Fixing Heavy Items to Lath and Plaster Walls

[mark]

Hi,

I'm wanting to lower the ceiling in my bathroom using wood battens screwed to the wall and gyproc boards. I've seen various posts about fixing things to the wooden battens underneath the lath and plaster but will that be strong enough to hold long 2x4 wood battens? Would I be better trying to drill straight through and into the brick and fixing to that? If so, any tips on how to do the holes neatly? My masonry drilling always seems to end up offset or a much bigger hole than intended. What sort of fixings should I use?

TIA

[R]

Drill through to the brickwork and use long frame fixings

[Alex]

Lath and plaster are normally set on joists at 400 or 450mm centres but they may differ check in loft or ceiling void to be sure or if no access knock a hole into ceiling to check,once you have found your first joints measure out and test drill to mark the rest off the joists. Chaulk line across ceiling

If you really need to come down by 100mm then use a 50x 50mm batten first screwed through to the ceiling joists with a 100mm screw ,then screw another to the underside of that. Recommend you use 1800 x 900 x12.5 boards easier to use for the less experienced.