EruptiveDreamz

Okay .. so I am finally fisnished painting the livingroom and am now upsatirs in the upstairs hallway. I noticed that the ceiling is cracked, which of course I had already noticed. Upon finally taking a closer inspection of the situation I noticed the ceiling is starting to fall. It's the old plaster crap. I really don't want to have to tear the ceiling down if it is at all possible. Can I get by with nailing it back up and mudding the cracks?

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Can you imagine Moses asking Congress to pass the ten commandments?

pinklily

I can't tell how bad the situation is, but if it is not very very severe you might try something that I used in my bedroom at one point. I'm not sure what the actual name of the product is, but it is a mesh-like tape that comes on a roll that you stick to your ceiling along the cracks and then spacle over, so that it binds the two sides together, and prevents more cracking. In any case, it might work for a temporary fix.

EruptiveDreamz

Thanks .. I think found the answer tho. And it is a great big NO. I now look like I went down the same chimney Santa went down cept it wasn't very clean. My ceiling fell completely. Guess there was a reason that sucker was falling in the first place grrrrrrrr

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Can you imagine Moses asking Congress to pass the ten commandments?

EruptiveDreamz

Now how do I know what kind of drywall to use to replace what fell? I have diffrent sizes. Some are thicker and some are thinner. Am I gonna be able to attach the drywall to the boards the plaster was on? Or will it be to heavy?

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Can you imagine Moses asking Congress to pass the ten commandments?

theemaan

You will need to run furring strips across the stud line to attach the new sheetrock. 1/2 inch rock should be thick enough(as long as the strips are at 16 inch centers) good luck

Crack

Damn man, that sucks, good luck with that, I have no real advice here, except I like to comment on everyone else's problems...

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Crack, you and I are long overdue for a vicious bout of mansex.

~Halx

EruptiveDreamz

Gee thanks.. thats an encouraging thought or hobby. I may have to keep that in mind.

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Can you imagine Moses asking Congress to pass the ten commandments?

jbrooks544

If the wood firring strips that the plaster was on are fairly flat and level, across the plane (check with a straightedge) then you can just go over them. Use sheetrock screws long enough to go up into the actual framing though. Don't rely on screwing to the wood strips. The correct way to do it is to rip down all the little wood pieces, put 1x3 strapping 16" on center. I would bet good money that the joists above are irregular and the strapping (firring strips) will have to be shimmed to form a flat plane. I would tack all strapping up in place, using only one 6 or 8 penny shiny smooth shank nail every other joist. Then you pry down the high spots, putting a shim in the gap. The shiny smooth nails are so it is easy to pry to level. If you used airgun ring nails you couldn't pry to level. Once you pry down and shim high areas then you can shim all gaps and put at least one 2.5" ring nail or screw in each joist/strapping intersection. Then screw up new sheetrock. You can use a molding - quarter round or cove or cornice for where the ceiling meets the way to avoid all the flat taping and mudding there. 1/2" minimum on ceiling - 5/8 best, to avoid sagging. 3/8" will sag. Use screws not nails and don't let screw heads go past paper or rock will fall eventually. Usually (sometimes) ceiling falling is due to leaky roof deterioratiing the plaster. I usually say "ceiling trouble? check your roof shingles". FYI: if you get any more loose plaster - walls or ceiling - they make cool plastic washers (sometimes metal), perforated, about 1.5 to 2" diameter, that a sheetrock screw can go through. These help to anchor the plaster. Perforations allow s r compound to adhere w/mechanical bond. Washers act as large screw heads to hold loose plaster. I always use these. They should have them at home despot or local sheetrock/plaster supplier. With the old plaster - generally "when in doubt, rip it out". If you re-do a room, for example, don't try to save half a wall of the stuff, etc. you will spend more time dealing with the old plaster than doing all over new.

HamiC

Ceilings are a tough thing.....I started to work on my old plaster kitchen ceiling and good a bit out of my depth......$500 and a trained professional have meant new blue board and plaster....and presto, new ceiling.

Nice and smooth, but a bit of a blow to my ego.