I have plaster ceilings and walls. Accoustic finish. The plaster is seperating along a crack right where the rafters are. The whole length. Looks like if it continues it may just drop to the floor in a huge slab. As a temporary fix, I took washers and screwed them in the crack to tighten the loosening plaster back against the joist. Seems to have worked. I am wondering, could I get someone to sheet rock over what I have done killing two birds with one stone? (To repair the damage and have smooth ceilings as opposed to the accoustic). I am not worried about ceiling height due to the thickness of the sheet rock. Thanks in advance!
Semper Fi
Replies
It's unclear from your description whether you have a harmless but annoying case of "truss uplift" or something more serious.
I am not sure what truss uplift is. Visually the outside of the roof looks good and true, no sags, can't see the truss imprent on the roof from the outside. From the inside looking at the ceiling I cannt see where the rafters are except for the cracks. When I scewed the plaster tight to the rafters with the screws and washers all tell tale signs went away, no sag, just the line where the cracks used to be. Ceiling is flat after the "repair". I just had a thought that adding sheet rock would help in keeping the plaster at bay with all the screws needed to hang them.
Semper Fi
the trusses move with temperture and humidity changes...
adding SR / DW will increase the weight significaly.. so now can the ceiling joists deal with that... WTB no...
do you have trusses or stick frame???
what kind of plaster do you have?? over rock or wood lath???
it may be that the ceiling hasn't enough of fasteners to hold it up there.....
add more and repair...
you may have seperation of the plaster from the base or lath... in that case pull the old and and rock on...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
do you have trusses or stick frame???
I am fairly sure it is stick built. How was built probably mid 50's. I will look when I get home and see if I can tell one way or another. At work.
what kind of plaster do you have?? over rock or wood lath???
The walls are lath, ceilings are on rock.
it may be that the ceiling hasn't enough of fasteners to hold it up there.....
What type of fasteners do I use for this application?
you may have seperation of the plaster from the base or lath... in that case pull the old and and rock on...
I don't see that being the case. The rock is what is sagging. It is almost like whom ever installed the rock put the joints of the rock on a ceiling joist. The cracks are true straight along the joist and dead center. Would they have installed the rock in this fashion?
Semper Fi
At work.
you lucky guy...
What type of fasteners do I use for this application?
Piffen Screws..
make a temp lift to prss the ceiling to the joists and screw away... run them deep enough to catch the lath..
It is almost like whom ever installed the rock put the joints of the rock on a ceiling joist. The cracks are true straight along the joist and dead center. Would they have installed the rock in this fashion?
yup...
the vote goes to the nails aren't holding as well as the should anymore... the ceiling is falling .. the ceiling is falling
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Piffen Screws..
make a temp lift to prss the ceiling to the joists and screw away... run them deep enough to catch the lath..
Your gonna make me do a search..... The only thing I remember about Piffin screws is that he hates dry wall screws.... I think. I think I answered my own question on what type of screws.....LOL.
the vote goes to the nails aren't holding as well as the should anymore... the ceiling is falling .. the ceiling is falling
Hide the wimmen and chilrin!
Sooo just curious, would the rafters support the extra weight of DW/SR if I were to go that route due to DW wanting slick ceilings? If it won't, I am destined to leave them accoustic. Too many cracks elsewhere that are typical for plaster.
Semper Fi
DW srews it is...
he doesn't hate DW screws just their unintended applications...
so wet the ceiling and scrape that acoustic off...
WTB it was put on to hide something...
if yur goona rock directly over the acoustic the DW wont lay flat - flat as you'd like anyways.. it'd look like high seas from the deck of an LST...
so you'd have to scrape just the sames for the rock or straping you'd have to put up to recieve the rock...
if you strap (16 OC) the ceiling perpendicular to the joists the ceiling will draw up on it's own accord... use 1x4's and two screws that aren't Piffen related per joist... rescure yur srews when yur done...
you strap the ceiling and contract out the DW hanging portion... keep a watchful eye.. if you strap.. you only need to clean off the nodules where the strapping contacts the ceiling...
this portion is cake and pie...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
it'd look like high seas from the deck of an LST...
Fortunately I never got that opportunity........
Hey IMERC, I am going to jump out there and assume if I did use DW/SR and do as you say use the 1X4's, I will have to put the 1X4's on the ceiling in a checker board fashion and around the perimeter to the DW/SR will have something to screw too? I guess what I am asking, will I need to put the 1X4's on the intersecting DW on the ends? Or will the finishing of the DW be good enough for the ends. How do you use the two screw method to attach the 1X4? I am invisioning what you said and again assume that this is to prevent the 1X4 from cupping? But the rafter is only 1 1/2" wide where I will screw the 1X4 to. Sorry about all the questions.
Semper Fi
it'd look like high seas from the deck of an LST...
Fortunately I never got that opportunity........
did you ever miss out on a ride...
not sure what you mean about the checker board fashion..
run the 1x's across (perpendicular) tothe joists.. not along with... one piece and full lenth if possible.. two screws side by side thru the 1x, thru the plater, thru the lath and into the joist...
consisder the 1x's the washers for the screws to hold the old ceiling up and tight..
a perimeter strap is a good thing...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
not sure what you mean about the checker board fashion..
You answered most everything I needed, Thanks! What I was referring too was after I installed the perimeter 1X's and the install of the 1X's perpendicular to the joists, do I add 1X's perpendicular to those other 1X's? So the ends of the DW will have somewhere to attach to? Hope that would help out in explanation....... You know jarheads!
My dad spent many an hour aboard LST's, haven't heard a good story yet! He spent two tours in Nam, I think he went over on an LST, maybe not, that would be a looong trip in one.
Semper Fi
Now that I think about it, on new DW jobs, they don't use ferring strips at the joints.
For real plaster fixes, you need to head over to the Old House Journal forum.
Edited 8/13/2006 1:30 pm ET by rjw3