to find a professional lime plasterer locally. (Previous chap is a friend who is now tied up with other things)
 
Looks straight forward, we regularly supply for over setting 500 year old earth plaster ceilings that would normally be condemned.
Limecote in two tight passes, will polish up and tighten like a drum!
Anybody wants to try some let me know. Happy to send out samples.
 
eddersc said:
Come on guys, I'm just canvassing for some clever alternative ideas! All your input so far is much appreciated.

The chaps who visited (who weren't professional lime plasterers, unlike you guys) claimed that the ceiling would fall down if I pulled off the paper (in fact it's rock solid) and also a little bit of online research on old buildings advises strongly against ripping out old lime plaster ceilings unnecessarily (so I was uncomfortable about damaging a listed building). So I don't think they were right on the money.

I haven't yet had anyone visit as a professional who's suggested a solution they could do that doesn't involve destroying the existing ceiling.

Bumps won't push up, I think a joist above has shifted down slightly or something.

Definitely not asbestos, it's clearly lath and plaster from above.

Realise we made a mistake not doing ceiling at the same time, we'd intended to leave it alone originally, but we are where we are.

Suspect conclusion is I need to find a professional lime plasterer locally. (Previous chap is a friend who is now tied up with other things)
Click to expand...
Paint with several layers of different colours
Sand
Metallic glaze
 
eddersc said:
Thanks all! I've been trying to persuade the chap who did the walls to come back, but without luck... @Olican are you local to Tiverton?!
The dip in the middle of the ceiling still makes it harder to overboard, hence wondering about sanding it. What would happen?
Some of the holes around the edge are quite deep (but narrow) and have no laths visible to add plaster to, any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Your about 45 mins to an hour from me,I'm snowed under right now otherwise I'd pop round for a look
 
It's ok. Take wife and kids to devon for weekend as its work related . Allways thinking. Mates just used excuse for a week in a lodge
 
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