Cracks in Newly Skimmed Over-Boarded Ceiling

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reeves1985 said:
I always butt mine up as tight as I can get them.
Any slight flex is going to cause all the gear squeezed in the joint to come loose.
Fibre tape with then move causing a crack.

I could be wrong here and I'm sure someone will say if I am but I was always under the impression that square edge boards are supposed to be butted up.
Tapered edge boards are supposed to be for tape and joint and they are Tapered so you can get gear in the joint to bed the tape.
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Agreed....

To me a 3mm gap in any of my board work would be where I've struggled with something or something run out etc and would double scrim that join before skimming or even back filled with gear first then bed scrim down...

I think its a massive ask for that ceiling to have not cracked without prior remedial work before skimming...

Feel for the bloke though as he's obviously tried to do what he believed to be the best job apposed to shody not caring work...

At a glance looks neat but its definetley 100% the 3mm gaps that have caused the problem IMO!
 
JonC said:
Thanks for the input on this. Do you think it's been caused by drying out too quick then or do you think it's a problem with the plastering? Cheers. Jon.
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JonC said:
Hi. Yes 3mm gaps round each board and round the ceiling edges. Always thought this was good practice? Plasterer never said otherwise. Thanks.
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Jon you've had a lot of good replies on this thread but it seems to me your still trying to get someone to say it was the plasterers fault so you can get him back to fix it foc. I will say it again, nothing the plasterer could have done would have prevented the cracks coming through unless he never taped the joints.
 
I have had a lot of good replies and I appreciate them. Just interested in getting the different points of view. Not trying g to blame the plasterer, just trying to pin point what's gone wrong, whether or not it be something I've done or the plasterers done. Anyway not fallen out with the plasterer and don't intend to. Just hoping to resolve it one way in the other. Thanks again.
 
if you cant live with the cracks then just over board the ceiling with 9.5 mm board making sure that new boards cover cracks to make a joint in a new place . re'skim and see what happens. Work something out with the plasterer to do this .
 
vfr12 said:
@algeeman , it was , and still is normal to ask questions and expect answers, but the moment you start to answer your own questions is time to revisite your brain condition!
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In all honesty i quite often talk to myself....and usually a load of old bollox.
So im quite used to my own shiite.
:birra:
 
JonC said:
I have had a lot of good replies and I appreciate them. Just interested in getting the different points of view. Not trying g to blame the plasterer, just trying to pin point what's gone wrong, whether or not it be something I've done or the plasterers done. Anyway not fallen out with the plasterer and don't intend to. Just hoping to resolve it one way in the other. Thanks again.
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What happens on here is homeowners come on for advice and they get it but if it's not what they want to hear they keep asking until they find someone to agree with them then they run with that.
 
stuart23 said:
What happens on here is homeowners come on for advice and they get it but if it's not what they want to hear they keep asking until they find someone to agree with them then they run with that.
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We'll I'm trying to keep an open mind and get a feel for what the general opinion is. Looks like most people who've responded feel it's not a fault with the plastering and that's what I was looking to find out. Thanks again to everyone who's taken the time to respond.
 
Squarehead said:
It's the battens themselves, flexing, I would always prefer to board onto a strong joist than lollipop sticks. Absolute right.
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They were 2" x 1" fixed every 16" or so. There really wasn't any flex in them. Thanks for taking the time to respond on this though.
 
beader said:
if you cant live with the cracks then just over board the ceiling with 9.5 mm board making sure that new boards cover cracks to make a joint in a new place . re'skim and see what happens. Work something out with the plasterer to do this .
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Thanks. I'll run it past the plasterer and see if we can agree on something.
 
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JonC said:
They were 2" x 1" fixed every 16" or so. There really wasn't any flex in them. Thanks for taking the time to respond on this though.
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Genuinely, that would be my concern., just too lightweight. But that's just my opinion. I would have put thick, high noggins between joists that were there and board to them, bonding coat to level with render scrim and skim. Its nothing to do with plasterer though, you're right to forget that, does my tits in when the plasterer gets the blame as he was the last guy to work on them. Happens a lot.
 
Squarehead said:
Genuinely, that would be my concern., just too lightweight. But that's just my opinion. I would have put thick, high noggins between joists that were there and board to them, bonding coat to level with render scrim and skim. Its nothing to do with plasterer though, you're right to forget that, does my tits in when the plasterer gets the blame as he was the last guy to work on them. Happens a lot.
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Yeah I can see how that would get annoying. Spent a long time getting the ceiling leveled and boarded right though so frustrated that it's cracked. Cheers. Jon.
 
JonC said:
Yeah I can see how that would get annoying. Spent a long time getting the ceiling leveled and boarded right though so frustrated that it's cracked. Cheers. Jon.
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I'm with you. Sometimes board to perfection, everything done that you can do and it still goes. I think something to do with the span of the joists, stress points etc. Have you tried polycell crack free ceilings paint, is an excellent product for hairlines. Has to be applied correctly as basecoat with radiator roller spreading seems 4-5 coats over cracks then paint as normal.
 
Squarehead said:
I'm with you. Sometimes board to perfection, everything done that you can do and it still goes. I think something to do with the span of the joists, stress points etc. Have you tried polycell crack free ceilings paint, is an excellent product for hairlines. Has to be applied correctly as basecoat with radiator roller spreading seems 4-5 coats over cracks then paint as normal.
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Thanks. Yeah I've tried it with limited success on some of the older ceilings in my house, but maybe I wasn't applying it right. Think I've got half a tin in the garage. I'll bear that in mind though. Thanks again. Jon.
 
JonC said:
Thanks for the reply. Here are a couple of pictures. Plasterer actually complemented me on the boarding.View attachment 16097 View attachment 16098
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I was under the impression that plasterboard should be fitted the same as any other sheet product? i.e. staggered joints so that there isn't a series of fracture lines. The way those boards are fitted you've provided a line from one side of the room to the other, so any flex will cause cracks.

If the joints are staggered then there is less movement as half the boards are under tension/compression along any line across the ceiling.
 
T
imago said:
I was under the impression that plasterboard should be fitted the same as any other sheet product? i.e. staggered joints so that there isn't a series of fracture lines. The way those boards are fitted you've provided a line from one side of the room to the other, so any flex will cause cracks.

If the joints are staggered then there is less movement as half the boards are under tension/compression along any line across the ceiling.
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Hi. Thanks for the reply. The joints are staggered. There are 6 off 8ft x 4ft 12mm boards on the ceiling. Maybe not very clear from the pictures. Cheers. Jon.
 
The better way to level that ceiling would have been to attached 2x4 studs to the exciting joists (not perpendicular to them) - one stud fixed at each end of the room then fix a string line across the ceiling to level it then fix the rest of the 2x4 to this level line.

Tape & joint the cracks with paper tape - this will sort out the problem.

Forget your ceiling and get on with life
 
Lastlaff said:
The better way to level that ceiling would have been to attached 2x4 studs to the exciting joists (not perpendicular to them) - one stud fixed at each end of the room then fix a string line across the ceiling to level it then fix the rest of the 2x4 to this level line.

Tape & joint the cracks with paper tape - this will sort out the problem.

Forget your ceiling and get on with life
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That's exactly what I did with the string lines, but existing ceiling was all over the shop so looked easier to attach at 90 deg and pack out and screw at each intersection. Wanted to minimise the height loss as well. Anyway starting to think you're right about getting on with life.. Cheers. Jon.
 
Your way is a far longer process, the way I said required no packing out and the only loss of height is in the leveling. Hold in position the 2x4 up against the joists and then just by moving down slightly you find that level, then fix in position - a lot of the time your interval joists will be level and only requires a few studs.

The 1x2 IMO was the failing in this task - so I'm sorry to say...your fired
 
Lastlaff said:
The better way to level that ceiling would have been to attached 2x4 studs to the exciting joists (not perpendicular to them) - one stud fixed at each end of the room then fix a string line across the ceiling to level it then fix the rest of the 2x4 to this level line.

Tape & joint the cracks with paper tape - this will sort out the problem.

Forget your ceiling and get on with life
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This ceiling is his life . That's why this thread is now 4 pages long .:LOL:
 
Lastlaff said:
Your way is a far longer process, the way I said required no packing out and the only loss of height is in the leveling. Hold in position the 2x4 up against the joists and then just by moving down slightly you find that level, then fix in position - a lot of the time your interval joists will be level and only requires a few studs.

The 1x2 IMO was the failing in this task - so I'm sorry to say...your fired
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Ha. Oh well. Cheers for the opportunity Lord Sugar...
 
You made a really tidy job of the ceiling - don't beat yourself up because the timber selection may not have been correct. Tape & fill joints and it's a good job.:birra:
 
JonC said:
T

Hi. Thanks for the reply. The joints are staggered. There are 6 off 8ft x 4ft 12mm boards on the ceiling. Maybe not very clear from the pictures. Cheers. Jon.
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I don't want to be argumentative, but unless you've photographed someone else's ceiling those joints aren't staggered. There's one joint about 18" from the light pendant that goes from one side of the room to the other. So the boarding is in two separate halves. Even something as simple as temperature change will cause them to move at different rates. Any bounce or vibration will stop at that joint rather than being transferred across the full spread.
 
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