Repairing classic furnitureRepairing classic furniture

Plastered ceiling can get damaged from water leaks or fair wear and tear which can be very discouraging when damaged. Good news, there is always a way out.The two options open are to get a professional contractor or repair it yourself

Ceiling damage is more often than not small holes or mouldy patches due to water leaks or normal wear and tear from ageing. Here are some DIY tips on how to repair it yourself:

1. Locate the damage.

Water leaks from above are usually visible as they leave patches on the ceiling which look greenish or mouldy. Hence locating the place should not be hard. For plastered roof, though sometimes it might not be too visible, you can know the exact place during the rainy season when you stumble onto a mysterious pool or feel drops of rain water on your head…inside the house.

The importance of finding the source of the leak first and fast is because it can spread anytime thereby causing more damage with every passing moment.

Where there is a mould growing on the ceiling, it is better involve a professional because such mould can be toxic unless it is in small amount.

*Safety Measures

Get work clothes on, a pair of goggles to avoid contact of debris and splinters with eyes , a dust mask for the nose and you can spread some rags or newspaper on the floor to make cleaning easier.

2. Assess damage.

This is so as to know the amount of things to use for the repair and how much damage there actually is. Get a claw hammer, wrecking bar or any other convenient tool to gently pry away the damaged area, after checking to see if it crumbles on touch.

In case the panels are not completely spent, just water stains, you can cut the area with a saw. Make a square or rectangular cuts through the ceiling so you can patch it up easily with another piece of drywall.

3. You can now repair.

First measure the cut up area with a tape. The piece of drywall to be measured should be both two inches longer and wider. Measure an inch of all four sides and raise it with a paper beneath and a gypsum paper on top then cut the one inch off and peel away the backside paper.

Apply a thin layer of compound into the hole and fix the cut out patch in. Let it air dry, sand the edges with a sand paper and then apply some more compound to finish off using a putty knife. Let the joint compound dry again before applying the third layer, it is advisable to apply three layers to build up the patch. There will be sticks and strings hanging around the patched area, remove them only after the compound is dry and sand it one more time to make your work fine.  

For more information, contact a ceiling repair professional.