plasterboard over lath and plaster ceiling

[Gill Standfield]

We have a 1932 house with lath & plaster ceilings with plaster coving. A slow hidden leak from the bathroom upstairs has produced a small hole in the ceiling and subsequently a faulty pump has produced a damp ceiling. The ceiling paper has been partly removed to help the ceiling dry out and the original skimming is flaking off. It has been suggested that in order to save the coving we put plasterboard over the whole ceiling as is. This would butt up to the coving and we would lose the step which is about 3/8 inch. Is there any plasterboard on the market that is thinner than this so that we can keep some of the step, rather than have the ceiling run straight into the coving? Many thanks for your thoughts.

[kbrownie]

Hi Gill,
The thinest standard board is 9.5mm, coving do vary in the size of the step.
It is very messy job removing plaster and the lath beneath it.
A solution if the coving is to remain a feature is to careful cut the plaster away around the edge of the coving so not to damage it leaving the lath on, createing a bare patch around the parimeter of the ceiling. Then remove rest of plaster on ceiling. Then board
KB

[wws4029]

A proper plasterer can repair lath and plaster ceilings. You could have it repaired then skim the whole ceiling which will be approx 2-4mm in depth.

Suggest you get some quotes but make sure you request it repaired and not a new ceiling.