Water can damage and ruin just about anything, even your ceiling and its respective plaster. When this happens, you can bet your bottom dollar that this poses a serious threat not only to your safety but also to your building’s security and all the belongings in it.
While water damage can take some time to manifest in some cases, there will almost always be visual signs that show these damages over time. From brown stains to bubbling exteriors to flaking surfaces, these can all point to something graver.
Taking immediate action before your building and your belongings are completely affected is imperative to avoid further damage. We’ll walk you through how to repair your water-damaged ceiling plaster here, so be sure to read on.
Table of Contents
Causes of Water Damage
There are various reasons why your ceiling plaster may be damaged by water. Get to know some of these so that you can familiarize yourself with where the water is coming from.
- Damaged Roof – One of the most common causes of water damage to your ceiling’s plaster is a damaged roof. This can be particularly found in older buildings or establishments, especially when there are severe or harsh weather conditions such as heavy rainfall or snowfall.
- Faulty Plumbing – Another common cause of water damage to your ceiling is plumbing issues inside the building. These can stem from kitchens or bathrooms, such as old pipes, rusty drains, and the like.
- Clogged Gutters – Over time, your building gutters can become filled with twigs, leaves, dust, dirt, and other elements. This leads for your property to function less than ideal, especially when gutters are clogged and it can direct water to go elsewhere, leading it to seep through the ceiling, walls, and surrounding areas.
What You Should Do When Your Ceiling Plaster is Damaged
- Secure and remove your belongings – If the water-damaged ceiling plaster hasn’t spread everywhere else, you should move your belongings and other precious items away from the affected areas. This way, the liquid won’t ruin your gadgets, appliances, and other supplies and belongings in the building.
- Check the damage – Once you have moved your items away from the affected area, take the time to check the source of the water damage to your ceiling, and by extension, how much damage it has caused.
- Prepare the area you intend to repair – Now that you have a better grasp of what the situation entails, you can now proceed to prep the area in question. Protect all of your floors with a plastic cover or some newspaper, get enough ventilation in your space, and gather the materials you’ll need to repair the plaster ceiling.
Walking You Through the Repair Process
Plaster may seem a bit like drywall, but there are stark differences between the two. While plaster can be durable, it can crumble away and deteriorate when it gets wet. This is why it’s important to learn how to fix this, especially when you don’t want to encounter any more problems in the future.
For those who are wondering how to take care of their ceiling’s damaged plaster, here are some steps you can follow.
What You’ll Need for the Job:
- Drywall or plaster
- Sandpaper
- Primer and or sealer
- Putty or joint knife
- Joint compound
- Paint
- Paintbrush
- Towels, fans, and or heaters to dry the plaster ceiling
- Eye protection
Get to the Root of the Problem
This means that you need to stop the cause of the water damage. Whether it’s a clogged drain or gutter, a burst pipe, or whatnot, you need to ensure that the water source or cause has been taken care of. Doing so prevents water from seeping in again and further damaging more of your plaster ceiling.
Secure the Area
For major water damage on your plaster ceiling, it’s best to secure the ceiling or the area around using drywall screws and plaster washers to the lathe.
While this may be an added step, this is worth doing to prevent the weight of your ceiling from affecting your repair, avoiding further damages to your building and its existing structure and your belongings.
Dry it Up
Wait for the plaster to dry up before doing anything else. You can help speed up the drying process by manually drying it up with a towel, a heater, a fan, and the like.
Patch the Affected Area
After the affected area has been thoroughly dried off, start by scraping all of the damaged plaster. Then, start by coating the stains or the area with some primer and or sealer. This prevents air bubbles and other compounds from affecting the surface. Allow this to completely dry.
Apply Joint Compound
Once the primer has dried, applying a joint compound is the next logical step. Make sure to cover the cracks, gaps, and other prominent damaged areas. Use a flexible joint knife to move the application and make it easier. Wait for the first layer of joint compound to harden and settle for at least eight hours.
Apply two more rounds of joint compound over the same spots or area, making sure that you get an even coating to make the patch blend seamlessly with the plaster ceiling later on. Let this dry as well.
Clean Up the Job
After the joint compound has completely dried up, sand it and wipe away the dust, taking great care that it is smooth to the touch. Place another layer of primer. Paint over your repair job and this will be good as new.
The Bottom Line
Repairing your building’s damaged plaster ceiling requires some patience and time. Thankfully, these steps will guide you through the whole process.
If you do need any help in making these repairs, particularly major ones, please give professionals in the field a call. Through their skills and expertise, having these experts in the building will ensure a more thorough and secure job that will give you the peace of mind that you need and more.
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