Re: lath and plaster ceiling

message from Grunff on 10 May 2004

IMO a draught is the last thing you want. Close the window, tape up the
door, and get on with it. Once you're done, most of the dust will settle
in the first half hour. Bag up ang dispose of.

I like using a long crowbar. Nice and quick. Careful not to hook any
cables above the ceiling.

If the laths extend into an adjacent room, and you intend to leave that
ceiling intact, make sure you cut through them first with a pad saw or
similar.

mate replied to Grunff on 10 May 2004

<snip >

Really? It settles that quick? So it's not as bad as plaster dust from
cutting out then? I thought it would be worse.

Thanks for that - just had another thought as well, should we do it as
a 2 stage job ie. remove the thick plaster on the facing side of the
ceiling first and then the laths/plaster, or do it all in the one go?

Grunff replied to mate on 10 May 2004

I'm not saying you won't have /some/ dust floating around afterwards,
but most of it does settle out pretty quickly.

I'd start taking it down and see how it wants to come down. There isn't
much advantage to doing it in two stages.

Toby replied to mate on 11 May 2004

One go, the laths tend to stay behind, the plaster falls through.

Beware of bits falling on your head, especially when doing the 'jab & hook'
method with the crowbar. Might pay to do it from steps so that you are not
directly under the bit you are working on. Surprisingly heavy stuff.

I like to break it up with a club hammer, to avoid two foot square pieces
dropping off unpredictably.

mate replied to Toby on 11 May 2004

<snip >

ok, 3rd and final question (for tonight at least) would it be easier
to work from above it rather than below? Its easy access to all but
about 1m sq area. Here's the plan that we're thinking:

1. Remove everything from room & seal up
2. Cut laths (from above/below?) at edge of room
3. Break up with club hammer (from below)
4. Stand above it and have fun stamping out the laths (!?)
5. Bag up & clear up

Hows that sound? What did i miss?

Pet replied to mate on 10 May 2004

The bit where your foot goes right through the laths and you get stuck.
Not very nice when on your own.

stuart noble replied to Pet on 11 May 2004

Bear in mind that plaster dust plays havoc with domestic vacuum cleaners.
It'll split the bags and often overheat the motor. Best to dustpan and brush
the bulk. The worst of the mess is usually dirt lying on top of the plaster
rather than the plaster itself.
With access from above (and a helper below) I'd be tempted to saw along the
joist edge and remove in sections which you can stack in a plastic bag. You
can then just prise off the 2" sections with a scraper. At least the bulk of
the dust will be in one room. A plasterboard saw for about £3 works well.

mate replied to stuart noble on 11 May 2004

I learnt this to my cost when chasing out the kitchen walls :-S
(bye bye dyson!) but the plaster on the ceiling is the old black
stuff - more like mortar than plaster and after killing our
household vacuum cleaner on normal plaster dust i got an Earlex
workshop vac for the mucky jobs (best buy yet - about £30 and not
let me down despite the bashing i've given it).

Hamie replied to mate on 11 May 2004

Yes.

If needed... I never did, but then my ceilings were all separate.

No need.

Yep. The fun bit.

Just remove step 3.

Toby replied to mate on 11 May 2004

In that case,
then just

Knock it through from above, if there's nothing of value below it, like
tiled floor or basin etc.
Sure beats standing in a pile of dust and debris, I'd keep the windows open
though.

Archived message: Re: lath and plaster ceiling (UK DIY Home Repairs)