Got 40-year old acoustic tiles on upstairs ceilings, time for them to go. Expect they are hiding poor plaster (looking in adjoining closets) and will probably bring down most of the plaster with the tiles…So, plan to put up 5/8″ DW after taking down the plaster.
Would like to leave the lath there though. I have to insulate in the attic before I can get to DW (various reasons). And some future HO (shaking head at this PO) may want to take down DW and replaster. Is there much in the way of dead load if I leave the lath up there? Any words of caution on drywalling over lath?
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If the plaster is gone, that takes most of the weight with it. My experience with wooden lath (especially in demolition/renovation) is that it will be least cooperative in the worst places. It also will not be very level in the best. That means you'll like have to put up some sort of strapping to get a flat dw ceiling (those dw sheets are a pain to retrofit over your own head as is, putting them up out of level just seems to compound--NPI--the effort).
I'm feeling "itchy" just thinking about it <g>.
Give us the span, joist size and spacing, I'll bet someone here will have the span tables open and we can cypher up how much load the ceiling can be.
Y'know, those acoustic tiles don't look so bad after all....:-)
Joists are 2x10, 16oc, span is 11' in one room and 15' in another.
I'm not sure what you have in mind with "strapping" for flat ceiling...Would this be like steel channels perpendicular to joists that I've seen to reduce sound penetration in DW ceilings?
Thanks...
Hey, whoa there! This was going to be my question. I have the same problem, butt ugly acoutic tiles in the living room and dining room that need to go. My plan was to (I have already done this in a small hallway) was to use 1/2 sheetrock and 2.5" piffin screws into joists and just cover it all up. I had even considered 1/4 sheetrock, but that seems pretty flimsy. Would "just cover it up" work, or does the extra weight be a problem? How much does a 4x8 sheet of 1/2" weight? and is my ceiling built that close to falling down that it could not handle the extra weight?
I believe 5/8" is minimum DW for ceilings.
5/8" is usually required, for a veneer over existing, you can use thinner. The 5/8" has better span stiffness, so I prefer it to 1/2" even where 1/2" is permitted for ceilings (like just down the road in the next town).
The 5/8" metal "hat" channel will work (might be easier in your application). "Strapping" usually refers to 1x material laid perpendicular to the structure. The wood strapping can be shimmed level and flat, which is good when the structure isn't. Mostly though, it's for when the structure is not 16" OC, or the material (like greenboard) will only span 12" OC. Hat channel might be easier to true up across that wavy sea of wooden lath (priced a laser yet <g>?).
I too, have ugly tiles on the ceiling (in the non-public areas), so I've been thinking about that "fix." At least I won't have to play with plaster, the entire house is sheathed in 1x6 T&G sugar pine. I could use 1/4" dw, but it will/would be a mess. (Azec beadboard looks better & better <g> . . . )Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
I did the bead board thing for the kitchen ceiling, but it was just plaster with lots of cracks. Made a great fix and was easier and cheaper than fixing the plaster and having the texture guy come out and do his thing.
I did the bead board thing for the kitchen ceiling,
When I do the kitchen, it will be a gut-to-studs rehab, so I have no idea what ceiling will wind up in there. I've been sorelly tempted by the repro tin ceiling tiles out there, though . . .
and having the texture guy come out and do his thing
Ooh boy, after all the decades I have lived in apartments, I do not miss textured surfaces at all . . . <g>Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
real texture! no orange peal here.
real texture!
That's very different. It took a couple of years in the house to be able to eat popcorn . . . <g>Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Does hell have a special place for those who put up acoutic tile (or popcorn) in a 100 year old house? - I bet that must be a step up for whomever painted the built in buffet and the mantel arrrrgggghhh!
who put up acoutic tile (or popcorn) in a 100 year old house?
Only when they spray popcorn on the moulded plaster instead of fixing it. I'll give a past previous HO a "pass" if the gesso & paper finish pealed off their t&g sheathing the week bofer they were to move and they installed the gaf accoustical tile to "get out." (But only if they did it right, those gaf 'brad' nails are a pain, but 4d finish nails are worse--along with using liquid nail instead of the tile adhesive . . . <gritted teeth & scarred fingers> . . . )
I've got a mantel that needs painting--in invisible paint . . .
And a brick hearth that could stand to be un-stenciled . . . Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
In my brother's new (to him) condo the interior brick walls are painted . . . brick red. The no-talent ####-clown (not my bro, of course) who did this also took the time to paint the grout white.
>>>but if you leave the plaster behind, then the sheetrock is just cosmetic.
If the celing tile is old, it may be fairly flammable. The junk I have in my basement burns quite nicely. Test on in your br-b-q, a nice summer evening project, and if it lights, rip it out.
Either take down the lath too or install hat channel/ metal furring strips to attached the GWB to. Otherwise you might mistakenly screw the GWB to the lath rather than the joists.
F.
Thanks one and all for the great input....show time is nearing and some remaining questions.....I had sized DW panels for perpendicular to joists, but now they will have to be perpendicular to RC and therefore parallel to the joists....
(1) As suggested here, I will put up steel resilient channel to level before putting up DW (figure 5/8" X, might as well fire-proof while I'm there...), any recommendations on brand of RC? Does RC come in 14' strips?
(2) I read 24oc for RC on walls, is this the same on ceilings? Do I get any extra security from going 16oc on ceilings even if spec is 24oc? Or do I just lose soundproofing? I guess construction adhesive is also recommended....
(3) I have a hallway perpendicular to joists, 3'1" x 11'7" (let's say 4x12). Obviously the aesthetically most attractive option is a 4x12 panel but it will run parallel to RC. So I'm considering giving up on the soundproofing here and screwing the RC parallel to the joists in this hallway instead of perpendicular. Comments? FWIW I'll have foam and cells in the attic above which should provide some soundproofing....
(4) General DW question: I will have long panels (4x12, 4x16). In some cases the remainder at the end of a room will be 1'6"x12, 1'6"x16. Does such small width compromise the integrity of the panel? Visions of it snapping in two on the panel lift....
Edit: Doh. On (3), run RC channels every 12" along the hallway so as to match recommended fastener spacing....big compromise on noise proofing for sake of aesthetics of the ceiling....
Edited 7/18/2004 3:07 pm ET by Taylor