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How to get a level plasterboard ceiling on uneven joists


Wibblywobbly
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I am 75% of the way through a major renovation, and would prefer to have insulated ceilings. This means attaching plasterboard to the existing joists in part of the property. The question is, how do I get a level plasterboard ceiling. Is the trick to attach timber to the side of each existing joist and to make sure that these are level, or is there another way?

Hoping someone can help!!

Rob G

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Use the metal rail system. Hang them at 90 degress to your beams. You can get hangers in various lengths that nail or screw to the beams. Just start at the lowest beam and adjust the position of the rest of the hangers to make sure the rails are level in both planes.. Then fix the plasterboard the the nice level rails. You can of course use whatever insulation you like between the beams.

Tony

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[quote user="Ssc"]

Use the metal rail system. Hang them at 90 degress to your beams. You can get hangers in various lengths that nail or screw to the beams. Just start at the lowest beam and adjust the position of the rest of the hangers to make sure the rails are level in both planes.. Then fix the plasterboard the the nice level rails. You can of course use whatever insulation you like between the beams.

Tony

[/quote]

Exactly, i've used this system often for ceilings, fast and easy. Be sure to ask for "spacing" details - ie how far apart for "hangers" and "rails" - when you buy the stuff.

good luck!

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Yes. Agree with the Metal Rail advisors,   BUT,,,depending on what state your beams are in, it may look more authentic to retain the Beamed look.  Nail/screw  a wooden batten part way up the beam on each side for a fixing  and plasterboard between the beams. You can still leave enough room for insulation. Takes a little longer but retains some character.

Regards.

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Having spent an entire day with bits of wood in a myriad of sizes trying to gain some sort of level in our previously un-ceilinged bedroom, we gave up!  Actually wonky is as wonky does......the whole house is wonky so the eccentric ceiling fits in precisely.  In fact I'd say it adds to the charm of the place so why not go with the flow?  Literally!

It is insulated and looks good, even if it is a bit squiffy in places but in an old house you would not expect otherwise really.

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Strange isn't it, I was going to ask the same question as wibblywobbly but he's beaten me to it. My house is the same, not a right angle or square wall in the place, so the joists/ ceiling are just the same. I have been trying to work out the levels etc. but I want to use the 'isolation thermique' between the joists (poutres). I therefore have to remove the small strips of wood that gave the existing ceiling a level, to fit the 'isolation'. In this case ,what is the best method of attaching them to the joists?

Aitch

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  • 4 weeks later...

Thanks for all of the advice on this topic, though I am slightly confused about using the metal hangar approach? Am I making the correct assumption in saying that I am effectively building a metal frame that hangs horizontally from the existing joists? If so, how do I connect the frame to the joists. Is it just a simple matter of cutting the box sections to length, screwing them to the joists and then screwing the horizontal framing to these? It's the horizontal/vertical fixing that I can't get my head around. If anyone can point me at some photo's showing what is meant I would much appreciate it, a picture paints a thousand words so to speak?

I will be keeping the big oak beams exposed, it's just the manky floor joists that I intend to cover up, and get insulation in the process. The Grenier flooring is boarded but full of gaps, and funds being what they are, can wait till the ground floor is complete.

I have added the same request to a more recent enquiry, so apologies to the Admin peeps for the duplication.

Excuse my ignorance, I just want to make sure that I am not going to be sat watching tv with my head stuck through a sheet of plasterboard!

Many thanks

Rob G

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Wibblywobbly - the metal rails are not connected directly to the beams. You buy small stamped out pieces of metal that are for sale near the rails. They come in various lengths to cope will all situations. These metal pieces are sort of  long T shaped and the T fits into the rails and T's are nailed or screwed to the sides of the beams. What you are doing is creating a suspended ceiling.

Find the lowest point of the lowest beam, and fit a hanger to the side of the beam so that the T is close to the beam. Slide the rail in. Go to the other end of the rail fit in a t piece and fix the T piece up to the beam so that the rail is level. Then put one on every beam in between keeping the rail level to prevent sagging.

Work from this rail making sure all others are level with this one. Voila - one level ceiling. Obviously space the rails the correct distance apart so that the edges of the plasterboard line up with the centre of the longitudinal (sp?) centre of the rail  and ensuring sufficient intermediate rails to support the plasterboard.

Difficult to describe but easier to do.

Bonne chance - Tony.

EDIT - Geordy Girl - just seen your post when I finished typing mine. Have done one ceiling that way, and, like yours, it looks very nice. I have used the rail system to cover up beams that had about 10 coats of paint on them and were beyond hope barring a huge amout of work.

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hi ok

           the way to go for ceilings is the metal rail system, 3 years ago I would have said wood but the price has gone up over 50% so it`s now more cost wise to go with the galv system . For ceilings it`s a different method than for walls  ,you need like the other posts say the hanger brackets... called suspente in french they come  8cm 18, 24, or 32cm long just screw or nail then to your joists ,from them you hang " fourrure fk45 " rails @ 1.2 mtr centres horizontal across the joists ,you can then slide in " brides de fourrure " at 600 cm centres ,so the montant rail can now be clipped to this  ..this way up [_] , the same way as your joists run.

best I could do without drawing it

             dave 

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Pretty much as our learned friends have said albeit  you can have some success counter battening with timber also. I prefer the metal channel but sometimes simply screw through ply packers and the side of the channel to get a fixing. Its important to set out your perimeter channel level and at the highest common height where inserted channels will not foul the lowest part of the joists in the lower part of the ceiling then simply slot your counterbattens in and crimp them prior to forming your mechanical connection. Counterbatten creates a nice void for you to run electrical contaiment etc in and the metal channel is less likely to twist compared to its timber counterpart.
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