Best way to temporary patch ceiling

[Nesty1760]

HI All

I need to temporary patch this ceiling.

The ceiling along with the entire new kitchen is being replaced in 1st week in January, the ceiling been in a bad state, which why the work taking place, I just wished the ceiling would of held out until then!

What is the best way to do this?

Normally, if me I would just wait, but the house is tenanted, so I have to act with something.

Thanks

[C4ME]

Is the bigger worry the fact the rest of it might come down? There looks to be bowing and detaching from the laths and once a ceiling like that starts it tends to keep going.

[Nesty1760]

Tenant saying some dust coming down, TBH it's only a few weeks and then they getting a brand new kitchen!

[Belle427]

Needs pulling down really, its an accident waiting to happen. At least pull all the plaster down leaving the laths behind would maybe allow a temporary plastic covering.

[Ryyy]

C4ME said:

Is the bigger worry the fact the rest of it might come down? There looks to be bowing and detaching from the laths and once a ceiling like that starts it tends to keep going.

This, try get as much as the loose down (although the whole lot might come down) and cover over with something.

[tim0409]

You could buy some sheets of 12mm 8 x 4 ply and long screws and over lap the plaster/lath, which should hold up the remaining edges of the bowing plaster. You obviously need to ensure the screws go all the way into the joists/rafters. It’s difficult to say without inspecting the rest of the ceiling as to whether this would work as it needs to be safe for your tenants.

[Nesty1760]

I pressed it all and it seems to be rather solid, like nothing pulling on it, it was bowing prior, looks like what was bowing has cracked away, leaving that hole.

I do have a pair of aqua props I could place at the end of the kitchen, for a few weeks.

[JoshSm]

Lath & plaster ceilings detach then stay hanging by not much more than force of habit, and once part of it succumbs to gravity the rest will follow shortly after.

It needs taking down, especially given how much it already sagged and the size of the hole now in it. It might feel solid but that's mostly 'cos the plaster is thick & really heavy, and in many ways if you touched it you're lucky to have not ended up wearing it.

Hard hats, clear the room, get everything left covered, then drop it - ideally from a safe distance.

[dudleybloke]

If its just dust they are worrying about then tape some plastic sheeting over the hole.

[tux850]

I would screw a few battens within the opening straight into the joists then screw a sheet of ply/OSB to them, overlapping the edges of the existing plaster to give them some support too as lathe-and-plaster does tend to fail in a 'zipper'-like fashion. I'd probably paint the board too, not so much to match the rest of the ceiling but rather just to improve its appearance somewhat, particularly with the Christmas holidays coming up.

[JoshSm]

Looks a lot like it was previously overboarded and it's mostly those couple of sheets on top that are now binding it all together? Lot to expect from what now be two or three sheets of paper under tension, especially when there are splits forming.

It's heavy stuff if it's going to land on your head and the problem with overboarding and propping and screwing it up is that pushing it back up might just trigger it to fail. Looks like they'd need to be long screws too.

Edited by JoshSm on Sunday 8th December 19:44

[Chumley.mouse]

tim0409 said:

You could buy some sheets of 12mm 8 x 4 ply and long screws and over lap the plaster/lath, which should hold up the remaining edges of the bowing plaster. You obviously need to ensure the screws go all the way into the joists/rafters. It’s difficult to say without inspecting the rest of the ceiling as to whether this would work as it needs to be safe for your tenants.

This a couple of sheets of ply will do it.

[paulwirral]

Screw a couple of plasterboards over the laths and tidy the edges up with plaster to keep the dust down .

[guitarcarfanatic]

TBH, now you know about it, you need to take it all down - the potential alternative is more collapses whilst the family are cooking a Christmas dinner and it causes a serious injury. You, completely liable without excuse, will be in a terrible position (and likely with no support form your insurer / legal expenses cover).

For the sake of a days work, I would have the rest of the ceiling down and then add a temporary covering (plastic sheeting). Maybe chat through the options with the tenant first. Just be aware - if you do take it down, it will be really messy. Remove all contents, tape all the openings up (seriously!!) and sheet up a way outside. Seriously... the dust is going to be mental!!

[Cow Corner]

Agree with others - that needs to be taken down before it comes down on one of your tenants heads. That’s not an acceptable state to leave a let property in for any period of time, particularly over Christmas.

I would get somebody that to remove it and at least get new plasterboard up, even if plastering/taping and jointing has to wait till after Christmas.

The joys of being a landlord, I’m afraid.