Beginner seeks advice on plasterboard

[jjf4915]

Pls can the group advise; I want to create a new, lowered ceiling in a bathroom. I'm capable of building a wooden "frame" (if that's the right term) but I presume I "should" construct the ceiling (ie clad the frame) with plasterboard - I've never used this material and have no idea where to start to figure it out.

I hoping people can tell me "it's really easy, just follow the instructions at [XXX helpful reference source XXX]" ... if it is in fact difficult for a beginner, could I use wood instead (marine ply, to be covered with lining paper)? The bathroom is about 10' x 12'.

A propos this, whether I use wood or plasterboard I'll also have some repair work (small areas and seams where walls meet window frames etc) to do on the walls of the bathroom. Again, I've never attempted plastering - should I go to a shed and look for some filler-type substance?

Very grateful for your thoughts.

John

[Eddy]

John, if you feel you will be able to nail on the plasterboard so that it is uniformly alligned (whether on walls or ceiling) then stop after you've done that and pay a good professional plasterer to skim over. It really is a very artistic skill that is acquired only with much practice.

Regarding the cost of a plasterer you could cut it down a bit by having the plasterer only apply a perfect skim to the ceiling and a rough skim to the walls, provided you are up to paying for floor to ceiling tiling. I'm able to suggest the above because I've been looking into redoing our bathroom for the past four weeks now, getting quotes for this and that aspect of it, etc.

Good luck, Eddy.

[mark]

The timber frame would need to be quite sturdy to resist bouncing when knocking in the plasterboard nails. You could use screws but the plasterer will push quite hard when he is trowelling up the plaster and it needs to be rigid.

I would be inclined to use '4 by 2' timber with two rows of noggins. I agree with Eddy, plastering a ceiling is not for a novice.

mark

[jjf4915]

I know this is probably a really stupid question, but is the reason that it seems to be mandatory to apply a (skim??) plaster coat to the plaster board in order to cover/ conceal the seams? Otherwise, couldn't I just cover the plaster board directly with lining paper and then paint it?

John

[Stuart Noble]

Yes, if you can get the edges of the boards level. With new joists that shouldn't be too difficult.

[meow2222]

The basic idea of boarding is just to cover the area with pieces of board, leaving as little gap as poss. Or you can leave 1/4" gap so the filler squishes thru to make it stronger.

The simplest way to finish is to fill the joints and paint it all. That makes it good, but only skimming will get it truly perfect. Since its paper surfaced in a bathroom, I'd put a layer of matt oil based stuff on first to keep the transient damp off the paper. That way if mouldering occurs it wont rot the PB surface.

You could use ply, but why pay more for a worse result? Also PB is easy to cut with knife or saw. If youre not skimming, do use a knife, it ends up far neater.

Never use PB nails, theyre really crp. Always use PB screws. NOT wood screws.

[Eddy]

John, don't entertain the idea. It will always look second-rate. This is the shoddiness I am having to deal with here in more rooms than in our bathroom: plasterboards (not always perfectly alligned either!) with tape along or up and down the crevices between them. Three lines result: the crevice the tape is trying to hide is generally still visible, and the two edges of the tape itself! Even matt vinyl emulsion, stippled on, won't hide all this bloody tape all over the shop. Don't go there! When/If you come to sell your house people will take one look and think "Amateur! And what else has he been up to on the cheap?" I'm going to spend quite a bit having the bathroom "panels" seen to. They are not even flush, and the previous owner thought woodchip wallpaper over the lot would hide the taped seams but you can still see the different panels easily.

Eddy.

[Stuart Noble]

But the OP is putting up new joists so there's no reason for the boards not to be level. Gaps are easy to fill but different levels can only be overcome with skimmimng

[Phil]

This method is supposed to be used with taped (or 'feather') edge boards, where a slight thinning of the board edge allows the joint & tape to be 'lost' in a thin skim of filler. It does work if done properly.

[nobodyhome]

That's what I did with my bathroom walls and ceiling ( which I lowered) .tapered edge boards.Joined with fibre glass tape and jointing filler then painted ... a bit of sanding the joints was required but it looks good .