Oh no what have I done! (Potential ceiling disaster)

[Callie]

I think my hallway ceiling might fall down

There were polystyrene tiles up so I took them down. Prior to that I did remove one to try to see what it was like underneath and it didn't seem too bad, solid and smooth.

Some areas are very moveable :/ very loose and there are cracks so now I'm worried the lot will fall down.

I had planned to remove all the tiles/adhesive/paper and just give it a lick of paint mwahahaha.

Now I'm not sure what to do.

Would it work to cover with lining paper (?actually fuck how do you stop the paper falling off ) or should I just chance it with painting and wait for it to fall while trying to save up to get someone in to replace it properly? How much would that likely cost? It's a small area by the front door but it does having coving? And a ceiling rose, south londonish.

Gaaaa should have left it alone and risked molten polystyrene fume death

 

[Teaboy]

The tiles would have been decorative only, the cracks are in the plaster or stucco or whatever was below it. They may have been there for a long time and why the tiles were put up in the first place. Sounds to me like you need to get it re-plastered.

You've probably not caused the problem as much as uncovered it. If its more then cracks and its spalling (crumbling off) then just covering it in lining paper wont cut it.

 

[Sirena]

Those cracks are probably why the tiles were put up in the first place.

Cracks don't mean the ceiling will collapse. I've had a major crack in my bedroom ceiling (since a water leak) for 15 years. So you can either live with it or use lining paper.

If you call a plasterer, it will cost about £100-£200 to take the ceiling down and put up new boards and skim the ceiling. It's half a day's work.

 

[two sheds]

Yes if removing polystyrene tiles causes a problem the ceiling wasn't in very good condition so not your fault.

 

[Callie]

Sorry what I mean is it might have been the tiles etc holding it all up...now I've removed them maybe it's more likely to collapse!

 

[Athos]

Are these new cracks? How big are they? Is the plaster crumbly?

 

[Boudicca]

I took my entire kitchen ceiling down once, got absolutely covered in all the dirt and filth which rained down on my head, and then opened the door to the Lambeth planning bod, who was very impressed with my willingness to get stuck in. Anyway, a builder friend came and nailed up new plasterboard, then skimmed it with plaster.

It sounds like yours could be repaired - are the cracks in straight lines i.e where the plasterboards meet?

 

[Callie]

If you call a plasterer, it will cost about £100-£200 to take the ceiling down and put up new boards and skim the ceiling. It's half a day's work.

Have you got a number I can call?

 

[Teaboy]

Sorry what I mean is it might have been the tiles etc holding it all up...now I've removed them maybe it's more likely to collapse!

The tiles cant have been holding the ceiling up just covering up the crumbling plaster above it.

 

[Callie]

The tiles cant have been holding the ceiling up just covering up the crumbling plaster above it.

If it comes down I'm blaming you

 

[bi0boy]

If it comes down just sweep it up and put it in the bin, shouldn't be too hard.

 

[maomao]

Sorry what I mean is it might have been the tiles etc holding it all up...now I've removed them maybe it's more likely to collapse!

Unless the tiles were attached to the floor with pillars they can't have been holding anything up.

 

[wiskey]

What's above the ceiling?

 

[Teaboy]

If it comes down I'm blaming you

If you're in a house where polystyrene tiles are the only thing holding your ceiling up a bit of plastering is the least of your worries. Knock the whole think down and start again.

 

[Callie]

I dunno I just thought they may have some how been supporting the weak cracked bits.

wiskey directly above that area is a bedroom

I think I'm going to try to put lining paper over it and paint that as a temporary fix. Although the logistics of papering a ceiling...and around the ceiling rose hurts my brain.

Maybe the cats will help me?

 

[peterkro]

It sounds like it's lath and plaster which has deteriorated with age.There is a solution which is a bit convoluted,raise the floorboards above lay down some chicken wire nailed to the joists and pour bonding over it then skim the ceiling whether this is easier than just pulling down the ceiling and redoing it is hard to say.If it has a ceiling rose and fancy coving it maybe the way to go.

 

[toggle]

Sorry what I mean is it might have been the tiles etc holding it all up...now I've removed them maybe it's more likely to collapse!

nah. the tiles won't stop a ceiling falling down. luckily no one was in the room at the time. just hide the problem so you don't know it needs fixing.

 

[Sirena]

Have you got a number I can call?

If you live round Tooting/Balham I could....

But the odds are stacked against that.

 

[Teaboy]

I think I'm going to try to put lining paper over it and paint that as a temporary fix. Although the logistics of papering a ceiling...and around the ceiling rose hurts my brain.

Anything you put over it will be fixed to the failing plaster so in all likelihood will quickly debond. A fix is only as good as the thing you're fixing it to. If you've got the cash get it fixed now otherwise just cover it up and hope for the best, the tiles seemed to hold OK.

 

[Vintage Paw]

I have been judiciously ignoring some rather large cracks in my bedroom for years. Until I can see daylight, I'm pretending there isn't a problem.

My way is clearly the responsible way to go about things

 

[1927]

Remove coving. Cut new plasterboard to fit, nail or screw over the existing poor ceiling. Refix new coving. Paint.

 

[quimcunx]

Remove coving. Cut new plasterboard to fit, nail or screw over the existing poor ceiling. Refix new coving. Paint.

This makes it sound so simple. I reckon you'll be done in a couple of hours.

 

[High Voltage]

Best thing to do would be to lift a floor board or two in the room above where the polystyrene tiles are - this'll give you access to the ceiling above the tiles

Then, mix up some cement, quite a bit wetter than you'd normally mix it, you'll probably need a cement mixer as you'll probably need quite a lot - once mixed pour into the gap where you've lifted the floor board, if you're lucky the gaps between the roof joists and the ceiling below won't be too tight so the cement'll kind of self level, that's why you mix it a bit wetter than normal. Keep topping up with cement until you can't get any more in, by now the entire space between joists, so the upstairs floor and the ceiling below will now be a block of cement

Allow this to dry, probably a day or two as you've mixed the cement a bit wetter it'll take a bit longer to dry - now all you need to do is drill through from below and, using rawl plugs, you'll be able to secure the remaining polystyrene tiles - the added advantage of doing this will be you'll have amazing sound proofing

 

[High Voltage]

Just had a second thought about this - it'll probably work out cheaper and quicker if you get a couple of cubic metres of ready mix delivered direct - the added advantage'll be that the cement mixing lorry will probably have a pump or shoot that'll enable the ready mix to be fired straight in through an upstairs window - the time you'll save doing this'll surprise you - probably offset the cost of hiring a cement mixer

 

[Vintage Paw]

And if the ceiling gives way before the concrete is dry you get a fun and quirky concrete spatter art installation in your hallway

 

[peterkro]

And if the ceiling gives way before the concrete is dry you get a fun and quirky concrete spatter art installation in your hallway

Well quite,use bonding which is light and sticks like shit to a blanket,use cement and you'll drop the ceiling.

 

[quimcunx]

Having read HV's posts I am now of a mind to just burn the whole house down and start again.

 

[Vintage Paw]

In all seriousness, all you need to do is win the lottery, buy somewhere new, and move out. You can give the house to the local council or something. Problem solved.

 

[Callie]

Having read HV's posts I am now of a mind to just burn the whole house down and start again.

You leave my house alone

I lurve HV's suggestion

1927 the coving? Is made from plaster too so I don't think you can just hoik it toff and stick it back in again

I have run away from it for a while and been gardening... When I went back after posting here some of the cracks looked much bigger and there is a H shaped section that looks ready to go.

I have sent a text to one plasterer and I'm going to try a few others.

A lesson has been learnt. Think you can do something by yourself? NO! LEAVE IT ALONE OR PAY SOMEONE ELSE TO FIX IT.

 

[Callie]

If you live round Tooting/Balham I could....

But the odds are stacked against that.

I'm in Croydon so not too far?!