Hey everyone! I just bought a 125-year-old house that's mostly in good condition, but I'm dealing with some cracks in the plaster ceilings, which I know can get worse over time. I want to avoid staring at these cracks for the next decade or so. We have about 6 weeks until we move in, and I'm considering my options. Should I just install 1/4 inch drywall over the ceilings, or would it be better to remove the plaster entirely and install 5/8 inch drywall instead? The walls are fine and will just need a skim coat and paint. I'm also looking to add recessed lights in the living room.
I've been informed that the knob and tube wiring has already been replaced, and I'm planning on adding more insulation after an energy audit. If I decide to take the ceilings down, should I test for lead first? I'm really torn on this, so any advice would be appreciated!
4 Answers
You might want to check out Big Wally’s Plaster Magic. It's a good solution to repair plaster while keeping it from cracking more in the future.
Why not just get the ceilings reskimmed? That could be a simpler fix without having to do a full demo.
Before tearing anything down, pull a bit of plaster to have it tested for asbestos. Knowing what you’re dealing with will help you decide whether to seal it up or take it down completely.
If you're planning to install recessed lights in the living room, I’d suggest tearing down the whole ceiling and going for drywall. Running the electric for those lights is gonna leave a messy patch job, so it's probably more cost-effective to do the whole ceiling at once. Just make sure to wear a respirator during the demo, and you should be fine.
Most of that old plaster probably contains horsehair or pig bristles, which are safe, so you might not need to worry too much about it.