Ceiling Repair: Should You Place New Plasterboards Over the Damaged Ones?
Some homeowners may be unsure about whether they should place new plasterboards over the damaged ones instead of replacing those damaged boards in the ceiling. This article discusses those two options so that you can have the information that you need to make the best decision.
"Over-Boarding"
"Over-boarding" refers to placing new plasterboards on the existing ones that have become damaged due to a variety of factors, such as water leaks. This method is the easiest to implement because you will not have to cut out anything and deal with a mess once the project is completed. The old plasterboards also provide a firm base to hold the new plasterboards, so the stability of the repair job is almost guaranteed.
However, "over-boarding" has a number of shortcomings. For instance, the height to your ceiling is reduced by those extra plasterboards. This can be an issue in case your home has limited ceiling height. Secondly, the added weight of the new boards can put a strain on your roof system. This can cause structural problems later on. It will also become harder for you to detect future moisture problems, such as roof leaks. This is because the water will take longer to show through the two layers of plasterboard.
Plasterboard Replacement
You can also remove the damaged plasterboards in your ceiling and replace them with new ones. This option may be harder to execute because you will be required to carefully remove the damaged plasterboards before you can have a chance to install the new ones. The process of removing the old boards often generates plenty of debris that has to be cleaned up at the end of the project. The process is also time-consuming because you will have to first inspect the ceiling in order to avoid damaging any cables or ducts that may be running through the area that you need to repair.
However, the hassles above are more than compensated for by the uniformity that will be restored to that repaired ceiling. Similarly, you will have no fears about overhead loads since you will have replaced the damaged plasterboards with nearly identical plasterboards.
As you can see, each of the options above has its own pros and cons. However, placing new plasterboards over damaged ones seems to be a less appealing option due to the aesthetic and structural issues that it presents. It is therefore advisable to expend the effort and time that are needed to replace the damaged plasterboards so that you can have lasting results that don't create other problems.
