Redecorating bedroom ceiling; Replaster or cheap alternates? Ask your questions and find answers on many subjects relating to plastering and dry lining

[Miss Y]

Hi guys! I am a first time home owner of 6 months and have finally decided to tackle the 2nd bedroom ceiling of my 100 year old, 2 up 2 down terrace, which has alot of period features still intact. We are planning on using it as an office and in our excitement on moving in, decided to paint the walls (covered in smooth lining paper) jungle green and grey. We are now unsure whether we made a very big mistake as I realised the ceiling looked a right state next to the brightly coloured walls (having old fashioned textured wallpaper on it that looked grey white and crap)! I decided to attack it with a scraper and wallpaper steamer and removed the thickest layer of paper but still need to steam off whats left over to get back to the plaster. The problem is although the plaster looks o.k so far in the middle with just a few hair line cracks, the edges have retracted (presumably due to the plaster drying out) and have in some places become a bit crumbley. The lining paper on the walls has also come unstuck and needs re-sticking down? I want to put coving up eventually so that will hide the edges anyway and a minimal ceiling rose like we have downstairs but I wonder if coving will stick to the lining paper as it is unstuck presently. I also want opinions as to whether we should replaster the ceiling or just fill in the edges as best we can and use a smooth over pollyfiller type substance for badly damaged walls? :?:

[kbrownie]

Hi Miss Y,
If the plaster is in good condition, it's a fill and sand down job. But normally you'll find once you start to strip the paper away that the ceiling is shot at. You say period features, but you wanting to put coving up so i'm guessing no cornice?
If it's knock off job because plaster is crumbling. May I suggest that you over board ceiling and skim or joint fill. Then you need not strip off paper just board over it.
Best of Luck
KB

[Miss Y]

Thanks kbrownie for the advice. Am crossing fingers that i can go with the first option as over boarding sounds pretty scary to me! Am really skint and boyfriend is not being very helpful with the DIY preferring to watch Eastenders when he gets home from work each day, while even though I work too I want to get things done! I just know the office (this room) will never get done if I can't bodge it somehow with polly filler and maybe by enlisting a plasterer to skim it! I hate saying bodge it but until we get some money together the options are limited! Thanks anyway!

[Miss Y]

Point taken about coving vs cornice! Didn't realise there was a difference til I looked it up on the web! Will get a patterned cornice I think!