Easy way to find joists above a lath and plaster ceiling?
d...@gglz.com
plates into the loft joists in a lath and plaster ceiling (working
around various exposed features).
For a bunch of reasons, access from above is not so easy (not
impossible, just awkward).
My stud detector just bleeps everywhere (because of the laths and
nails).
The only thing I can think off is to drill a few test holes with a
fine drill (e.g 3mm) until I hit a loft joist. I reckon I could end up
doing a few of those for each fixing point, as the loft joists are not
very accurately spaced (Victorian building).
Anyone have any tips to make the job easier?
Where I have to fix top plates parallel to the loft joists (and no
doubt not directly underneath one) - I'm thinking to fix noggins above
(fortunately these will be in a more accessible area), and then use
120-130mm screws to be sure to bite into the loft joists.
Any other recommended solutions?
Cash
> I'm putting up timber stud partitions, and need to screw several top
> plates into the loft joists in a lath and plaster ceiling (working
> around various exposed features).
>
> For a bunch of reasons, access from above is not so easy (not
> impossible, just awkward).
>
> My stud detector just bleeps everywhere (because of the laths and
> nails).
>
> The only thing I can think off is to drill a few test holes with a
> fine drill (e.g 3mm) until I hit a loft joist. I reckon I could end up
> doing a few of those for each fixing point, as the loft joists are not
> very accurately spaced (Victorian building).
>
> Anyone have any tips to make the job easier?
Tap the ceiling with a hammer until you hear a 'solid' sound - and that's
where the joist will be!
> Where I have to fix top plates parallel to the loft joists (and no
> doubt not directly underneath one) - I'm thinking to fix noggins above
> (fortunately these will be in a more accessible area), and then use
> 120-130mm screws to be sure to bite into the loft joists.
Screws are really not essential here - simply cut the noggins between the
ceiling joists (a snug fit) and then use 4" nails to fix them through the
rafter or 3" nails if you are going to do 'skew' nail fixings.
Cash
meow...@care2.com
wrote:
> d...@gglz.com wrote:
> > I'm putting up timber stud partitions, and need to screw several top
> > plates into the loft joists in a lath and plaster ceiling (working
> > around various exposed features).
>
> > For a bunch of reasons, access from above is not so easy (not
> > impossible, just awkward).
>
> > My stud detector just bleeps everywhere (because of the laths and
> > nails).
>
> > The only thing I can think off is to drill a few test holes with a
> > fine drill (e.g 3mm) until I hit a loft joist. I reckon I could end up
> > doing a few of those for each fixing point, as the loft joists are not
> > very accurately spaced (Victorian building).
>
> > Anyone have any tips to make the job easier?
If tapping doesnt do it, tiny holes + coathanger to roughly locate
them. With 2 points you can pencil lines on. Once you've got a few you
can interpolate others.
> Tap the ceiling with a hammer until you hear a 'solid' sound - and that's
> where the joist will be!
> > Where I have to fix top plates parallel to the loft joists (and no
> > doubt not directly underneath one) - I'm thinking to fix noggins above
> > (fortunately these will be in a more accessible area), and then use
> > 120-130mm screws to be sure to bite into the loft joists.
>
> Screws are really not essential here - simply cut the noggins between the
> ceiling joists (a snug fit) and then use 4" nails to fix them through the
> rafter or 3" nails if you are going to do 'skew' nail fixings.
>
> Cash
its a brave man that will slam a large number of 4" nails into L&P :)
NT
Anna Kettle
wrote:
>I'm putting up timber stud partitions, and need to screw several top
>plates into the loft joists in a lath and plaster ceiling (working
>around various exposed features).
>
>For a bunch of reasons, access from above is not so easy (not
>impossible, just awkward).
>
>My stud detector just bleeps everywhere (because of the laths and
>nails).
>
>The only thing I can think off is to drill a few test holes with a
>fine drill (e.g 3mm) until I hit a loft joist. I reckon I could end up
>doing a few of those for each fixing point, as the loft joists are not
>very accurately spaced (Victorian building).
Yes thats the way to do it. Just be glad that you have some access
above so you can get an idea of the spacing and direction of the
joists. I once worked on an old building with no access above and
where the joist direction changed midway across the room. It took me
ages to realise what was going on
Its worth putting a skirt around the drill bit so the chuck doesnt get
bunged up with mortar
When you have finished fill the holes with polyfilla
Anna
--
Anna Kettle
Lime plaster repair and conservation
Freehand modelling in lime: overmantels, pargeting etc
Tel: (+44) 01359 230642
Mob: (+44) 07976 649862
Please look at my website for examples of my work at:
www.kettlenet.co.uk
d...@gglz.com
tapping others have suggested - slightly better than the stud
detector, but still very hit and miss - the fine drillings worked
best.
No need to fill the holes, as they're directly above the timber plate
(I already have a laser line to follow, it's just finding the
intersections with loft joists that's the trouble!)
Thanks to all for your suggestions.
BigWallop
<d...@gglz.com> wrote in message
news:6d48b9b5-6468-4422...@b2g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
Do you know which way the joist are running? Those old ceilings have latte
(lathe) batons across the joists, running at 90 degrees from the joists.
When you try to find the joists with a detector, all you get is the points
where the lattes are nailed to the cross batons, which is almost everywhere
on the ceiling.
Where you are erecting your stud wall, punch a hole through enough to stick
a hand in and feel exactly where you are with the joists. Use your tape
measure to get an idea of where the rest of the joists are.
The hole you make is easily covered by the top plate of the stud you're
building.
Tonia
I’m just wondering, is your basement ceiling exposed at all?
If so, does the studs run the same way downstairs as up?
--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy/easy-way-to-find-joists-above-a-lath-and-plaster-ceiling-518914-.htm
tabb...@gmail.com
> replying to BigWallop, Tonia wrote:
> I’m just wondering, is your basement ceiling exposed at all?
>
> If so, does the studs run the same way downstairs as up?
NT
Brian Gaff
portal, so why cannot they? I suspect this is due to that server ignoring
years even though it adds them, it seems to treat all years the same way
regurgitating posts over and over.
Brian
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This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
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<tabb...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:9387d6a5-83fb-4f0f...@googlegroups.com...
Rob Morley
"Brian Gaff" <bri...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
That's the difference between visually available information and
perceived/processed information - if the stupid web page presents a
post there's a tendency to think it's recent/relevant and not look for
the date. In our nice Usenet clients we can sort messages by date and
not have ancient posts put next to recent ones. The website also
doesn't offer any sort of "hide read messages" option.
Tim Watts
> replying to BigWallop, Tonia wrote:
> I’m just wondering, is your basement ceiling exposed at all?
>
> If so, does the studs run the same way downstairs as up?
solved the problem, given up or died in the meantime...
Hint: It's the bit on HomeOwner's We-Rip_off_USENET-and-do-it-badly Hub
that says:
"posted on November 8, 2008, 4:47 pm"
*sigh*
Nathan
Use a strong magnet to location the screws.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07GFK5XFC?psc=1&smid=AQWIWNRU2YWAO&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp
--
For full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy/easy-way-to-find-joists-above-a-lath-and-plaster-ceiling-518914-.htm
Roger Mills
>> a hammer until yo
> Use a strong magnet to location the screws.
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07GFK5XFC?psc=1&smid=AQWIWNRU2YWAO&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp
>
>
--
Cheers,
Roger
Brian Gaff
Brian
--
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The Sofa of Brian Gaff...
bri...@blueyonder.co.uk
Blind user, so no pictures please
"Nathan" <a0d3f84bf857dac7...@example.com> wrote in message
news:1712a4576881a1fe$1$2883596$4656...@news.newsgroupdirect.com...
Davidm
<a0d3f84bf857dac7...@example.com> wrote:
>> a hammer until yo
>Use a strong magnet to location the screws.
>https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07GFK5XFC?psc=1&smid=AQWIWNRU2YWAO&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp
a small repair job. Nailing is much faster.
alan_m
and inch or more thick.
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John Rumm
> Does not work on Brass screws though.
--
Cheers,
John.
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Roger Mills
> On 08/09/2022 10:42, Brian Gaff wrote:
>> Does not work on Brass screws though.
>
> How many plasterboard ceilings have you fitted with brass screws?
>
>
Even less likely for the laths to be screwed rather than nailed.
--
Cheers,
Roger
John Rumm
The point still stands though - how many laths have you seen fixed with