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Collapsed ceiling fix: Overboarding vs crosslining

John Conlin / 21 February 2017

When dealing with a small section of collapsed ceiling, is overboarding or crosslining better?

A collapsed area of ceiling

Question

Part of my ceiling, about the size of a tea tray, collapsed exposing narrow strips of wood showing. 

A builder has given me two prices, one for overboarding, the other for patching and crosslining. 

What do these involve and which would be best?

12 tips to help you avoid cowboy builders

Answer

The “little strips of wood” you mention indicate that your ceiling is old style plaster and lath. 

Overboarding means fixing a layer of plasterboard to the entire ceiling by screwing it through to the joists. 

Crosslining involves patching the hole and then papering the entire ceiling, like wallpapering, but applying two layers of plain paper at right angles to each other as reinforcement. 

Overboarding is a more permanent repair as your ceiling may be generally weak.

How to find a reliable builder

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The opinions expressed are those of the author and are not held by Saga unless specifically stated.

The material is for general information only and does not constitute investment, tax, legal, medical or other form of advice. You should not rely on this information to make (or refrain from making) any decisions. Always obtain independent, professional advice for your own particular situation.

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John Conlin

Chartered surveyor John Conlin sorts out your legal and building woes.