Gyprocking new addition

[Paul B]

Hi all,

We've just had a new room added to the house, we'd decided that the only way we could afford it without a loan was to get it done to lock-up-stage and then finish off the rest myself. I've had a bit of experience (was carpenters labourer many moons ago) and these days I'm building acoustic guitars as a hobby - so I know my way 'round a toolbox.

My plan was to hire one of these gyprock lifts (see pic) and do the gyprocking myself, seems pretty straight forward, I did the bathroom in vilaboard a year or two ago and it turned out great.

Now my wife has the outlaws in her ear telling her it's a real hard job, and we should hire a professional (for some stupid amount of $$$) or it will look like crap. She's half convinced they're right.

Is there any sensible reason I shouldn't do the job myself? I can't see that it could be all that difficult if you have half a clue.

Thanks

[duckman]

Meet your wife halfway. Hang it yourself and then get a plasterer in to stop off and cornice.

Ask around and you might find a retired plasterer looking for a bit extra to supplement his pension and would take the job on provided the plaster has already been hung.

[Fugly]

Fixing the Gyprock is this easy part, finishing the plaster is the part I’d be worried about, what are you like on the metal float? Is timber cladding the ceiling an option?

[Andrew in Tas]

How quickly do you want the job done? If you are under pressure to get the job done quickly or dont feel comfortable stopping up yourself then I'd do what duckman suggested, fix the sheets yourself and get a plasterer in to finish off.

If you have a bit of time up your sleeve and you have a few clues, I can't see why you shouldn't do it all yourself. Get a hold of the installation reference manual produced by Boral. From memory they are on the website. They give a lot more detail than the handyman booklets CSR produce. They give details of the various products and their uses, installation instructions, including the numbers of screws/nails needed for fixing sheets with fasteners only or fasteners and adhesive. Also cover things like back blocking etc etc. Very good manuals.

There is no reason why you cant get a finish as good or better than a plasterer. Time is money and they do a good job VERY quickly. If you have time up your sleeve you can get a very good result, i.e. an extra top coat feathered out a bit further.

It might be worth fixing the sheets and then get a quote from a plasterer to stop up and fit the cornice. If you have to buy materials and tools etc it may end up a better proposition to get someone else to do it.
Good luck

[Barry_White]

That's the problem with outlaws they are dream stealers and always put you down. Like Arnie says don't be a girlie man stand up to them and prove them wrong. I say go for it.

[Paul B]

Thanks guys,

I don't have a problem with applying jointing compound, I've already got the tools from when I did the bathroom, it took a while then to develope a technique, but once I worked it out it was pretty easy to get nice joins and corners - though not as fast as a pro.

The main thing I was worried about was being able to lift 3.6m sheets over my head and have them lie flat once they were installed - the outlaws thought they'd "be all wavy" and they've done it once themselves. But if the frame work is flat and the panels are hard up against the wood, how could they be? I'm obviously not going to put screws in the ends and work towards the middle, which is what I suspect they did.

Andrew, thanks for the heads up on the Boral info, I was actually downloading the CSR docs when I read your post.

[gsouth]

I used to be one of the "pay someone to do it for you type" - spent too much time listening to the "it's way too hard" people...

The guy across the road did his bathroom reno - hired one of these for the ceiling - took him much longer as he got the plastering right, and working out how to do the cornice -- must say the results were of profesional quality - even higher.

He then did his entire garage ceiling - results again were above a professional finish (didn't cut corners)...

Only advice I can give after observing him on these 2 jobs - take your time. Read up about how to do it - in the end you will save $ but burn time.

[duckman]

Thanks guys,
The main thing I was worried about was being able to lift 3.6m sheets over my head and have them lie flat once they were installed - the outlaws thought they'd "be all wavy" and they've done it once themselves. But if the frame work is flat and the panels are hard up against the wood, how could they be? I'm obviously not going to put screws in the ends and work towards the middle, which is what I suspect they did.

3.6M aren't very long. 6.0M sheets can be successfully lifted with a sheet lifter, in fact plasterers typically only use a sheet lifter for the longer sheets because the sheet lifter is slower but you're not trying to earn a living from it and it sounds like you'll be working by yourself so you don't have a choice about using a sheet lifter.

As far as the sheets finishing up 'wavy' on you in-laws ceiling, the sheet lifter wasn't the cause of that problem. Either the ceiling joists or battens weren't 'flat' to start with or they simply had no idea about what they were doing and weren't very observant while they were working.

Go for it.

[Dan_574]

I say go for it, if you can finish yourself then thats the hard part done. Use the sheet lifter and your home and hosed. Me and my old man used the sheet lifter and like was said earlier we had 6m sheets on it, 3.6m will be a breeze.

[elphingirl]

We had a whole new house professionally done except the bathroom walls (which weren't ready at the same time). When we got a quote for the bathroom they quoted $1750 - even though they plasterers were still onsite. We thought - bugger that, we'll do it ourselves.

You'll be able to do it, but you might make more dust than a professeional. I think the suggestions about getting them to joint and sand are a good idea. It's horrible stuff.

Cheers, Justine

[aspectdisplays]

Don't hire the lifter for 3.6m sheets. get a mate to help you, use stud adhesive and the money you save you can hire a sanding machine with dust extractor. Becasue the worst part is sanding the ceiling by hand apart from the effort it's the dust that get's all over you.

[John99]

First thing dont give a second thought to what the outlaws say. Just do it !

I learnt from experience, I had no idea just a few tips from these forums and with the help of the misses and kids we put up 4.8m sheets with the help of only a couple stays I made up out some timber they looked like a T they were made about 50mm shorter then the height of the ceiling with me on the ladder lifting one end up lifting and proping the sheet up with the stays I then used screws to fix the sheets up with the adhesive.

Did find out when I was filling the joins in the sheets it was easy to get a better finish doing it of a night using a couple of spot lights seemed to be able to get the joins better and had very little sanding to do on the ceiling.

Make sure the battens or ceiling joists that the gyprock is to be fixed to are fairly even may be 10mm max out over your 3.6m ceiling just put some extra noggins / spacers in to level out any that are out abit.
Maybe using a lifter may of been easier but I was looking to save some $$$.

So Good Luck !

Finished product below

[kiwigeo]

Paul,

In laws sound like they need a bit of exercise...get them to help you put the Gibrock up......it should keep them quiet for a bit.

As for doing the finishing work.......Id get someone in to do it. I watched the guy doing my new garage and workshop and I must say I couldnt have done as good a job myself.

Cheers Martin

[John99]

Did also have a thread about ceilings at the following link



http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=15986

[johnc]

I'd get a couple of mates around same as most of the earlier suggestions, but if you go down the lift path they really are dead easy and slow and steady does it. Ditto for do your homework before you start it really is a case of ensuring battens etc are true before the plaster is fixed. There is nothing to add to the posts other than if you do stuff it up it will give the in-laws endless satisfaction so no matter what the outcome someone will be happy.

JohnC