How to fix bowed plasterboard in ceiling?

[moloko]

Hi All,

The two photos are of the same area but at different angles. It's an area in the plasterboard ceiling that looks like it's a creased line that is "sagging" or slightly "bowed" enough to be able to notice this, especially as it's an area with high exposure to daylight. Most of the rest of the ceiling lies flat without any of this "bulging" and looks normal. This is a twenty year old apartment building.

Does anyone know what is the correct terminology for describing what this is and how to address this, if it even needs to be addressed?

Thanks!

[MitchellMc]

Hi @moloko,

It appears to be a joint between two sheets of plaster. The area could have potentially sagged, or it could be that the joint wasn't sanded down correctly after having filler applied to it. I'd recommend sanding the joint along that line to see if you can reduce its appearance to an acceptable level. If you sand back to the plaster sheet and the area is still noticeable, you might need to add additional screws along the length of the joint on either side to pull the plaster sheets back up against the ceiling joist. You can then apply filler to the area and feather it back into the surrounding sheets with a jointing knife.

If you were looking to have someone repair this area, you'd ask them to correct the unevenness of the sheets if needed and then tape and set the joint to smooth the transition between the sheets. It's likely just a visual annoyance and not necessarily something that needs to be addressed.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[moloko]

Hi @MitchellMc

Thank you for your reply.

I can confirm that no extra work has been done to that area of the ceiling, no filler and such as we bought this unit new. So there would be no need to sand anything down. 

Sounds like it's your other suggested solution which is to fasten or secure the plasterboard to the ceiling again. The line crease seems to have gotten longer over time so may need to be addressed soon so it doesn't "spread."

Thanks for your help! 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @moloko,

Sorry, perhaps I wrongly assumed that this line has always been there. It's not uncommon to see this type of issue after a new installation. However, if this has occurred over time, then I'd agree that the sheets likely need to be screwed back into position and some new skim coat filler used over the area to blend everything in. 

Mitchell

[moloko]

Thanks very much @MitchellMc 

[MitchellMc]

So problems, @moloko. 😁

Please keep us updated on your project and reach out if you need further assistance.

Mitchell