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How is your plasterboard between your exposed beams?


WJT
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For those of you that have plasterboard between exposed beams, are they all at the same level? The reason I ask is because a part of our downstairs ceiling was covered by an old tiled plastered ceiling. We have just had it taken down and the wall down as well. So this part of the ceiling doesn't have plasterboard between the beams like the rest of the room. The other part of the room the placo is all very level. I am now told that it will not be possible to have the placo all the same level between the beams in this room.

I am very worried about how this will look but was told it is quite normal in an old house and won't be so noticeable.[8-)] I would appreciate any information from those of you with unlevel placo between your beams. [blink]

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Because there are planks running along the side of the beams that was apparently put in place to level the wood floor above that was put in about 30 years ago. The beams are very unlevel so assume they put these planks along all the beams for a level floor base upstairs.They come about halfway down the beam. He said they can cut them to some degree but not possible to make them all the same level. This is what they would attach the placo to. But he said it would be a big job to remove them and start from scratch.

When I say unlevel, I assume the placo would be the same level running the five meter length between one beam but the next beam may not be level with the first if that makes any sense. I assume by your comment you have never seen unlevel placo. [:(]

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Hi, not sure why you cannot have it level either ??

If you get a straight edge and put it to the existing beams and measure up to existing placo, then transfer the measurements, less placo thickness, and plant timbers to the size required then you should be able to placo level  ish.

You follow......................

Oops, just seen your 2nd post.

Perhaps it would be cheaper to lower all the placo on the total ceiling ??? than spend time chopping out old timber.

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Aargh, that would be a big job! The other ceiling measures approximately 5.35 meters wide by 7 meters long. This ceiling without the placo is the kitchen that will now be open to the room. This ceiling measures about 5.35 wide by 3.5 long, and there are a lot of beams. [:(]

Edit. I also wanted to add that the placo in the other part is already quite low. In fact it isn't even placo but hardboard that needs repainting. But that is sadly another story!

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Thanks Chris. But somehow not sure about uneven placo being a feature.[:)]

Perhaps tomorrow someone can tell me if they are living with a ceiling like this. If not and it is not normal like he was assuring me it was in old houses and it looks awful, we will just have to think of a way to make it even.

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[quote user="Chancer"]

Find another artisan.

Its the work of a few hours at most to fix battens to the beams, levelled from the lowest to take the placo.

[/quote]

 

Hi Chancer, just saw your comment. There are already battens there already though, they are supporting the floor above.

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[quote user="Chancer"]

Find another artisan.

Its the work of a few hours at most to fix battens to the beams, levelled from the lowest to take the placo.

[/quote]

I'm with Chancer on this one, a few hours with some battens and a nail gun/paslode (that's how I did mine) looks perfick now.

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[quote user="WJT"][quote user="Chancer"]

Find another artisan.

Its the work of a few hours at most to fix battens to the beams, levelled from the lowest to take the placo.

[/quote]

 

Hi Chancer, just saw your comment. There are already battens there already though, they are supporting the floor above.

[/quote]

And Théiére.

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Perhaps we are at cross purposes.

I assume that the planks have been used instead of the normal way of levelling a floor by using calles on top of the joists, if they only come half way down the beams you simply start at the one that is lowest, fix a batten under that (or if the rest are more than a batten thickness above then dont bother) and fix all the other battens levelled to the first.

Perhaps your artisan mistakenly thinks that he must shim or calle down all the planks to reach the same level which he seems unwilling/incapable of doing, perhaps he is the son of the artisan who took the easy route 30 years ago [6] in any case he doesnt need to unless I have misunderstood your posting.

Can you not batten it out yourself? It is the easier pat of the job and leave him to board it out?

I still reckon you should ask another artisan for his advice/devi though, although sadly the "that'll be alright, I cant understand what you are moaning about, how dare you question me? I am the proffesional " attitude to the customer is king does seem rather widespread.

If only other things in France were taken as seriously as food!

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Hi Chancer thank you, you are so right and I am a woman which makes it that much more difficult. Sadly my husband has his own problems and worries with work etc.. back in England. I am the one trying my best to deal with the artisans. Having said that, he is not very good with these things anyway, not very handy.[:(]

I thought I would post a few photos because it is very hard to describe. Obviously all of the wires will be taken down, all of this was covered with the ceiling that was taken down. I had a hard time deciding which photos to post! By the way, the planks are held in place by nails that are lower nearer where the placo would go, not near the floorboards above in the ceiling if that makes sense.

[IMG]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a120/HIF/P1010001-5.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a120/HIF/P1010002-3.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a120/HIF/P1010003-4.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a120/HIF/P1010009-1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a120/HIF/P1010013-1.jpg[/IMG]

 

 

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Just a suggestion, but how about plastering the ceiling flush and using nice lights to add character? 

We have a kitchen/sitting room and had to run pipes in the ceiling of  the kitchen half, so we have beams with plasterboard between the beams in the sitting room half, and flush ceiling in the kitchen. 

I think it looks fine, we have opted for a modernish kitchen, but I think if you chose lighting carefully and have other features in your kitchen, like a bit of exposed stonework or nice units I reckon it would look nice....especially if you have your plaster left a little rough.

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Hi Jannette, but that is what we just paid to have taken down. We were able to have a peak before he took the ceiling down because of the space the wall left when it came down. So we (me and the artisan) knew these planks were there. He just told me how pretty the beams were, I had no idea of the problem it would pose. It just seems crazy after all the hassle of taking the ceiling down putting up a new one. The ceiling was made from those red tiles and it was a nightmare mess. [:(]

LindaP, what are your plans for your ceiling?

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I Can't see the pics (At work) I presume the planks plated on the sides of the beams which you wish to expose are projecting into the area which you wish to make a feature of otherwise a simple batten job would be all that's required?

Working back from the premise that the floor above is level and that the joists are 'Plated' each side (Except at  the room perimeter) why not simply remove them one at a time and install folding wedges in the gaps above the chamber joist prior to battenning at the correct depth for your ceiling then removing the other side and re battening? A lot of faffing about but not that hard to do.

 

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Thank you Big Mac, I will mention this to him. Unfortunately he just called me to say he has the flue so I won't see him now until Monday. My French is still poor but I told him I wasn't happy with the idea of the placo being uneven and he said he had thought about it last night and he may have an idea. Sadly I just couldn't understand what his idea was over the phone[:$] so he said he will tell me on Monday when I see him. Fingers crossed he intends on making them straight and level.. [:)]

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That would work and you could split the uncut ends with a chisel.

Having seen the pictures I am now convinced that you should have nothing more to do with this soi disant artisan.

You can and will have a really attractive ceiling, frankly what he is proposing is an abortion that suits either his laziness or incomptence, I know not which but get rid of him quick!

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Hi WJT,

Going from your photos, I agree with other posters: I can't see the problem, except that it's more work than putting up a simple flat ceiling and needs a bit of planning .... (I was doing this kind of thing 30 years ago as an apprentice carpenter in Dorset, btw ...)

Show the guy this rough sketch and see what he says

[IMG]http://i468.photobucket.com/albums/rr42/Ventodue/Ceiling.jpg[/IMG]

EDIT: I appreciate the image isn't showing properly. It does in 'Preview', but not when posted to the thread. Guess I'm doing something wrong ... have asked Technical to put me - or it - right!

A bit of explanation ...

Working left to to right:

Situation 1 is where the plank is already at the level you want the new ceiling. In which case, simply fix a batten to its side and screw the placo into the batten.

Situation 2. Here the bottom edge of the plank is little higher up the joist. So fix a wider batten to the plank and carry on as before.

Sitaution 3. Here the bottom edge of the plank is some way above where you want the ceiling. So fix a batten to the beam itself (and fix the placo to the batten ...)

Sitaution 4. Here the bottom edge of the plank is below where you want the ceiling. So saw or chisel an amount off and implement either 1, 2 or 3 as previously described !

HTH and Good Luck!

Amicalement

Craig
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