Kitchen Extension Ceiling Replacement & Wall Skimming by a Plasterer in Brent

This project took place in a period property in Brent, NW10, within a rear kitchen extension featuring a large, multi-pane glass lantern roof with a ceiling fan unit mounted centrally. The kitchen itself retained traditional wooden cabinetry with glazed panel doors, suggesting an older extension that had seen heavy use over the years. The angled ceiling area surrounding the glass lantern was the primary focus of the plastering works, requiring full removal of the failed ceiling and complete re-boarding before any skim coat could be applied to the surrounding walls.

The third image clearly shows the ceiling in its stripped-back state, with exposed timber joists and Celotex insulation board visible between them. The old ceiling finish had been fully removed, leaving bare structural timbers and sections of foil-backed insulation. There was clear evidence that the previous ceiling had either failed due to age, moisture ingress around the lantern roof junction, or a combination of both. The angled transition zones where the pitched ceiling meets the vertical walls showed exposed timber noggins and remnants of old board fixings. The kitchen units and worktops were fully sheeted in protective polythene prior to works commencing, confirming the extent of overhead work required.

The scope of work covered the full replacement of the kitchen extension ceiling, including boarding the angled ceiling sections that frame the central glass lantern roof. New 12.5mm tapered-edge plasterboard was fixed directly to the exposed timber joists across the flat and angled ceiling planes. The boards were cut to accommodate the glass lantern frame and ceiling fan mounting box, ensuring clean edges around the existing structural frame. Once boarding was complete, all board joints received jointing tape and were filled flush before the skim coat was applied. The surrounding walls — visible in images one and two showing the dark-painted finish — also received a fresh skim coat to bring them in line with the newly boarded ceiling. Kitchen units, appliances, and the sink were all protected with heavy-duty polythene sheeting secured with masking tape. The fan unit was carefully isolated and worked around, with the mounting area boarded up to the existing bracket without disturbing the electrical connection. The overall scope was completed in a logical sequence: strip inspection, boarding, jointing, drying, then skim — ensuring no stages overlapped and moisture levels were checked before each coat.

Before any new plasterboard was fixed, the exposed joists were checked for level using a laser level, and any proud timbers were planed back to create a consistent fixing plane. Celotex insulation between the joists was inspected and any displaced sections were re-seated and secured. All kitchen surfaces — including countertops, the sink, cabinetry, and appliances — were covered with heavy polythene sheeting and taped at the edges to prevent plaster dust and debris contamination. The existing wall surfaces were checked for adhesion prior to skimming, with loose or flaking paint areas abraded back. A diluted PVA bonding solution was applied to the wall surfaces to reduce suction and improve skim coat adhesion before any multi-finish was mixed.

With the joists exposed and level-checked, sheets of 12.5mm tapered-edge plasterboard were cut to size and fixed to the timber framework using drywall screws at 150mm centres along each joist, ensuring each board edge landed on a joist for a firm fixing. The angled ceiling sections stepping down from the lantern frame required boards to be cut at matching angles, with each cut edge checked against the lantern's aluminium frame before fixing. All board joints were reinforced with paper jointing tape bedded into a thin coat of Thistle BoardFinish, and screw heads were spotted over and allowed to fully dry. Once the ceiling boards were set and dry, the entire ceiling surface received a two-coat skim of British Gypsum Thistle Multi-Finish — a scratch coat worked into the board surface, followed by a finishing coat brought up tightly and laid off with a clean steel trowel. The wall skimming was carried out after the ceiling had dried, with each wall receiving a PVA wash first and then two coats of multi-finish applied, working from top to bottom. The ceiling fan mounting area was masked off and left ready for the electrician to reconnect. Throughout the process, moisture readings were taken at each stage to confirm drying before proceeding.

The primary challenge on this project was the angled ceiling geometry created by the stepped transition zones between the flat ceiling panels and the glass lantern frame. Each board had to be individually cut and test-fitted to the correct angle before fixing, as no two sections were identical due to the octagonal or multi-sided lantern design. Working overhead on a sloped surface while maintaining board alignment and screw spacing was physically demanding. A secondary challenge was protecting the fitted kitchen below — the ceiling fan, pendant mount, and existing cabinetry all required careful masking to prevent plaster contamination, and the proximity of the sink to the work area required extra care to avoid any water damage to fresh plasterwork.

Each angled ceiling section was templated individually using card offcuts before transferring measurements to the plasterboard sheets, eliminating the risk of mis-cuts and wasted material. Boards were offered up in pairs by two plasterers working simultaneously — one holding and guiding, one fixing — to maintain safe control overhead. The glass lantern frame was used as a consistent reference point throughout boarding. For the kitchen protection, all polythene sheeting was double-layered directly beneath active work zones, and the sink area received an additional rigid board cover. The fan unit was bagged separately and clearly marked to avoid any accidental contact. These measures allowed the boarding and skimming to proceed without damage to any existing fixtures.

Images one and two show the ceiling following boarding and during the wall skimming stage. The newly fixed plasterboard panels sit flush and flat around the glass lantern frame, with no visible board steps or joint lines at this stage of work. The surrounding walls have been skimmed and the fresh multi-finish coat is visible in a uniform mid-tone, indicating even coverage and consistent thickness across the wall plane. The transition between the skimmed walls and the lantern frame perimeter is clean and straight. The kitchen units below remained fully protected and undamaged throughout. Once fully dried and decorated, the space would present a consistent, flat surface across both the ceiling and surrounding walls, ready for paint.

The client in Brent NW10 now has a fully re-boarded and skimmed kitchen extension ceiling that sits cleanly around the glass lantern frame without visible joints or steps. The walls have been brought back to a flat, paint-ready surface that matches the ceiling standard. The kitchen units and appliances were returned to use without any plaster contamination or damage. The client can now proceed directly to the decoration stage without any further preparation work needed, saving time and cost on the overall kitchen renovation programme.

Ceiling replacement in a kitchen extension with a glass lantern roof is not a straightforward boarding job. The angled geometry, combined with the need to work around a structural glazed frame, ceiling fan, and fitted kitchen units, requires accurate measurement, confident overhead fixing technique, and the knowledge to sequence drying stages correctly. Applying a skim coat to plasterboard before it has fully dried, or failing to tape joints properly, will result in cracking at board seams within months. An experienced plasterer in Brent will also understand how to manage suction on new boards and how temperature variation in a glass-roofed kitchen extension affects drying time — both critical factors in achieving a flat, long-lasting finish.