Fixing plasterboard on lath

Find the studs by drilling small closely spaced holes around where you expect the studs to be (try tapping the wall, then drill - first ones will result in quite a few holes whilst you find the spacing, after that much easier).

Screw boards to studs.

Replying to Reuben_D through dom as I have all google and gmail posts killfiled due to spam.

First advice would to remove the laths completely (you'll get a better finish and it's easier to sort problems out) and once these are removed, simply nail some 50 x 25mm (2"x1" in old money) battens to the sides (and flush with the face) of the existing studding to increase its width and nail the plasterboards to that.

Don't forget to use the 'proper' galvanised plasterboard nails to fix the boards as ordinary mild steel nails will simply corrode away.

Also remember that there are two faces to plasterboard sheets [1] - a decorative (white) side and a plastering (blue) side - fit the boards to suit your finish - get it wrong and you will have some finishing problems.

cash

It very much depends on the manufacturer of the plasterboard. Some can go either way. Best to check with the manufacturer's website. I've seen lots that has to go one way round but I've never seen blue.

I've always plastered the "clean" front face, never had a problem..... (never seen a blue face either)...

The "back" sometimes has writing on it (saying "plaster other side" IIRC ;>)), or the paper from the "front" wraps aound onto the rear and is obvious at the edges of the "back" side.

Cheers JimK

That's quite possible now as I last used plasterboard with the 'blue side' just before I retired some ten years ago - but I would presume that there are still different 'faces' for skimming and painting/artex finishes.

Cash

Last I checked out, no. The difference between the faces, apart from the paper layer, was which way up it was made. And which way the paper layer wraps round the edges.

When the plaster spreads out between the layers there may be some small air pockets under the uppermost surface. In themselves these are not important but they do affect how anything put on top will dry out and how well the paper is attached to the adjacent plaster. And on the 'back' you also end up with a double paper layer over some of the board which will also have its own effects.

Whether painting or skimming, artexing or anything else, they should be applied to the same surface. What is in my experience usually the ivory or white surface. Not all at the same time, mind. :-)

Manufacturers' advice used to be paint one side, plaster the other. Not sure what made them change that - maybe how they make it, or analysing how well it worked?

Thanks for that Rod. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly thoughts and materials change now - it must be my blood age showing. :-)

Cash

remove old lath totally ... then if necessary fix in additional studs/noggins and board to that.

Assuming it's not a listed building . . .

The mess is truly terrible. I made cut-outs for 6 Velux windows, and that's sufficient to convince me to board over wherever possible.

What advantages do you see to stripping off the old lath and plaster?

bit of space gain I suppose. But if you can get the screws through to the joists behind, no need.

Use scrim tape to lock PB edges toghether before plastering..

Some say none, but after doing both methods, I found that it's easier to get the boards to line up properly, reduces the likelihood of bulges and hollows, allows better access if noggins are needed to secure the ends of board or to fit things on walls or ceilings etc.

Personally I found that it was the 'lazy' way of doing the job which often led to other problems, and I stopped doing it quite quickly (probably did around half a dozen jobs that way way back in the early 1970's) - but as I said previously, others prefer it that way, but if I was doing or paying for the job, I'd want the lot stripped back to ceiling rafters or partition studding.

Cash

Bit the bullet at the weekend and took of the lath - bit of a chore but now I just have the old battens - trouble is some of them aren't in such great shape either, no avoiding having to replace or augment. After looking at the lumps and bumps in the lath I would agree that actually boarding over it would have been folly - it would have saved a couple of hours now to add in twice as much later on trying to match up board faces.