Vermiculite ceilings

[sunnywan]

I have a 70's apartment with the old vermiculite ceilings (sprayed concrete).

I've looked into using plasterboard, but its quite expensive to do the whole unit. Therefore I'm interested in simply painting the stuff white! However I've heard that it just sucks the paint!

Does anyone have any suggestions on how best to paint this stuff?

 

[Michael Croft]

Hi sunnywan,

Not only does it suck paint but if you use a roller the vermiculite dislodges and is very messy. The only way to do it that I know of is to spray it. It's still a messy job probably best suited to a vacant place and full reno.

If not it involves taping dropsheets to all walls and placing them on floors. Hiring a pro machine is the way to go if your hands on or paying a pro if hands off.

Good luck,

Michael Croft

 

[XBenX]

I havent seen the stuff painted before - if someone can offer a desciption of the benefits/looks of having it painted or even some pics - if you have any.

I would think it just brightens/opens up the room but I would love to know how much effect it actually has

 

[brains]

My mate ( a painter from Bundeena) has done a couple of these. You need an airless spray gun which can be hired, and an empty flat and about 3-5 coats on the vermiculite till it stops soaking it up.

Alternatively, you can scrape it off (what a fun weekend) and either plaster it or use textured paint cause the ceiling is usually pretty rough from the original formwork, which is why they vermiculite it to start with.

Or if your really keen you could batten the ceiling and gyprock and cornice it.

Good luck.

 

[Jas]

Lowering the ceilings isn't an easy job (as was hinted) and can result you owning a dwelling for midgets.

Jas

 

[sunnywan]

Originally posted by XBenX
I havent seen the stuff painted before - if someone can offer a desciption of the benefits/looks of having it painted or even some pics - if you have any.

I would think it just brightens/opens up the room but I would love to know how much effect it actually has

I don't have any pictures - but I saw one in the weekend. It looked really nice. Vermiculite ceilings make the room look dull and old, and makes it hard for you to "add value" through new light fittings, etc, as the focus is still the grey ceiling.

I was surprised when I saw it sprayed as it made the unit look quite modern.

I've done gyprocking the ceiling in another unit, but it was very expensive (~$5k). I'm looking for cheapers alternatives for my other unit. Was at Bunnings this evening and one of the guys there was telling me to mix this stuff into the paint, to help it being absorbed so quickly into the ceilings.

 

[XBenX]

ok - I wont put the spray gun in storage.

another thing for me to get out of the endless boxes - where did all this junk come from ?

Ill let you know how it goes (when i get around to doing it)

 

[Ace in the Hole]

I did my parents unit ceilings with gyprock, got a friend to do most and put in new downlights, it makes so much difference.
Wasn't 5k, more like 3k if that.

I did paint 1 room with a roller a year before, left me with a sore neck and it sure soaks up the paint. Don't use a roller as mentioned.

Regards

Adrian See

 

[Alex Investor]

We had one of these ceilings in our unit and it was old and grey and basically ugly.

Both my wife and I decided to paint it, we purchased the paint and tried to paint it ourselves. After about 4 hours and only the first corner being done we decided to hire a pro to do it for us.

The person we used charged us a $150.00 for the whole ceiling, we did not complain about the price. It looks quite nice.

Our little unit took about 40 liters of paint!!

 

[sunnywan]

Originally posted by adrian_see

I did paint 1 room with a roller a year before, left me with a sore neck and it sure soaks up the paint. Don't use a roller as mentioned.

I spoke to my painter today, who says that he usually uses a roller to do these types of ceilings, as opposed to a spray gun. His logic was that spraying would be easier, but if any loose concrete falls off afterwards, you're left with gray patches. He said that using a roller helps dislodge any loose/weak parts of the ceiling, leaving a solid ceiling.

Also the trick to not letting the ceiling soak up too much paint is:

1. Use a very thick roller
2. Do two coats only

Where people use too much paint, is usually when they try to make one part look equal to another part of the ceiling. The things just gets into a mess then, as you end up roller the ceiling about 20 times!

 

[WillG]

Hi Sunny,

I haven't done this sort of thing before but have found that a lot of primers tend to help reduce absorbtion on a lot of surfaces.

Mixing a bit of Bondcrete in with your paint may also help 'bond' the particles together and stop them flaking off.

 

[Highlygeared]

We had one of these ceilings in our unit and it was old and grey and basically ugly.

Both my wife and I decided to paint it, we purchased the paint and tried to paint it ourselves. After about 4 hours and only the first corner being done we decided to hire a pro to do it for us.

The person we used charged us a $150.00 for the whole ceiling, we did not complain about the price. It looks quite nice.

Our little unit took about 40 liters of paint!!

Hi

this is a very old post but wondering if you have the contact details of the person who sprayed your vermiculite ceiling for you. Seems a pretty good price.

Regards

 

[Sunfish]

Would mixing Aquadhere tm into the primer help keep the particles in place and reduce absorption? You might need quite a bit.

A painter once told me it is quite helpful for us amateurs.

 

[craigb]

yes it is ok to use a roller, but use sealer under coat first, using a 20mm pile roller, and sealer unercoat, apply two coates and give it a day or so to go off, then the same with your ceiling paint, it is a nasty messy job , but once done its done! so get to it!!

 

[Simoncho]

Who did your ceiling??

Hi Alex,

I've got a vermiculite ceiling that needs painting. Could you please tell me who did yours for $150?

Thanks,

Simon

We had one of these ceilings in our unit and it was old and grey and basically ugly.

Both my wife and I decided to paint it, we purchased the paint and tried to paint it ourselves. After about 4 hours and only the first corner being done we decided to hire a pro to do it for us.

The person we used charged us a $150.00 for the whole ceiling, we did not complain about the price. It looks quite nice.

Our little unit took about 40 liters of paint!!

 

[boods99]

Just make sure that whatever you do to the vermiculite, that you dont remove it as in most cases it is put there to fire rate the ceiling. It gives fire separation between floors of apartment buildings. Also be careful as some of the older stuff contained asbestos...

Boods

 

[Agenda]

I got my vermiculite ceiling done six years ago by a professional guy based on the Central Coast (NSW) - 100sqm for about $1600, it was the best thing we did and still looks fantastic all these years later. The unit does have to be empty then they cover all the walls and floor in plastic and spray it on - took all day and about 5 coats.

I recently contacted him about another unit and he is still in business (can you put business name and phone numbers on this site).

Well worth doing..

 

[australiana]

Think twice before replacing vermiculite ceiling

I know there is a lot not to like about these ceilings but they do have some positives. They have good insulation properties (thermal and especially sound). They are also part of the 'sixties character' of the unit.

I would recommend painting - it is a fairly easy DIY job. Brush it down lightly, finger in roughly any scrapes with spakfilla and then rollerpaint (thick nap roller) with Durobond's speciality vermiculite recoat paint. This paint seals and binds the lose vermiculite very well and does not soak up as enormously as ordinary paint would.

I used 4 coats and while the ceiling is not as white as the walls (it is slightly beige-ish looking) it is a vast improvement - looks good and the room is considerably brightened. Using the right paint is critical - ordinary paint would soak in so much it would leave a crackly effect on the surface and would not bind the vermiculite as well as the Durobond stuff.

 

[nww]

I think most of the problem is the colour which is normally a light brown
which some look very dirty looking.
Have seen a number recently painted white in a unit block I have and
they have all been done by roller, very long haired roller and the end result
is a fresh looking place, much nicer than the original.

If its just going to be a rental I would just have painted but if it was
something I had to live in it would be the first thing I would replace.

Not sure how the cornice is done as it does curve so a false ceiling may
have to come down further to cover the bottom of the old sprayed cornice
if you want a modern square set but if you use a standard cornice on gyprock
you should be ok only losing a small area.

One advantage of the false ceiling would be great opportunity to add
energy LED down lights and the extra insulation for noise suppressant.

 

[Nathan]

Spray the roof with a water/bondcrete mix takes 5 mins.

Spray roof with two coats of white (10 mins each coat)

Vermiculite gone!

Oh also it looks 1000 times better painted.

I used a roller once and it took 3 days and 70 litres of paint for a 2 bed unit, spray + bondcrete wouldnt take more than 10 litres.