We have a cold flat roof with a 1970s-style suspended office ceiling made of a metal grid frame and mineral fibre ceiling tiles. the ceiling has rock wool insualtion above it and still in good condition, with the original vapour control plastic layer and has clear roof vents all around the soffits. I want to remove the old office-style ceiling as it doesn’t look great. Can we remove the grid and tiles completely and fix plasterboard directly to the wooden joists before plastering? Or would you recommend a better alternative?

Edited October 30, 2025Oct 30 by Atlas1111
correct wording

8 hours ago, Atlas1111 said:

We have a cold flat roof with a 1970s-style suspended office ceiling made of a metal grid frame and mineral fibre ceiling tiles. the ceiling has rock wool insualtion above it and still in good condition, with the original vapour control plastic layer and has clear roof vents all around the soffits. I want to remove the old office-style ceiling as it doesn’t look great. Can we remove the grid and tiles completely and fix plasterboard directly to the wooden joists before plastering? Or would you recommend a better alternative?

Have a word with @Pocster as he has a grid tiled ceiling and says modern tiles look nicer than the old ones and might be able to suggest new tiles that don’t look as bad. 

12 hours ago, Atlas1111 said:

We have a cold flat roof with a 1970s-style suspended office ceiling made of a metal grid frame and mineral fibre ceiling tiles. the ceiling has rock wool insualtion above it and still in good condition, with the original vapour control plastic layer and has clear roof vents all around the soffits. I want to remove the old office-style ceiling as it doesn’t look great. Can we remove the grid and tiles completely and fix plasterboard directly to the wooden joists before plastering? Or would you recommend a better alternative?

I know what you mean “ Swindon office “ look . It doesn’t have to look like that . It is subjective of course .