Fixing Cornice to solid plaster wall/gyprock ceiling

[spirit28]

Hi all,

Doing some renovations on my late sisters place before selling. The ceilings in the bathroom & kitchen used to have painted wallpaper (in bad condition...) that has now been removed leaving a mixture of old glue, flaky paint & bare gyprock. The painter said it would be too time consuming to prepare for painting & suggested to put new gyprock over the old & replace the cornince.

I'm happy doing this myself having done it before - but the walls are solid rendered brick - only problem I can forsee it trying to keep the cornice in place while the cornice adhesive sets. On gyprock walls you can put in temporary nails to hold the cornice in place as described in a number of posts here - has any one got any suggestions how to do this with brick walls.

Have searched the forum but cannot see anything on this.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[rod@plasterbrok]

Are you using plain cove cornice or a decorative type?

With the mix at the right consistnecy plain cove will not need nails or anything else to hold it in place. Make the mix thicker but not "dry", thick enough that it won't fall off a trowel, hard to explain really.

If you need to pin the cornice in place then get some 50 mm concrete nails, these will penetrate the render easily enough to pin cornice.

Often a clout will still do the job depending how hard the render is.

BTW I never pin cornice unless I absolutly have too. Usually it is because a wall isn't straight or its a heavy decorative type. Make the mix to thin and yes you will have to pin it.

Cheers Rod

[spirit28]

Hi Rod,

Thanks for the advice. Will be using plain cove cornice.

Understand what you are saying about using a thicker but not dry mix - will this make the working time less?? I vaguley remember a mate of mine telling me years ago you can put a bit of milk or lemon juice in the mix to extend (or reduce can't rember which!!) the pot life. Would you recommend this - or is it a suburban myth....

Guess one needs to work a bit faster.

Regards

[rod@plasterbrok]

It won't go off any quicker. If it is too stiff it will appear to go off quicker because you won't be able to work it as well as it starts to thicken more so than if the mix was thinner.


Things to make plaster set SLOWER.
Milk
Lemon Juice
Citric Acid (the best one to use)

Things to make plaster set QUICKER
Salt
Slurry Water
Re Mixing
Over mixing.

Cheers Rod