Skimming a ceiling

[macten]

Will be refurbing my own bathroom soon and have measured up for a new suite.
Before I do anything I want to sort the ceiling out. Originally artex that has had that textured paint stuff dabbed over it with a sponge when bits of the old artex started coming off.

I would like a nice flat ceiling to paint so what's best/easiest and cheapest way?

Manually removing obviously the cheapest but hardest, and I'm guessing the ceiling is plaster board so I guess I'd likely damage it.

If I removed any loose bits and got rid of high points would it be worth a DIY skim over and what with?

Or should I just get a plasterer in?

Thanks

 

[MICK the Tiler]

Could you sheet straight over the top with new plasterboard Macten?

 

[tiler burden]

hi macten

simply reboard as mick says mate.

this will be easy as its a bathroom so the ceiling is small and manageable.
find out where the joists are by carefully knocking a nai in around the edge of the ceiling. when you have found all the joists down one side, the do the same at the opposite and ping a chalk line across all the joists.

if you want to plaster the ceiling, maybe it would be better to get a spread in if you have never done it before or you could go to travis perkins or a local merchants and get some 'aimes' joint filler. if you opt for this option which is called taping and jointing then the plasterboards you buy would need to have a chamfered /tapered edge to allow for a flush finish once the joint compound has been filled and sanded down

once your 12.5mm boards are up. screw in place (approx every 6-8 inches) with 35mm dry lining screws. then get some fibre tape and run it along all the joining plasterboards. fill over using aimes filler, smooth off with trowel or scraper. allow to set, then fill again and allow to set then sand till smooth. make sure the 2nd pass of filler is about an inch wider , either side of the 1st coat of filler to give a blended in effect.

also, make sure your screws are slightly below the surface of the plaster board. put some filler in all the screw holes and scrape off, then sand smooth .

hope this helps, any other advice fire away

ed

 

[macten]

Thanks sWe + Ed.
Made a bit of a start today by lifting the carpet in my bathroom and hall and screwing the chipboard down (Only nailed (surprise!) it used to creak like an old pirateship).
Had another look at the ceiling, I much prefer the finish of a skim as opposed to joint + taped as it normally stands out a mile (definately will if I do it :lol: ).
I know a good plasterer should be able to go over the textured paint/artex but I spent this afternoon scraping it all off as I know most plasterers would rather it not be there.
There are quite a few small areas where the paper has come away, will this be a problem?

 

[tiler burden]

when you say the papers come away , do you mean the paper on the plasterboard?

if so, no problem. the plasterer will just pva or give it a coat of acryllic primer and skim over.. try not to breathe the dust in. artex had asbestos in it up until 1994, so take care and wear a mask. sometimes when i skim a ceiling that has artex on, i put a couple of handfuls of carlite bonding into the 1st coat of plaster. this gives it a bit of body / substance and it allows you to put it on a bit thicker to get over any problems areas or high points.

ed

 

[macten]

Cheers Ed, I wore a mask. Yes the paper on the plasterboard - nice to know it won't be a problem. The skim that's left on is very flat now so should only need a very thin layer but definitely needs a skim.