getting rid of stippling on ceilings

pats22

hi

whats the best approach to getting rid of stippling on ceilings - pulling down the boards and putting up new ones - or scraping it and replastering
im getting a lot of conflicting info and was wondering what anyone thought
thanks
pat

astec123

The most common route to go is to just replaster as it is.

rooferPete

Hi pats22,

Plastering over artex can very often be a recipe for disaster as the plaster is expected to bond to emulsion paint and a product that will soften when wet.

First ask why was the ceiling stippled ? it may have been the original ceiling finish or a retro fit to cover up bad plaster work.

If you are sure the ceiling is in good order you might try a wall paper stripper but be careful steam is boiling water

The way we do them is either take down the old or slab over it.

.

gregos

rooferPete wrote:

The way we do them is either take down the old or slab over it..

Total agreement here. Less work, less hassle. Quicker. Better result. Absolutely right.

mad m

I reckon slabbing over it might be dodgy as you might hit a wire or miss a joist when you think you have nail in it...This is ofcourse if you are doing it yourself instead of a tradesman.

I have seen a few ceilings plastered over stippling and they have turned out great.First off id see if any of your slab have cracks in it,like you can see hairline cracks etc.And maybe get those black head screws especially for slabs and try and screw slab back into joists.

If its looks sound and no cracks,then what I've seen done is give it a scrapping and get all of the spikes off it,you can buy scrapers these days that attach to a roller pole, and then poly bond it twice and then let the plasterer do the rest.

But ofcourse the most sure method is tearing down slabs,there is so much crap that can come down after a slab is down,the dust and dirt is unreal.Plus it has to be re-slabbed,scrim tape,finish coat...

pats22

thanks for the replys
i was hoping that scraping and sealing might be a runner
i was on to someone in gypsum and they recommend scrapng and sealing it with ThistleBond-it and then letting the plaster at it

ill have a word with my plasterer and see what he thinks

anything else i should be looking out for??

cheers
pat

MorningStar

I had a stiple type problem before. It was that fan wave type like somebody combed the plaster. Apparently it never really sets and is a bit like wallpaper paste. When you use a steamer on it it just scraped off. AFAIK stiple is the same stuff. It is tough enought to do but it's cheaper than getting it reslabed but you will need to reskim and the stuff gets pretty hot and will burn if you get it on your skin.

rooferPete

Hi pats22,

If you were to offer me €5,000-00 in cash over the cost of every other method except removing the existing ceiling or slabbing over I would have to decline your generous offer.

Removing the existing is a messy job but sometimes necessary, over slabbing is possible using a sensor for wiring and pipes.

I am not so wealthy that I think less of your Euro but I have learned the hard way, you do not plaster over Artex, it certainly can cost

.

FX Meister

So it's Artex they use on the ceiling and not skim coat plaster?
I'm in the same position as I will be moving into a house soon that has stipple in the sitting, dining and kitchen as well as that combed stuff in the hall and above the stairs. If you were to do a room of size 5.4 x 3.5m with coving already how much would a rough estimate be rooferpete?

I have a cousin in Canada who had stipple on her ceiling and she sanding it down while wetting it at the same time. She said it worked for her.

Wertz

FX Meister wrote:

So it's Artex they use on the ceiling and not skim coat plaster?
I'm in the same position as I will be moving into a house soon that has stipple in the sitting, dining and kitchen as well as that combed stuff in the hall and above the stairs. If you were to do a room of size 5.4 x 3.5m with coving already how much would a rough estimate be rooferpete?

I have a cousin in Canada who had stipple on her ceiling and she sanding it down while wetting it at the same time. She said it worked for her.

Yup sanding back is a method I've seen done before too...then PVAed and skimcoated. This was in a mate's house a few years back; the ceiling hasn't collapsed, cracked or offered any other signs of trouble. Messy job but a whole lot cheaper than reslabbing. He used a sanding pole and not a power-sander (too heavy and too hard to keep pressure on)

craggel

I could be way off the mark here - but I think I came across something a while ago when getting a survey done on an older house that some forms of stippling in ceilings have asbestos in them and therefore would be detrimental to go sanding or scraping etc.
Like I said I may be way off the mark but it may be worth checking out.

rooferPete

Hi craggel,

I think you are right, asbestos was used as a filler for artex, your post brought back the over the top enforcement by the Health and Safety Authority during the demolition of the Ballymun Towers.

It seems the asbestos content was extremely small, still in a home environment I would prefer to slab over or use the steam instead of having asbestos dust floating around the children.

.

FX Meister

Will the steam moisten up all the stipple/artex? And you strip it back to the plasterboards?
Didi you see my post above with a question for you pete?

mad m

rooferPete wrote:

by the Health and Safety Authority during the demolition of the Ballymun Towers.It seems the asbestos content was extremely small,

.

As far as I know it turned out to be a door in the toilets,the door covered the main sewage pipes connecting up/down to each flat.Just a small piece of useless info there...

MorningStar

FX Meister wrote:

Will the steam moisten up all the stipple/artex? And you strip it back to the plasterboards?
Didi you see my post above with a question for you pete?

It does do it and is both earier and more difficult than you think. The stiple will come off easily but keeping the steamer up and the scraper above head tires out the arms. The artex also becomes really hot and can burn the skin so be carefull about getting it on you. Really messy so get everything out of the room and expect to be cleaning for a long time

FX Meister

I have to strip ther paper and put down new wooden floors so it shouldn't be a problem with the mess. I've used a strippers above the head before so I know hos tiring on the arms it can be. It has to be done though.

positron

Did anyone see the ad on telly about some type of ‘easy roll on plaster’ - I wonder if its any good for this – I have nearly 1200 sq ft of ceiling to "de-stipple"!

Wertz

positron wrote:

Did anyone see the ad on telly about some type of ‘easy roll on plaster’ - I wonder if its any good for this – I have nearly 1200 sq ft of ceiling to "de-stipple"!

I think you're talking about Easybase by Solvite? That's meant more so for basecoating old plaster that has a lot of hairline cracks and imperfections...not suitable for what you want it for AFAIK...

FX Meister

I saw that stuff on the ad, but I think it is for plastering over boards and stuff. Im skeptical to how well it works when you use it.

Wertz

Talking to a guy in work today who knows his stuff; he swears there is some type of solvent/stripper for removing Artex/textured paint. He wasn't sure who makes it or where to get it though...MRCB in Dublin are the best suppliers of decorating supplies i know of...might do well to give them a ring...

Long time ago thread. But anyone get any results?

cerastes

Oddly enough I had a similar enquiry,
Have stipple on all the ceilings, house relatively new, 90s, so no artex or risk of asbestos I think.
I don't like stipple but would leave it be but I noticed in the living room in a few places when I was repainting the last time, there are a few places the paint would stick, the places this happened the surface of the skim/stipple is crazed and slightly peeled and cracked, I originally noticed this as I'd let the house once for a year when away, I put it down to the tenants as I discovered mould which had to be cleaned up elsewhere and later discovered the heating had been shut down as the balance valve had all been closed down, so suspect the reason was damp or cold due to no heating in use.

Any ideas how to repair? Remove the damaged bits by steaming off and get re skimmed/stippled?
Personally I'd like to get the lot skimmed flat but its not on the cards for money or because of the inconvenience.

Chickus

Hi,
I have been getting quoted from plasterers to get stippled ceiling replastered.
2 guys say it doesn't need to be bonded and that anyone who says so is only waffling. and another guy came along and said that it has to be bonded first. He was furious at what the others had said. Needless to say the price of the last guy was double.
Quotes were €200 without bonding, €350 with bonding for hall upstair and downstairs of 3 bed semi.
Who should I go for?