Repairing Plaster Cielieng

[RKS130]

Preparing the site for installation of our new pellet stove has become a larger project than I had hoped - doesn't it always?

The foyer had been partitioned by a prior owner of the house by creation of a coat closet. Therefater a sheetrock ceiling was installed. When the closet was removed, of course the ceiling had different elevations. My wife insisted on restoration of the plaster, after removal of the sheetrock.

I am a not too bad plasterer but getting a smooth surface over a large expanse of ceiling is challenging my abilities. Any thoughts on technique? The difficultly is the area against the wall where I cannot bridge the gap from intact old plaster to intact old plaster in order to achieve a smooth and uniform elevation, because one side has no intact old plaster.

Any ideas will be welcomed.

I should add that, at least around here, no one stocks spackle powder which I always used to retard the hardening time of my paster. I have been reduced to using joint compound (powdered) as a retardant, and it seems to be working out OK.

Thanks.

 

[REM505]

Don't use quick set or you'll get cracks and as long as you have good backing the mud will hold. Use plenty of water on old cement and lathing. I use a spray bottle filled with water.

 

[DAKSY]

I'd use Durabond 90 for the "spackling."
If the wifey isn't looking & you've got a REALLY big area to fill in,
I'd use some 3/8 sheetrock & the blend the old to the new.
I did it on an old kitchen ceiling where a chunk of plaster about
3ft square came out due to a roof leak. There was further damage,
but I was able to draw the plaster back to the lath with drywall screws,
working from the outside going inwards towards the middle of the damaged
area. I fit the 3/8 rock to into the void & left about 2" gap all the way around
to trowel the DUrabond 90 into...
That was in 1990 & you STILL can't tell where that patch is.

 

[RKS130]

Much obliged for the input. I was on to the spray bottle already, something my Dad showed me when I was a kid, but the rest all added to my knowledge.

Unfortunately 3/8" board was too thick for my void so I used 1/4" cement backer board, which was the only material available locally in that thickness, and got a skim coat on it while my wife was at work!

When the job is done I'll post some pictures, including the installed stove, if the workmanship passes the red face test.

Thanks again.

 

[btuser]

I love Durabond.