Need plaster demo tip

slapdash

I'm demolishing the water-damaged plaster ceiling of our kitchen. But I want to avoid damaging the plaster walls, which aren't in too bad shape.

How can I get the ceiling out at the top of the walls, without messing up the walls? Is there any way I can score it or saw it, before I go hammering and prying on it and wreck everything?

The ceiling will be replaced with drywall later.

send_it_all

You can use a sawzall reciprocating saw to score around the edge if you think it's necessary. Don't plunge too deep, you'll want to beware of wiring and such...you shouldn't hit anything, but just hold the saw at such an angle that the blade BARELY gets through the plaster.

It is a messy job to demo plaster. Make sure you wear a good mask. It is also a good idea to create a dust barrier between your kitchen and any adjoining rooms. Use palstic sheeting to do this. Tape it to the cailing and walls or around doorways to seal it off the beat you can. If you need access to the room where you have plastic, hang the plastic so there are flaps that overlap sp you can get through, but when they are at rest they seal pretty well. Good luck...I don't envy you.

slapdash

Thanks for the advice! The bright side is that it's not manure. Demoing plaster is only the second-nastiest job in the world.

jproffer

I dunno about that. Wait 'till you find the blow in insulation behind the plaster...and then it's about 3 feet deep through the whoooooooole room.

That crap aint lookin' so bad now...lol

send_it_all

I would almost rather eat manure than demo plaster overhead that has blown in insulation above.

jproffer

Amen brother.

The ol' walmart special paper mask aint gonna do it for that job. I did it once with one of those (or actually about 20 of those...get dirty, change it out)...never again. I coughed up black....friggin......GUNK for 2 weeks...went thru the mask.

send_it_all

I know...that job sucks...out loud.

slapdash

Fortunately, there's no blown insulation. Above the ceiling plaster is a bathroom with a thick-mud floor. Leaks from above are what caused the ceiling damage.

Demolishing that mud floor with an electric chipping hammer is going to be a whole other thing. This plaster demo may be the easy part.

white29

Stupid question time.Can you drywall right over the plaster? How about with minimal repair and /or removal? I am with you bro,i have done lots of plaster demo(and yes with blown in insulation) and i would avoid like the plauge!