Boarding a ceiling is the quickest way to get an old, uneven or damaged ceiling smooth again.
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Boarding a ceiling is the quickest way to get an old, uneven or damaged ceiling smooth again. Battens are fixed against or below the existing ceiling, with a new finish on top: plasterboard for plastering, timber boards or panels, or a suspended tile ceiling. Cracks, old beams or pipes disappear from view, and you can add insulation and lighting at the same time. The choice of material depends on the room and what you want to do with it.
Often the old ceiling can no longer be made to look good. It has cracks, it sags, or the plaster is coming loose. Hacking it off and replastering means a lot of dust and work. Boarding a ceiling goes over the existing one and gives a new, flat surface.
It also offers opportunities. In the space between old and new you can lay insulation, hide cables for spotlights or build a bulkhead for pipes. With a timber upper floor, insulation also helps against noise from above.
Boarding is also useful in a renovation where walls are moved. Where a wall used to be, a ridge or seam often remains in the ceiling. By boarding the whole ceiling again, you get one continuous surface and see nothing of the old layout.
Plasterboard on battens is the most common solution. Once the joints are finished, it is plastered or spray finished, and the result is a smooth ceiling. Timber boards or panels give a warm look, for example in a conservatory, an attic or a garden room. A suspended tile ceiling is practical in an office, commercial space or utility room, because you can always get to what is above it.
Which one suits you is also explained in suspended tile ceiling or plastered ceiling.
On one of our projects we tackled two ceilings. A room with a large glass front got a suspended tile ceiling, and a room with a sliding door got a timber beam ceiling with insulation above it. You can see both in the project ceiling boarding.
The order of work is roughly the same each time. We measure the room and set the battens level, because an old ceiling is rarely straight. Then come insulation and cabling, and only then the finish. Level battens are half the job: without them, every irregularity shows in the end result.
With a ceiling under an unheated space, such as an attic or a flat roof, we pay extra attention to the vapour control layer on the warm side. That prevents moisture from the home drawing into the insulation and condensing there. Small details, but they decide how long the ceiling stays in good condition.
Undecided between boarding and a proper lowered ceiling? The difference is mainly the height: boarding stays close to the old ceiling, while lowering hangs the new ceiling a good deal lower. Read more under lowered ceiling carpentry.
If you want to know what it costs, see lowered ceiling costs for rough indications, then request a tailored quote. Shahiro is happy to come and take a look. We work in Zwolle and up to about 40 kilometres beyond, including as a contractor in Zwolle.
Yes, as a rule that works fine. The battens are fixed through the old ceiling into the joists or the concrete. We remove loose plaster first, so nothing can fall down.
With direct boarding on thin battens, often only a few centimetres. If insulation or lighting goes in between, more. In an older home with high ceilings that is rarely a problem.
It can be, provided the timber is well treated and the room is well ventilated. In a wet room we usually prefer moisture-resistant plasterboard or a synthetic finish. We discuss that for each situation.
Every job is different. After a no-obligation chat, and a visit on site where needed, you receive a quote tailored to you.
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