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Plastering & Rendering

How easy should new plaster come off ceiling

Anonymous user 09/03/2024 - 3.19 PM

Hi All, I have had room re-plastered, (basically skimmed). Walls all ok but ceiling has cracked where the original ceiling had cracks (full length of room and one at right angle to that. The plasterer was meant to tape all cracks before plastering. I have chipped away couple of patches and found joints have not been taped at all. So plasterer has not done job properly. But, my question is how easily should the new plaster chip off?...as it seems to come away fairly easy with paint scraper and light tap with hammer, so I'm wondering if he hasn't bothered to tape the joints (which he said he would) has he also not bothered to apply the PVA prior to plastering as he was meant to do? The plaster comes away generally in small pieces but some are typically 25 x 40mm in size. Would you expect this if PVA had been applied? It is now 2 weeks since plaster was applied. The ceiling had been papered with woodchip but that was removed with Zinsser DIF, weeks prior to work and ceiling thoroughly cleaned with sugar soap mix and rinsed day before plastering. Homeowner

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6 Answers

R. B. PLASTERING

Rating: 5 out of 5
Torquay
He may have applied PVA but the bond should be stronger than was described. Personally with wood chip papered ceilings I would overboard with 9.5 mm plasterboard. More labour intensive but you don't need to spend time stripping paper and you end up with a brand new ceiling.
Answered24 January 2021
3

One Team Construction Limited

Rating: 5 out of 5
Birmingham
Hello, All the joints should have been taped up and yes PVA glue should be used as bonding, it helps the plaster adhere to the plasterboard and gives a plasterer more time to work with the plaster. If plaster dries too quick it can crack, this is why applying PVA glue several times to plasterboard is a good idea. Hope that helps. Sam.
Answered30 January 2021
1

KWM PLASTERING

Rating: 5 out of 5
Peebles
It does sound as though PVA has not been applied if plaster is coming off that easily. I would never PVA new plasterboard but always scrim tape cracks on old ceilings. If the ceiling had been papered then PVA definitely required. It should be possible to get plaster off with a hard scraper possibly using a light hammer to break up more stubborn surfaces. This will be important in order to scrim tape cracks that were missed first time
Answered30 January 2021
1

Anonymous user

Cracks should have been taped. Then the ceiling should have pva,d and again the day it was skimmed
Answered30 January 2021
1

Anonymous user

Generally if a gypsum plaster was used, as gypsum is a natural rock, it can take up to 7 weeks before it starts to rechrystalise, then over time as the crystals reform the plaster becomes harder, as to the cracks, depends how bad the background is whether it's loose or not, personally I would of recommend over boarding using the smaller latt board which is a stiffer stronger board which is more suited for ceilings, then you would plaster to finish. I hope you found this useful. Edward the handiest handyman
Answered30 January 2021
1

Romeo Llabani Plastering

Rating: 5 out of 5
Northampton
New plaster shouldn't come off easy, when trying to scrape it off. Looks like the surface was prepped properly (washed and rinsed) for skimming. ** The cracks should have been scrim taped, no if's or but's. ** Possibly reinforce with screws where possible on the joists. ** If the plaster you are scraping is "clean " on the other side (where it was attached to the ceiling) then, no pva was used. ** If the plaster you are scraping is chalky then possibly the area wasn't cleaned well. One can put as much pva, but it will come down. ** If what you are scraping comes off easily, then carry on (might as well). ** Or, just overboard it and skim. And have a piece of mind.
Answered30 January 2021
0