Overboarding a ceiling

[GMM]

I have a lath and plaster ceiling that has seen better days and so I'm considering overboarding and skimming.

Just trying to think through how this is done: Presumably it's possible to find the joists because that's where all the nails are, holding the laths in place but screwing through the pb into them would run a better than avaerage chance of hitting a nail.

So how is it done? Aim for the timbers and accept that many screws will hit nails or just screw through at random and rely on hitting laths more often than not?

[meow2222]

I cant see screwing into laths achieving anything, need to screw into joists.

Keeping the old lime up is a real sound insulation plus. It also avoids the Filth from Hell that lives above century old ceilings, and destroys all.

NT

[Bob Minchin]

In my experience old L&P usually has an uneven surface where some is starting to pull away. When I've done this I've used new battens shimmed where necessary to get a new level for the pb.

[RJH]

I've just had some success putting a layer of 25mm celotex over the old ceiling, then pb, then screwing through to the joists. This was a small landing ceiling with attic above, though.

[chris French]

In message , GMM writes

The nails are small, the screw just goes in regardless of the nails

You don't want to screw into the lathe it won't give a secure fixing. I worked out the position of the joists at each end near the wall and marked on the walls so I could see where they were. (now I'd use my laser level to then put a line across the boards to follow.

a light cordless screwdriver is useful since you are holding it up all the time (my Bosch 10.8V corless is nice

[ARW]

Hammer.

[Roger Mills]

Surely , it's *under*-boarding?

[GMM]

And, if that doesn't work, a bigger hammer? ;)

[GMM]

Hmm....Hard to disagree with the logic there...but should a grammatical impasse can the job?

[GMM]

I can't agree more with the final point and the sound insulation is undoubtedly true.

I was working on the besis of my experience with L&P in the past: ie, providing it's intact (not always the case), it's pretty tough stuff.