Thread: Ceiling Battens?

Rondo makes the metal channels, or furring strips. The common one is product number 129, space these at 600mm and fasten them to the bottom chords at about 1200 to 1350mm spacings. Use Rondo P18 plasterer's angle to run around the perimeter of the room. Use a laser level to level the channels and angle for a really shmick solution.

As already suggested all plastering companies make a 10mm plasterboard that can span 600mm in ceiling applications. Supa-ceil (CSR Gyprock), Span 600 (la Farge) and UniSpan (Boral) are some examples. Use a sheet lifter, often the plasterboard place will lend you one for a few days so don't pay Kennards or Bunnings if you don't have to, they cost about $80 per day. Use glue with one screw in the centre. ie SAASAAS from side to side where S=screw and A=adhesive. If you have butt joints then blackblock these with a plasterboard off cut. See the CSR website for more details and installation instructions.

Cheers
Pulse

For butt joins, Rondo make small sections of furring channel with a camber in them. When these are screwed into place they pull a hollow into the butt join which allows them to be flushed without a "bump". I've never seen any ceilings without battens, most trusses here are at 900 crs (sheet roofing).

Mick

Originally Posted by journeyman Mick

For butt joins, Rondo make small sections of furring channel with a camber in them. When these are screwed into place they pull a hollow into the butt join which allows them to be flushed without a "bump". I've never seen any ceilings without battens, most trusses here are at 900 crs (sheet roofing).

Mick

Not much sheet roofing down here, so we generally have 450 and 600mm spacing just like John 99 has in his photos.

I'll keep that butt join furring channel in mind when doing my next long run.

I like the Rondo suggestion but it is just too expensive for most jobs. Running the angle around the perimetre of the room is a good idea, but I would only do it if I was square setting the edge.

It sounds like Pulse has commercial fitout experience.

From the pictures John 99 posted it looks like he needs to worry more about the quality of his joins rather than the level of the bottom chords. After all this is what most people will see.

I must agree with Pulse

But if you want to be pedantic and have a visually perfect ceiling - laser level a rondo type suspended ceiling system; where you run hanging rod from higher points in the apex of the roof with adjustable suspension clips clipped to a top cross rail then furring channels running at right angles to that, then sheet with plasterboard and just to make it interesting run Rondo P50 shadoline stopping beads around all wall/ceiling junctions instead of cornice, have a plasterer apply a level 5 Finish (generally sponged and polished instead of sanded) you'll pretty much be happy...

Then you just have to check if your floor is level

PS - just make sure you don't have any glancing light on the ceiling - everyone knows that will make the joins show up more

http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/22/pid/88.htm

Given that the battens should be 450 centres for 10mmm plaster ceilings, the important question is: how far in from the wall/top plate is the first batten? I have assumed that it would be maybe 50 - 100mm, which would then allow the sheet edge fixing to be covered by the cornice? Thanks. Ciao Pedro53

I have never used battens on roof trusses and neither do any of the project home builders.

Not exactly a recommendation of the practice in my opinion. It's not like they're interested in doing the best job, now are they? Project home builders are probably your bread and butter

We battened the ceilings in our place. Didn't add hugely to the cost. The trusses change directions all over the place and there are a few spans that are getting a bit wide for 10mm plaster. We just noggined out accordingly and ran all the battens the same direction over the tops of the internal walls. Yes it makes the plasterer's job easier but when you are paying by the hour, making their job easier is a good thing. Nice long recessed joins and alternating butt joins. Easy to finish. Wouldn't consider doing it any other way.

Most places down here that I have seen being built are battened, but then there are very few McMansion project homes here.

Hi. First post on this forum....

Just wanted to know if there was any 'special glue devices' and any 'particular glue' that I would have to use to install the plasterboards to the battens. Also, do I have to apply the glue throughout the whole length of the batten?

read the installation manual from the manufacturer, use acrylic stud adhesive daubs the size of walnuts - not co-inciding with fixings

Cheers
Pulse

Man I don't know where to start with this one! An old post dug up from the past!! BTW Kyaw19 it is perhaps better to start a new thread for your question in future.

So many areas of good advice and bad in this thread! So I will add my bit seeing it will be re-read again.


Never change the direction of the plasterboard in a room. Nog out the change in direction either for fixing plaster board 600 (asuming ceiling board) centers or battens 900 centers for nail up metal battens or 1200 centers for furring channel. Then run all the sheets one way to eliminate butt joins where ever possible.

You don't need a full suspended ceiling system to get a flat ceiling. Battens on clips will do the job. How you go about it depends on if you have a laser level or not. If not flick a chaulk line around the perimeter to straighten along the cornice line. Put up the outside battens to this line then flick a line across the top of the clip from one side to the other. Put all the clips up to this line.

Double screw the center of the board helps eliminate pop nails.

Always run sheets 90 degrees to framing members regardless of the sheet thickness. BTW most brands of 10mm ceiling board have betters sag resistance than 13mm board.

Use battens only if you need to straighten the ceiling if the trusses are ok save your money! No other benefit in battens.

1st batten about 20mm off the wall then screws will be covered by cornice or square set.

The most important area to have dead level is the perimeter.

This whole scenario is not difficult. Each project must be considered individually as to the need for battens or not, and or the method of installation.

The common factors are:

If you need to drop the ceiling to cover steel work etc. Use battens with clips, (up to 120mm drop) If the drop is more use suspended ceiling.

If you need to staighten a ceiling use battens with clips.

If your trusses are straight but you want to batten anyway just screw to the bottom of the truss.

If you use standard plaster board batten at 450 centers.

If you use ceiling board batten at 600 centers.

If your trusses are 600 or 900 centers use metal nail up battens.

If your trusses are 1200 then use furring channel.

If you fix plasterboard direct to the truss nog hips at 600 centers. Nog the hip so the board will be the shorter length.

If you use a metal batten nog hips at 900 centers again work it so the sheet is the shortest length.

If you use furring channel then nog the hips at 1200 centers.

Fix plasterboard according to manufactures instructions. Minimze butt joins.

Phew!

Cheers Rod

Thanks for the advice.

Are they any problems associated with the glue application for installing plasterboard to batten that you guys have experienced such as quick drying of glue, labour intensive etc......

Just use standard Stud Adhesive.

I guess any thing like liquid nails etc. will work ok, but most other options are far more expensive due to the quantity you need to put on.

When glueing plasterboard it is essenstial that the glue daubs sit very proud of the framing so when the board is press against the glue is spreads out.

If you only wipe the glue onto the stud or if you just use a narrow bead, like that produced by a caulking gun, you run the risk of the glue not being adhered to the back of the sheet.

This will result in drummy walls or saging ceilings.

Glue can develope a thin skin very quickly, if the daubs a large enough this skin is broken and you will get good adheasion. With flattish daubs the thin skin won't be broken and as a result the glue is useless.

Application straight out of the tub with a 2" or 3" scraper is the best.

Cheers Rod

I'd like to be rude and hijack the thread to ask my own question about this rondo stuff. I'm just lining a downstairs room to make another bdrm and the timber floor joists were very up and down and their height was only just over the 2430mm so I could not run the battens at right angles to the joists or the ceiling would have been below height. I used 50x38 rough pine battens screwed along the joists to give me a flat surface, but there's a bit of work in getting these battens trued up. So is there a steel product that can be used as a substitute for this exact application?

Cheers
Michael

Yes Michael,

You could use 16mm furring channels. Pt. No 308 (Rondo), they can be put on with a side mounted clip Pt. No 226. Or pt no. 301 nail up battens also 16mm clip part no is 304. The furring channel can have clips at 1200 centers and the nail up battens at 900 centers.

With the 10mm plasterboard this should keep you average height over 2.4.

If you really had to screw something to the side as you proposed with the battens. You could use a 40mm metal plate as used to construct a metal stud wall. These will be much straighter than timber battens. Obviously doing it this way will be harder to straighten than battens on clips.

Cheers.

I have two stories. The first floor is supported by metal Z-section joists spaced as 600. I was going to glue and screw the ground floor ceiling directly to these but a plasterer I spoke to said it would be too hard to screw into these (the screw would pull through the plaster he said). He suggested I batten the lot.

Any experience fixing to thick metal (1.9mm I think)?

If I batten across the joists how should I support the ends of the battens near interior walls (where they are not close to joists)?

How far from the wall should I put the first and last batten?

Cheers,
Ian