renovating a plaster and late ceiling Ask your questions and find answers on many subjects relating to plastering and dry lining

[natashacam]

I have a small room where the original plaster and lathe ceiling is damaged by a hole about 50cm square. On attempting to repair I have found that the old plaster and lathe has bowed away from the ceiling beams and is loose over a large percentage of the ceiling. I'm a little nervous about pulling the ceiling down as 100 years of accumulated debris is going to come with it - including a large quantity of what looks like old chimney soot which I suspect it's not a good idea to breathe in.

I'm not sure whether the simplest (and cheapest) solution is to:

a. pull down the old ceiling and fix plaster board to the beams
or
b. Fix a false ceiling below the remaining plaster and lathe.

Opinion on the best solution would be appreciated and any health & safety advice on pollutants that might be present.

[thedoctor]

We certainly would not be comfortable putting a false ceiling up to cover an unstable existing one Natasha. A visit to your local tool hire centre will avail you of all the necessary equipment (mask, goggles, hat, Industrial hoover etc) to remove the existing ceiling and start again.

[Ginga]

No, as said a false ceiling will not help only hide the problem and when the lath and plaster ceiling finally comes down it may bring the false ceiling down too , one method we do use though is to locate all your joists by making holes in the ceiling then , by using long screws you can tack plasterboard over the existing ceiling , so when you screw into the joist it will pull the existing ceiling up tight , but make sure your screws are long enough to go through the new plasterboard the existing lath and plaster ceiling and up into the joists

Ginga