Repair Plasterboard Ceiling From Water Damage

Fixing a water damaged plaster ceiling.

Repair plasterboard ceiling from water damage.

Older lath and plaster ceilings stand up to water damage reasonably well and even a crack up to 1 4 inch can be repaired. Prevent the water from pooling and spreading by punching a small hole through the ceiling s surface with a nail or an ice pick and allowing the pooled water to drain into the bucket. The plaster magic is a permanent fix that does not need to redone again. Fixing a water damaged plaster ceiling can be a little more involved than fixing a drywall ceiling.

Check the bottom of the page for a video of this repair process. Repairing water damage on a plaster ceiling. If the damage is confined to the paint coat this is good news because it s a much easier repair than the alternative which involves removing the affected gypsum board and replacing it with a new piece. The adhesive will permanently rebuild the bond between the plaster and the lath.

If you re a little handy and enjoy diy projects it s definitely possible for a ceiling leak repair for minor water damage to a plaster ceiling yourself. While plaster ceiling are more resilient to water leaks compared to drywall they are not impervious to its. Generally there will be visual markings often a light yellow to brown stains on the surface of the. If you can repair the roof to stop the leak do so immediately if diy repairs are beyond your realm call a roof repair contractor.

If you have more severe plaster damage with wall material falling off the lath use the process at this link to make repairs. You should start by letting the ceiling dry completely and then use a putty knife or similar tool to scrape off all the damaged material. The repair process on this page can be used to repair water damage to the surface layers of plaster walls and ceilings. In general it s best to repair a water stained ceiling when possible.

Plaster is held in place by wood lath thin strips of wood backing the plaster and you should be able to attach a drywall patch to it if necessary. Gypsum drywall that has been damaged by water should be replaced even if it has dried completely. Not only is replacing a section of ceiling messy and time consuming it s also difficult to match the new section with the rest. A major water leak on a drywall ceiling can cause the paint coat to swell and blister to the point it looks like the wallboard has warped.