Plasterboard

[thedoctor]

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[dracs]

1st time novice here trying to folllow my builders advice before he replasters the ceiling. I have a lathe & plaster ceiling which need to come down, I take it the lathe part is above the plaster skim and is of a soft plaster type consitency. I'm 95% sure on that. This all needs to come off says builder which I will attempt to tonight.

He then said tack 1/2 inch plasterboard. Do i get some plasterboard and just nail it into the joists, how much gap can I have between boards.

ta

[omulcol]

[quote="dracs"]1st time novice here trying to folllow my builders advice before he replasters the ceiling. I have a lathe & plaster ceiling which need to come down, I take it the lathe part is above the plaster skim and is of a soft plaster type consitency. I'm 95% sure on that. This all needs to come off says builder which I will attempt to tonight.

He then said tack 1/2 inch plasterboard. Do i get some plasterboard and just nail it into the joists, how much gap can I have between boards.

ta[/quote]

First, you have to consider whether the ceiling needs to come down in the first place. It's easier , and certainly cleaner , to leave the lath and plaster ceiling alone where possible - and overboard it with plasterboard.
Use overboard nails - or 3' plasterboard screws.
The joists can be located easily enough - they're normally fourteen inches apart . I use a string line to mark the centre of the joist from one end to the other ... as a matter of caution. These string lines are also useful for measuring the plasterboard accurately, and to always fix into the joists.
Gaps should be left ON the ceiling - and where possible try to keep the boards tight against the wall ... ie: no gaps - and the maximum gap needs to be 1 inch ...or less.
Much easier to use screws and a cordless drill rather than hammer and nails ... and two T frames ( dollys ) to hold the board up to the ceiling - leaving your hands free to fix the boards. !

[dracs]

thanks for that. decided to take it off, did 90% last night as if i boarded it over it would encroach on the coving, i like the string idea to measure the boards. cheers again