large gaps between plasterboard walls and ceiling

Sunnygirl57 · 09-21-2012, 08:18 AM

I have been left high and dry by a shonky builder who put up the plasterboard and left large gaps between my walls and ceiling, some as large as 15cms where the ceiling peices are supposed to meet the top of the wall peices. Does anyone know of the best way to fix this?

joecaption · 09-21-2012, 09:01 AM

Post a picture for some better ideas and no one has to guess.
Is this really drywall your talking about?
Has it been finished out is it just screwed to the wall?

sdsester · 09-22-2012, 05:50 AM

15cm is like 6"! I don't need a picture but Joe likes them for his photo album.

About all you can do to cover that kind of gap is put up a wide piece of trim molding. Or cut out 6"w drywall strips, screw, mud and tape them.

Are the gaps on the wall tops or the ceiling edges or both?

No chance of bringing the builder back to fix this?

Sunnygirl57 · 09-22-2012, 07:07 AM

Thanks so much for your response sdsester. The gaps vary in width and are on the ceiling plasterboard. when I called the builder shonky I was probably being too kind.

I tried to get the builder back as I had a legal contract and contacted the Building Services Authority but they were useless, so No, sadly I can't do anything about it. He also left the roof unsealed, no downpipes and wonky guttering, so I have permanent residents of the bush rat and possum variety in my roof. I have back stairs with no handrail past the 6th step....I could go on for hours. Still, just want to finish the house so that I can live comfortably. Thanks for the advice. I'm off to the hardware store tomorrow

orange · 09-23-2012, 09:21 PM

I think a few pictures would remove all the guessing and get you some focused comments/advice.

Quote:

I had a legal contract and contacted the Building Services Authority but they were useless

With a contract you have no legal recourse???

chrisn · 09-24-2012, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunnygirl57

Thanks so much for your response sdsester. The gaps vary in width and are on the ceiling plasterboard. when I called the builder shonky I was probably being too kind.

I tried to get the builder back as I had a legal contract and contacted the Building Services Authority but they were useless, so No, sadly I can't do anything about it. He also left the roof unsealed, no downpipes and wonky guttering, so I have permanent residents of the bush rat and possum variety in my roof. I have back stairs with no handrail past the 6th step....I could go on for hours. Still, just want to finish the house so that I can live comfortably. Thanks for the advice. I'm off to the hardware store tomorrow

Not from around here, right?

Sunnygirl57 · 09-24-2012, 08:15 AM

Not unless you're in Australia Chris

sdsester · 09-24-2012, 08:50 AM

I guessed you had a Sheila accent! I may use "shonky" though.

In hearing the gaps are on the ends of the ceiling pieces, I worry whether you could even find any trim to bridge a 6" (15cm) gap. I fear you are going to have to fill those gaps in.

sdsester · 09-24-2012, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisn

Not from around here, right?

You are such a flirt! But that is the best opening line you got?

notmrjohn · 09-24-2012, 03:51 PM

" ceiling pieces,... even find any trim to bridge a 6" (15cm) gap" It's more like 5.9" which will be a lot easier to cover.

Ahhh, Austria; strudel, waltzes, the Danu.....what?....oh....They have watzing somethin else instead of srudels. This is more serious than I thought. If Sunny is down under in the Lucky Land then what we thought was a gap in the ceiling is really in the floor and she has to really grip that handrail, one step past the sixth step, she may fall and float off into the air.

Sunny if you have a contract, call the bailiffs and have the yobbo hauled before the magistrate for his bodgy job. Meanwhile, proceed with finishing the major structural jobs. The roof, stairs, etc to prevent furthur damage and get it safe and livable. I dunno if there's any thing behind the ceiling sheet rock...dry wall...er plaster board or if you have gap into attic space, but let cosmetic things pass for now.

Don't worry about chrisn, he cracks onto every newbie, hoping his reputation hasn't preceded him. Good luck and don't bilibongs bite, or something like that.

chrisn · 09-24-2012, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdsester

You are such a flirt! But that is the best opening line you got?

moi? I sort of thought down under with the bush rat, but the shonky thing,I like

**Gary in WA** · 09-24-2012, 11:30 PM

Sorry to hear he left mid-way through. Here is a general guide: http://www.usg.com/rc/installation-a...de-en-J371.pdf

Patching small, medium and large holes: http://www.usg.com/rc/installation-a...s-en-J1802.pdf

You may want to buy a regular bag of the easy-sand setting, if a lot of holes, don't follow the mixing directions- that is for a much smaller repair kit bag; http://www.usg.com/rc/installation-a...s-en-J1802.pdf

Patching video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAxNL...feature=relmfu

I visited Perth/Freemantle for 10 days, very friendly people. During Vietnam conflict, we stopped there and the first 150 sailors with shore liberty left the pier with a family or someone to show them around; very nice- best welcome we ever had....

Pictures of the damage would help; 1st 5: http://www.diychatroom.com/f98/

Gary
P.S. Welcome to the forums!

Sunnygirl57 · 09-25-2012, 08:39 AM

Thanks everyone for your insight. Popped into Bunnings today - our hardware superstore (heaven) after watching a couple of excellent video's on youtube. Spent this evening learning how to set plasterboard and mitre and put up cove cornice, (it helps knowing that I have to cut it upside down and make sure that I have the internal and external edges worked out), so will start on my plastering adventure tomorrow. Stay tuned

notmrjohn · 09-25-2012, 11:57 AM

" it helps knowing that I have to cut it upside down..." Well, for you its upside down but for us its down..... never mind. Cut a few short practice pieces first, take your time, and take break every once in a while, get your mind turned back the right way in your noggin. I've seen cornice men with years of experience stop every once in a while and just stare out window a while. Maybe they're trying to figure out how to hang miter box upside down from ceiling.

sdsester · 09-25-2012, 02:48 PM

And, it is hard for me because I have never, ever cut a mitre joint the wrong direction but I have heard even the best of the rest, the also ran of the gene pool that is humanity, have made such errors.

I do have a mantra I heard ages ago that has served me well though. And my Dad, a cabinetmaker at a point in his life hated it for some reason?

"Don't ever worry if you cut it too short. You can always cut it off again!"

Long story about that and a VERY EXPENSIVE piece of timber for a bridge, bribes to grading contractors if you ever want to hear it. Point is, it is not the mistakes you make but what you learn from them and how you creative you became at not fixing them---hiding them!