Hi, I want to clad a ceiling with tounge and groove timber. A few questions, Will it be OK to paint the boards first, or will that make it difficult to get the t&g to fit nicely? Would 38mm staples, from a pnuematic stapler make for a secure fixing? Should I fix through the tounge or the groove? Any advice MUCH appreciated.
I'd paint after you've fitted them; if not: yes it's more likely your T&G won't fit; yes it will probably take much longer; yes it won't look so good. (Why would you want to paint them first? Can't think of any advantages).
I'd use nails, not a staple gun: fix them diagonally through the tongues so that when the groove of the next board is offered up, it conceals the nail heads in the tongue of the previous board.
However, what are you nailing or stapling your boards to? You can't just nail them to a plasterboard or lath and plaster ceiling - they'll fall down; you'll need to screw a framework of 2" x 1" timber to the ceiling first (ie screwed into the joists), and nail your boards to that.
David
(hmm... troll?)
they'll
Hi David, thanks for your thoughts. I figured that if I painted the boards before fixing, it wouldn't be a problem if they shrink. Also, painting ceilings is a pain at the best of times. I am planning to fix to 2x1 battens. The stapler would be quicker! I reckoned if I fix through the groove, the fixing would be completely hidden by the tounge. Thanks again, Kris. BTW whats with the troll?
See what you mean. I just think you'd be hard pressed to get a staple (or nail) through the upper half of the groove so that it doesn't impinge the tongue of the next board - that's why it's normally done by a nail through the tongue, aimed diagonally backwards (if you get my drift) so the nail doesn't protrude beyond the tongue and interfere with the next groove. If you can do it through the groove, them up to you!
David
Ummm, several bods I know with this are desparate to get rid of it. Are you sure you aren't stuck in a 1980s time warp?
Ha Ha you could be right, but I hope that running down the length of the room, rather than across, and painted, it will give a bit of character to a really boring box of a room. The existing ceiling is badly installed, the plasterboard is moving on it's nails...
I would agree that through the tongue is better, although I expect a light guage narrow crown staple from a nail gun would work just as well as a nail. So long as the gun head is small enough to accurately position the staple, then there should be no problem since narrow crown staples will usually be set just bellow the surface of the wood anyway.
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