Tick-tock- plaster ceilings in the tri-state are collapsing....could yours be next?

   Plaster ceilings are normally found in older homes. 

In the Cincinnati Tri-state area we have no shortage of them. With older historic homes and buildings plentiful,  there common place. 

   Before the advent of drywall panels the process to create a intetior wall was a lot more complex than making a few drywall cuts and screwing a board on to studs. 

   Tradesman at the turn of last century to create walls and ceilings had to hang metal lathe or install wood lathe over wall or ceiling joist to give their plaster compound something to grab ahold of . 

The former is a chicken wire looking material with tighter closer holes that could catch and hold plaster. The latter essentially was the installing of thin pieces of wood with a small spacing in-between each piece. The plaster would ooze through the spaces in both examples and then harden on the back side grabbing the substrate and leaving a hard scratch layer of plaster present that subsequent layers could be applied to untill the wall was finally finished. It was alot of work. 

    However a critical mistake was made , one that they could have never predicted would in time cause problems. And I think depending on the time frame, one that there was no way to prevent. 

 See it was common place back then for the plaster workers to hang the lathe with nails. Not a big deal at the time. And still to this day not a problem very often on walls. 

However,  ceilings are a different story. Over the time span of 100 years the weight of the plaster hanging upside-down from ceiling joist has begun to pull the nails from the joist.  

   The result = collapse with little or no warning. 

  This is a big problem 😬❗

Plaster is heavy, extremely heavy.  When one of these ceilings collapse they can kill or seriously injure any living creature that's under them..... 

Moms, Dads, children,  grandma, grandpa, the dog, the cat

None are exempt. 

And for some families,  they never see this silent killer coming untill it is too late. 

 If you have a plaster ceiling, I reccomend you have it inspected atleast annually. 

And really at this point in the game. I feel it is safer for everyone to either professionally have them covered correctly and encapsulated.  Or removed all together. 

 You say this is exaggerated,  and does not happen normally ❓

   It happens with extreme frequency in the Tri-state every year. 

    Better safe than sorry❗

The stage is set, plaster ceilings are pulling on the 100 + year nails that are corroding and pulling out daily. One gives way and the weight of the ceiling it was holding then shifts to the ones left. And then eventaully the weight becomes too much ...

The stage is set. ......... 

It is up too us , the tradesman , us contractors to get them covered or removed. Before the play - plays out. 

Are clients need to wake up and understand that at this point ,it is time. Another moment may be the last.  

Anthony Ford

ExtraPrep Pro Painting LLC 

Http://www.extrapreppro.com 

(859-815-0652