WHAT ARE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS?
Hanging
- We recommend back-blocking all ceilings.
- Blocking external walls where insulation has been installed.
- Using screws rather than nails
- Using cement sheet where tiles will be installed.
Stopping
- Our practice is to use three coats of plaster on most joins.
- When joining new to existing, we use as many coats required to lessen the appearance of that join.
Cornicing
- When it comes to cornicing, there are a wide range of finishes.
- Simple scotia cornices
- Square set
- Shadowline
- Large plaster cornices
We recommend using a cornice that best suits the style and period of your project. In the end, however, it all comes down to personal tastes.
SHOULD I BATTEN CEILINGS OR DIRECT-FIX TO TRUSSES?
We recommend battening. Battening strengthens and braces trusses- lessening movement and stress on plasterboard ceilings. This decreases the chance of popping screws or plaster cracking.
WHY DO I SEE PLASTER JOINS AT CERTAIN TIMES, BUT NOT OTHERS?
Plasterboard is not a perfect product. Plasterboard has a paper (therefore textured) finish, while the plaster used to fill joins has a smooth finish. The join you can see at certain times is a result of the light highlighting different textures. Australian Standards requires a Level 4 finish. In certain circumstances where we feel that light may be an issue, for example, a skylight, we will achieve a Level 5 finish. This will eliminate the difference in textures as the entire area of plasterboard is coated.