Game for a lath: problems with old ceilings

Modern construction methods and materials have improved the process of building and renovating homes, giving straight lines and clean finishes that most people expect nowadays.

Before this, it wasn't always so straightforward.

Primary examples are the methods and substances used to put up walls and ceilings. Today, most people probably don't think about the flatness of the home's surfaces with its skim of plaster. But, before the advent of plasterboard - compressed gypsum between strong cards - builders had to be more inventive if they wanted to cover the ceilings (and walls, too, if they didn't want to go to the relative expense of building brick walls to divide the rooms).

The ceilings would be constructed with wooden joists, which would form the foundation of the room or loft-space above, with floorboards laid on them. Before the days of the variety of insulation materials, which cut down the sound of occupants walking above and to keeping the heat within the room as much as possible, rooms were plastered.

The most frequently used method was lath and plaster. Lengths of flattened wood - laths - would be nailed to the underside of the ceiling joists, with a little space in between each strip. Then plaster, which would be a mixture of materials including horse-hair to give it more rigidity and making it less likely to come apart over time, would be daubed across the laths, squeezing the plaster into the gaps and creating a reasonably flat finish.

Fast forward to the modern era and the same plaster is still there, now often covered in lining paper, or patterned plain or embossed wallpaper to cover some of the imperfections so that it could be more easily painted.

And then there was the advent of central heating. A great way to keep the house warm, but problematic for some of the construction methods of a few decades ago and beyond.

Because of the heat circulating around the home, the plaster in the ceiling (and walls) dries out and becomes friable and liable to crack. This might then result in plaster that was squashed between the laths falling apart and creating more problems as it drifts away from its snugly fitment.

Some issues might show themselves as cracks, while more serious problems include large gaps forming, tears in the paper lining the ceiling and, most catastrophically, the entire ceiling giving way and the plaster falling into the room below.

That's not to say that every older house with lath and plaster will have such serious problems but, if you are planning on buying such a property, you'll want to know the state it is in and whether any remedial work is imminently required to prevent the damage of a falling ceiling or other problems that ceilings can create.

Which is why it's always a good idea to organise a detailed survey on the property you are thinking of buying, so that your assigned Chartered Surveyor can assess exactly what problems there are facing you in the building.

In many ways, it's better to be safe than sorry when it comes to the impact of such problems if they were to arise, as well as taking comfort in understanding what advisable remedial action ought to be taken and how much it's likely to cost.

After all, buying a home is probably going to be the biggest financial outlay you're going to make, so you want to ensure your investment in the bricks and mortar - and the lath and plaster, if it comes to it - is going to be sound.

If you are planning on buying a property of a certain age with variable construction methods, you'll want to get a professional assessment of any existing problems and what the remedial effort and cost will be with a RICS Level 3 Survey. 

At Surveyor Local, we only work with chartered surveyors who are members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, ensuring the survey you get is always professionally delivered.

They will work hard to identify all kinds of problems, including the impact of prior flooding on the structure of the property.

Call  to get your no-obligation survey quote started, or to discuss your concerns with the acquisition of your planned property.

Or you can get a quick quote, using Surveyor Local's easy-to-use quote generator. 

We'll do the rest once you confirm your acceptance of the quote.