PLASTER SKIM ON ARTEX CEILING, COLLAPSED Ask your questions and find answers on many subjects relating to plastering and dry lining

[vai005]

Hi there,

I have a typical ceiling of plasterboard attached to joists in the loft. This had been artexed & seemingly painted before I bought the property. I had this skimmed on the artex and about one year later it has completely collapsed (apart from one strip where the plaster was applied direct to the plasterboard). I never did the work but it was definitely pva'd by a plasterer who has covered 100's of artexed ceilings. The three days before were so hot and and my flat was "like a sauna", as they say. No water damage from above, though my shower room is directly next to the room in question (the plaster hasn't come off the ceiling in the shower room though). Does anybody know why this may have happened? The plaster is about 2mm thick and the artex was not particularly deep.

Thanks.

[kbrownie]

vai005
completely collapsed!
What is mean't by this? you no longer have a ceiling up or the plaster has come away from the artex, the artex and plaster have come away from the board?
When you plaster over other materials you should make sure the material you are plastering over is in a sound condition and fit to have plaster applied to.
Could be a few reasons for it happenening but firstly need to know what you mean by completely collapsed?
Regards
KB

[vai005]

Ha ha, sorry, I guess my description was a touch ambiguous! What I meant was that all of the skim plaster which had been applied to the artex completely came away again from the artexed boards (so it's left pretty much as it was when I bought the property!) Like I said, the plasterer has many years of experience and to be honest the property is only 24 years old (though that's no guarantee of quality or condition). I have two other ceilings plastered the same (both smaller but also both artexed). Hope that is a bit more useful to you, thanks for the reply.

PS I won't be able to reply again for about a week

[kbrownie]

vai005,
PVA as good as it is and a usefull application to a lot a tradespersons and DIYers. It does have it's faults, if it not applied correctly and diluted to suit it's purpose.
The problem is it can form a barrier or skin if you like that peels away when dry. This means in some instances say your ceiling for example, a skin between the artex and the plaster has been formed and the weight of the plaster over time has pulled the skin away from the artex.
I'm sure the person who plastered your ceiling is very good at the job, but this does happen.
I can't think that it could be anything else by the info you have given.

Regards
KB

[vai005]

Thanks for that. It makes me ask two more questions though: 1) If it was the bond dilution then would that not have affected the plaster which is still totally fixed direct to the plaster board ceiling (the strip)? Perhaps not seeing as the bond required is probably different due to the different surfaces. 2) Should I be able to identify these films of pva either on the fallen plaster or on the ceiling? The insurance company are being VERY awkward with regards this issue! Thanks again.

[kbrownie]

vai005,
There should be signs of something, can you see any flakey like plastic residue grey/whitish in colour? either on the plaster or the artex.
The PVA on the board has posible been absorbed in to the board as the board will allow that to happen, as for artex it is like acrylic and has a surface that is non-absorbent and the PVA will not act in the same way as it has on the board.
Some times the PVA fails all together depending if it was allowed to dry and the way it was applied, pre-plastering and may not set at all and it can stays moist! not sure if I am helping you any? or confusing the issue!
Regards
KB

[vai005]

No, it's really good of you to keep helping me with this, thanks.

There is a white residue (only very, very slightly sticky) across the artex and on the back of the fallen plaster (seems just like plaster dust to me). There are pale brown blotches/patches randomly spotted across the artex (some big, some small) after the plaster has come down, if that helps.

Cheers

[kbrownie]

vai005,
If it is still slightly sticky, I'd assume that it's your PVA that has failed to bond to the plaster and the artexed ceiling. May look like plaster dust but again i'd assume that the plaster has mixed with PVA do give it that look. You may still be able to smell the PVA on the plaster/artex.
Regards
KB