Hairline Cracks Keep Coming

[CDH111]

We had a ceiling boarded & skimmed about 12 months ago but noticed a few hairline cracks, so decided to wait a while to see if it got any worse.

However, the cracks are still appearing even after 12 months, although not on the joints and not in straight lines. I've tried to do a drawing to show where the worst ones are.

The original ceiling hadn't got any cracks in it, but the level was out by quite a lot so we decided to bolt and screw new 4x2 timber to the existing joists to level the ceiling out. We have used the same method in other rooms in the house, without any issues.

Any ideas of what causes these type of cracks?

 

[malc]

The ceiling looks to me like fire cracking. The plaster dried to out too quickly or force dried.

 

[CDH111]

The ceiling looks to me like fire cracking. The plaster dried to out too quickly or force dried.

Thanks for the reply. It was done on a day when the temperature was in the low 30s. I did raise concerns at the time, but was assured it would be OK. Just seems strange how the cracks are still appearing 12mths on, could the drying out too quickly have made the plaster brittle causing it to crack easier?

 

[johnzo]

Can you show a picture of the actual ceiling

 

[Monkey Boy]

Thanks for the reply. It was done on a day when the temperature was in the low 30s. I did raise concerns at the time, but was assured it would be OK. Just seems strange how the cracks are still appearing 12mths on, could the drying out too quickly have made the plaster brittle causing it to crack easier?

What heating is that room?
Possible too thinly laid on?

 

[CDH111]

Can you show a picture of the actual ceiling

We have highlighted the cracks with a pencil so that we can keep a check on what else appears.

 

[CDH111]

What heating is that room?
Possible too thinly laid on?

We haven't fitted the radiators yet until it is painted, but there is an electric heater in the room that keeps it at a minimum of 12 degrees.

 

[malc]

Your ceiling looks to me to be a plaster lathe ceiling that has just been skimmed. I guess that it was not overboard because of the cornice? I would reskim the ceiling with a full fibre glass mesh.

 

[Lastlaff]

What’s in the room above?
Any pictures of the boarding?

 

[essexandy]

What heating is that room?
Possible too thinly laid on?

More likely to get that sort of cracking if it's put on too thick you plumb.

 

[Monkey Boy]

More likely to get that sort of cracking if it's put on too thick you plumb.

Let’s go round there and dig a little hole into it and see x

 

[essexandy]

Let’s go round there and dig a little hole into it and see x

I think that's an excellent idea.
We could have a forum outing, we haven't had one of those in years.

 

[CDH111]

Your ceiling looks to me to be a plaster lathe ceiling that has just been skimmed. I guess that it was not overboard because of the cornice? I would reskim the ceiling with a full fibre glass mesh.

Your ceiling looks to me to be a plaster lathe ceiling that has just been skimmed. I guess that it was not overboard because of the cornice? I would reskim the ceiling with a full fibre glass mesh.

I removed the old boards and re boarded before it was plastered, I’ve added some photos at the start of the thread.

 

[CDH111]

What’s in the room above?
Any pictures of the boarding?

There is a bedroom above. I boarded the ceiling & 3 walls myself and left the main wall for the plasterer to board

 

[FreeD]

Maybe there was a considerable amount of moisture in the timbers you used for levelling out the ceiling? Have you got any photos of the original joists or sizings? Are the new timbers on hangers or are the old joists taking the weight. Anyway that would have been a very straight forward metal frame suspended ceiling job and you wouldn't have even needed to remove the original ceiling.

 

[Monkey Boy]

Yeah has that nasty CLS timber boomeranged?
Seems only four fixings across each length?
If so, could’ve done with 80mm screw every foot and or noggins every 600mm but no one does that because it is a solution to a problem people wouldn’t have given themselves in the first place

 

[essexandy]

Yeah has that nasty CLS timber boomeranged?
Seems only four fixings across each length?
If so, could’ve done with 80mm screw every foot and or noggins every 600mm but no one does that because it is a solution to a problem people wouldn’t have given themselves in the first place

Ideally they'd have been run a 90° to the joists and packed or trimmed accordingly.
My first thought was that there has been a lot of movement in the additional timbers.
The cracks are almost certainly not the fault of the spread.

 

[CDH111]

Maybe there was a considerable amount of moisture in the timbers you used for levelling out the ceiling? Have you got any photos of the original joists or sizings? Are the new timbers on hangers or are the old joists taking the weight. Anyway that would have been a very straight forward metal frame suspended ceiling job and you wouldn't have even needed to remove the original ceiling.

Original joists are 8x2”

 

[CDH111]

Ideally they'd have been run a 90° to the joists and packed or trimmed accordingly.
My first thought was that there has been a lot of movement in the additional timbers.
The cracks are almost certainly not the fault of the spread

Yeah has that nasty CLS timber boomeranged?
Seems only four fixings across each length?
If so, could’ve done with 80mm screw every foot and or noggins every 600mm but no one does that because it is a solution to a problem people wouldn’t have given themselves in the first place

As well as the bolts, I also used 80mm screws every 18”

 

[CDH111]

Original joists are 8x2”

The original joists are 3.2m span with new 4x2” timbers bolted and screwed, they are not on joist hangers

 

[CDH111]

Ideally they'd have been run a 90° to the joists and packed or trimmed accordingly.
My first thought was that there has been a lot of movement in the additional timbers.
The cracks are almost certainly not the fault of the spread.

Decided to give it a coat of paint just to see how the finish would look, but not sure if this is acceptable

 

[Monkey Boy]

Did spread use bonding to dub out ceiling?

 

[danny]

Your ceiling looks to me to be a plaster lathe ceiling that has just been skimmed. I guess that it was not overboard because of the cornice? I would reskim the ceiling with a full fibre glass mesh.

I have done this a few times in the past. In fact whole rooms meshed and bonded

 

[danny]

Decided to give it a coat of paint just to see how the finish would look, but not sure if this is acceptable

Looks like the surface of the moon....

 

[danny]

As well as the bolts, I also used 80mm screws every 18”

I don't see any noggins?...

You will be amazed at the amount of strength that noggins add to a structure..

 

[FreeD]

Decided to give it a coat of paint just to see how the finish would look, but not sure if this is acceptable

Whole lot is going to have to be ripped down mate you are not going to be happy with it ever. Get an experienced plasterer in to put a metal frame suspended ceiling in and will be flat as f**k. It's a couple of days work for a team. Probably would have only cost you £2000-£2500 depending where you are located.

 

[Lastlaff]

Why do many screws in the boards and why the metal straps?

 

[Cockney]

@carpentersforum

 

[CDH111]

Whole lot is going to have to be ripped down mate you are not going to be happy with it ever. Get an experienced plasterer in to put a metal frame suspended ceiling in and will be flat as f**k. It's a couple of days work for a team. Probably would have only cost you £2000-£2500 depending where you are located.

Sounds like a really good option. If there is a slight flex in the joists that’s causing all the cracks, is there a potential that the suspended ceiling could crack?

 

[FreeD]

Sounds like a really good option. If there is a slight flex in the joists that’s causing all the cracks, is there a potential that the suspended ceiling could crack?

If it is installed correctly you probably have a less than 0.1% chance of cracking. Where are you based? If you rip the existing down we can can come and install it for you if you are happy to pay travel.

 

[danny]

when I built my office I plastered it then thought at that point it would be a good time to board out the loft above.. cracked the ceiling on almost every joint..

re skrim taped it all and loads of easifil and stain block and life is good again

 

[Monkey Boy]

when I built my office I plastered it then thought at that point it would be a good time to board out the loft above.. cracked the ceiling on almost every joint..

re skrim taped it all and loads of easifil and stain block and life is good again

That what done your shoulder in maybees?