Ceilings and lath
Sagging ceilings, re-fastened where they can be and re-plastered where they can't
A plaster ceiling hangs from its keys: the plaster that pushed through the gaps in the lath and curled over behind it. When the keys break, the ceiling sags. We re-attach it before it falls, or rebuild it.
If you can press a ceiling up with a flat hand and it moves, keep people out of that room and call us. Most sagging ceilings are saved by re-fastening them to the joists. Ones that are not usually have lath that rotted from a leak, and those are rebuilt in three coats.
Left to other trades: roof, gutter and plumbing repairs, and electrical work above the ceiling.
What is included
Re-attaching sagging plaster to joists and lath with plaster washers and screws
Replacing broken or rotted sections of lath
Re-plastering a bay or a whole ceiling in coats
Protecting cornices and medallions while we work
Opening a stained area to find out where the water came from
What changes the job
What shapes the scope
Cost follows scope, so the written survey names each of these before you see a figure.
How far it has sagged
A small bulge can be pulled back. A ceiling that has dropped an inch or more needs bracing before anything else.
The state of the lath
Lath that is dry and sound can be fastened back to. Lath rotted by a leak has to be replaced, strip by strip.
Room height and access
A stairwell or a tall parlor needs scaffold, and that is a day of setup before the plaster.
What's on the ceiling
A cornice or medallion has to be protected and sometimes repaired. Work around it is slower.
How it goes
Four steps, in order
- 01
Step 1: Find the cause
We check above the ceiling for a leak, a loose joist or a heavy fixture, and photograph the keys where we can see them.
- 02
Step 2: Brace and re-attach
The ceiling is supported from below while washers and screws pull it back to the lath.
- 03
Step 3: Replace what has failed
Rotted lath is cut out, new lath is fixed, and three coats go back in the opening.
- 04
Step 4: Blend and finish
The repair is feathered into the old ceiling and left primed.
Rules
Permits and rules
Re-fastening or re-plastering a ceiling does not normally need a building permit. If the work includes new wiring, ductwork or framing, or the house is in a local historic district and the ceiling is visible from the street, the rules may differ. We say what applies before we start.
Examples
Sample scopes
Written the way a survey writes them. Your own scope will name your own rooms.
- Sample
Parlor ceiling in a row house
A 4-foot sag re-fastened at the joists, three failed patches skimmed, the medallion masked and left alone.
- Sample
Bathroom ceiling below a leak
Rotted lath cut out in a 3-foot bay and replaced, then plastered in three coats.
- Sample
Stair hall
A high ceiling re-keyed from scaffold, with the cornice protected throughout.
Sample content.
Before you call
Questions about ceilings and lath
Is a sagging ceiling dangerous?
It can be. A ceiling that moves when pressed can fall without warning. Keep people out of the room until it has been looked at.
Can you save a ceiling with water stains?
Often. If the plaster is dry and still keyed to sound lath, a stain is a cosmetic problem. We open a small area to check.
Why not cover it with drywall?
A drywall overlay hides the problem and adds weight to a ceiling that is already failing. It also buries any cornice or medallion. We re-attach the plaster instead.
How long does a ceiling take?
A re-fastened ceiling is a day or two. A rebuilt one is days longer, because each coat dries before the next goes on.
Book a wall survey
Tell us what the wall is doing. We will come and read it, then write down what we found.