Cracks in Newly Skimmed Over-Boarded Ceiling

JonC

Member
Hi all,
I'm hoping for a bit of advice.. I've just had my front room ceiling skimmed and cracks have appeared along the joints after less than a week. I batoned and boarded the ceiling myself, cross batoning across the joist to level out with the 1" x 2" batons spaced at 400mm centres, and screwed in to the joists at every intersection with 3" to 4" 12 screws depending on the depth of packing. This was rock solid - I could easily hang off the batons between the joists. The boards are 12mm and fixed with drywall screws every 150mm along the batons with a 3mm gap left around all edges. The batoning and boarding was done at the end of November and the plastering was done last week so it's had plenty of time to settle and dry out.
Initially it looked as if the plasterers had done a good job, but when I went to start fixing up the cornice this weekend I noticed several cracks appearing at the joints. I also noticed that the plaster is extremely thin (not more than 1mm) at the cut-out for the ceiling light. I called the plasterer who came to have a look but said that it looks as if it's dried out too quickly and that they always feather down to the ceiling light. I pointed out that there is no radiator in the room so it can't be too hot, and that the plaster is completely flat over the ceiling light cut out when a 4ft level is held across it. I know the boarding was completely flat so there can't be much variance in thickness. The plasterer is getting back to me next week. He insisted they used skrim tape and applied 2 coats of plaster.
I've since noticed that the plaster is so thin that you can see the 'ghost' marks of the joints and screw heads. I've attached some photos of the cracks and the plaster depth at the ceiling light cut out. I've also attached a photo of the 'ghost' marks of the joints and screw heads. Does this look like they've applied 2 coats of plaster? Would you see the 'ghost' marks of the skrim tape if the plaster is this thin?
Anyway thanks for reading this thread. Any help or advice would be very much appreciated.
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I love these threads.
What's betting the boarding was shite.
Why not let the plasterers do the boarding they have no excuse then.
Gaps in the boarding? Movement?
Did you screw the screws to the correct depth. As if they were screwed right even a 1mm skim coat you won't see the screws.
From the pictured you can't actually see the screws

Wouldn't worry about the light holes it's never going to be the same thickness if the holes have been cut before.

Love the spirit level on a skim coat.
How's about you put the spirit level on before it was skimmed and take a picture?
 
I love these threads.
What's betting the boarding was shite.
Why not let the plasterers do the boarding they have no excuse then.
Gaps in the boarding? Movement?
Did you screw the screws to the correct depth. As if they were screwed right even a 1mm skim coat you won't see the screws.
From the pictured you can't actually see the screws

Wouldn't worry about the light holes it's never going to be the same thickness if the holes have been cut before.

Love the spirit level on a skim coat.
How's about you put the spirit level on before it was skimmed and take a picture?
The plasterer actually said I'd done a fantastic job of the boarding. Screw heads flush with board. 3mm gaps all round. The boarding was flat. The level was just to show that it didn't feather down to to ceiling light.
 
Got to delete all that now I just wrote as you've put pics up.
Boarding looks fine and I take back what I said about shite boarding.
You got to understand we get hundreds of these posts and generally the work the customer does first is shite.
 
It's started to feel more like no fibre tape was used.
To be fair mate you done a good job with the boarding.
Unless your having a party above then you shouldn't be having cracks if taped up right
As above is it the long or short joints cracking
 
No bother. Yeah I can understand that. Yes the cracks are along the joints. Thanks again. Jon.
 
Sounds like they not used any fibre tape.
Possibly one coated as well.

How long were they there for? Doing the ceiling
 
There is some scrim tape round the wall edges btw but thought I might have seen it at the joints where the screw heads and joins are visible through the plaster.
 
Sounds like they not used any fibre tape.
Possibly one coated as well.

How long were they there for? Doing the ceiling
There were 2 of them. In and out in 4 hours. Spent a bit of time setting up and packing up though. Covered the doors in sheeting so my wife couldn't see what the progress was.
 
There is some scrim tape round the wall edges btw but thought I might have seen it at the joints where the screw heads and joins are visible through the plaster.
If the skim is that thin in those particular areas you mention then I would also have said you would have been able to see the tape.
You generally see the square check pattern
 
There were 2 of them. In and out in 4 hours. Spent a bit of time setting up and packing up though. Covered the doors in sheeting so my wife couldn't see what the progress was.
Was that just the ceiling?
If so that's about right for a 2 coat domestic where sheeting up and protecting etc is required
Was just thinking if they were in and out in about hour and half then it would be a 1 coat wonder job
 
If the skim is that thin in those particular areas you mention then I would also have said you would have been able to see the tape.
You generally see the square check pattern
Thanks. Yes that's what I thought. I attached a picture of the marks in the original post.
 
Was that just the ceiling?
If so that's about right for a 2 coat domestic where sheeting up and protecting etc is required
Was just thinking if they were in and out in about hour and half then it would be a 1 coat wonder job
Yes that was just for the ceiling. Looked fully dry in about 3 days btw in a room with no radiator. Does that seem about right for a reasonable thickness?
 
Shame bit to far for me I'm in doncaster otherwise I'd have popped round.
It's difficult with pictures.

I know you mentioned there's no rad in the room but how long did it actually take to dry?
As as daft as it sounds that could also have happened.
Other than that I can't think of much else.
If everything was done as it should.
Your boarding certainly looks fine. If the spreads taped it and 2 coated. It should in theory be fine. Even if the finish was crap and you had a s**t plasterer it shouldn't crack like that
 
Shame bit to far for me I'm in doncaster otherwise I'd have popped round.
It's difficult with pictures.

I know you mentioned there's no rad in the room but how long did it actually take to dry?
As as daft as it sounds that could also have happened.
Other than that I can't think of much else.
If everything was done as it should.
Your boarding certainly looks fine. If the spreads taped it and 2 coated. It should in theory be fine. Even if the finish was crap and you had a s**t plasterer it shouldn't crack like that
Oh well. Thanks for the thought. Yeah looked properly dry in about 3 days. Thanks for replies and advice. Do you think it could be remedied by filling of would it need re-skimming?
 
Oh well. Thanks for the thought. Yeah looked properly dry in about 3 days. Thanks for replies and advice. Do you think it could be remedied by filling of would it need re-skimming?
Too be honest it needs taping the cracks and re skimming really
If you fill them they'll come back.
It's a ball ache because you done all the hard graft first!
 
Too be honest it needs taping the cracks and re skimming really
If you fill them they'll come back.
It's a ball ache because you done all the hard graft first!


Your assuming that it wasn't already taped, just because the boarding looks good doesn't mean that it is, maybe there is too much movement in the boards, whatever they are fixed too may not of been secure enough to board to it.
 
Your assuming that it wasn't already taped, just because the boarding looks good doesn't mean that it is, maybe there is too much movement in the boards, whatever they are fixed too may not of been secure enough to board to it.
That's true mate but at same time you can only go from the info given.

That's why I asked where he was as if it was local I'd have nipped round then you can evaluate properly.
 
There must be some movement in the joists causing it. I reboarded all my ceilings and skimmed them and I have cracks going along ceiling and continuing down the wall
 
Your assuming that it wasn't already taped, just because the boarding looks good doesn't mean that it is, maybe there is too much movement in the boards, whatever they are fixed too may not of been secure enough to board to it.
It's a 50s built semi detached house. Can't really vouch for the joists as there's cracks in the ceilings elsewhere, but the batons I fixed up were very secure spaced at 400mm centres across the joists to level and screwed in to each joist with a 3" to 4" 12 screw depending on packing at every intersection.
 
Unfortunately if I had done the job the fault lies with you and that's because you prepared it all. The ceiling hasn't cracked because it's to thin it looks an alright job from the pics and they taped the edges so I guess they would tape the joints. You say you battened across the original joist what you have also done is batten along the edges of the boards and put plenty of screws I doubt there was any room for movement once it dried, also have you got any pics of the battening? I would on a guess say you used roofing battens and if these were wet this will also cause it to crack. Your only chance to blame the plasterers and you are looking to blame is if they didn't tape the joints, if they did its on your toes.
 
This is very simple, all you need to do is to check scrim was applied, if so it's not the plasterers problem as alls he has done is skim it.
 
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