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Plaster Ceiling Repair Experts in New York
Plaster ceiling repair is not typically a job for homeowners to manage on their own, and especially if that ceiling is showing large cracks, an uneven surface, or watermarks. Small cracks in plaster may be patched over and then repainted or refinished to hide the repair job, but more extensive areas of damage need more than just patching with fresh stucco.
If plaster has absorbed water over the years, it may start to soften and then sag or bulge. This sagging is not just unsightly, but it means that the plaster has pulled away from the strata, or the framework of the building. Fixing a plaster ceiling in this case involves more than just sanding down that sagging area and covering it over, but the foundation of the original stucco needs to be replaced so that the new plaster adheres properly.
Trust the experts at Brooklyn Plaster Restoration to handle your plaster repair needs. After all, we have 38 years of experience doing this! Contact us today.
How to Repair Water Damaged Ceiling Plaster
Repairing plaster walls and ceilings should always start with a check for mold damage behind the surface of the stucco. Plaster itself doesn’t offer a food source for mold to grow, but if your home’s stucco is water damaged, the wall studs and beams behind it may be holding water, which often leads to mold growth.
When fixing a plaster ceiling that has started to bubble, the original layers of stucco may need to be cut out and then replaced with new plaster. Very deep cracks in plaster may be filled with gypsum or another patching compound. A fresh coat of paint across the entire plaster ceiling will then mask the repair job, and your ceiling looks new again.
Does Repairing Plaster Walls and Ceilings Ruin Their Vintage Look?
Plaster can be repaired without damaging the vintage or prewar look that is so popular with Brooklyn area homes. It’s vital to use the right mixture of stucco materials so that fresh plaster has the same whitewashed appearance as older or original vintage plaster, and the fresh plaster may need to be skim coated so that the repair blends seamlessly with vintage or antique plaster. With the right tools, patching materials, and techniques, your plaster repair should then be invisible, and your walls and ceilings will retain their prewar, vintage charm.
Is Plaster Moulding Repair Worth the Investment?
Plaster moulding repair is worth the investment of those repair costs! Pulling 
down damaged plaster moulding and then replacing it with wood trim or a laminate piece can detract from a home’s vintage look and charm. Plaster has been used for centuries for moulding, cornices, friezes, and other such decorative pieces, so trying to replace this plaster with newer wood, laminate, or tile can mean detracting from the authentic look and charm of prewar buildings.
Wood may also be more prone to mold growth and pest infestation, as it provides a food source for mold and termites, and rodents may find wood easier to chew through. Plaster moulding repair can then keep your home in good condition while also keeping it looking its best.
How Do You Repair Cracked Plaster Walls?
As with a plaster ceiling, you repair cracked plaster walls with a check for potential mold growth before you address the plaster itself. Pulling out sections of damaged plaster walls can be a big job, as plaster is applied in several layers.
Instead of replacing the material, repairing plaster walls and ceilings that are not sagging may start with joint compound that is added to cracks and blisters in the plaster. The patching compound is feathered so that it’s spread past the cracked area. Tape is then applied, to cover the appearance of the mixture.
This material needs to dry completely, and then a second layer of patching compound is often added and is feathered beyond the first area. In some cases, a third layer is even added, with additional feathering. These layers of fresh stucco, feathered outward and past the area of damage, keep the original plaster strong so that cracks don’t spread.
If repairing plaster walls and plaster ceiling repairs both sound like a big job, they are! To ensure the structural integrity of your home’s plaster is preserved as it’s repaired, and to keep the authentic vintage charm of your prewar Brooklyn neighborhood home, leave this work to professionals. We bring over 38 years of experience and authentic European craftsmanship to every plaster repair job we manage, so your home’s walls, ceilings, and decorative mouldings are secure and are as beautiful as the day they were installed.