How to Fix Water Damaged Plaster Ceiling
Plaster shows water damage fairly easily. Not only does this look terrible, but it can weaken the plaster and cause major problems. If you have a leak in your roof or a leaky bathroom pipe upstairs, you want to check for water damage to the plaster ceiling and correct it sooner rather than later.
Water damage can occur to a plaster ceiling for any number of reasons. Before you repair the water damage you need to find where the water is coming in from and fix that. Once that's done you can fix the plaster so further damage won't be an issue.
What You'll Need:
- Scraper
- Knife
- Screwdriver
- Hammer
- Drywall screws
- Drywall repair kit and mesh patch
- Joint compound
- Sponge
- Use the scraper to pull the damaged drywall down. When plaster gets wet it will crumble. You need to remove this before you can begin any repairs.
- Cut a square around the damaged area. You can use a utility knife for this. The square should extend beyond the actual damage by at least an inch.
- Press the ceiling around the square. This is how you'll check for damage in areas you may not see. You also need to make sure it's attached to the joists. If you feel any movement you'll need to secure this with the drywall screws. Failing to do so will cause the new plaster patch to sag.
- Cut a piece of drywall to fit the hole you created earlier. Larger damage will require you to use the mesh patches. If the hole is more than 5-6 inches around then go ahead and plan on using the mesh.
- Use the tape included in the repair kit to place the patch in place.
- Apply joint compound over any gaps or cracks. You may need to move the patch around so it fits securely at this point.
- Allow the patch to dry overnight. You'll want to go back when it's dry and apply more joint compound.
- Wait overnight again. Sand the area so the patch is even with the rest of the ceiling. Prime and paint the patch to match the rest of the ceiling.