Expert Water Damage Repair in Brooklyn

If a plaster ceiling only has a minor, hairline crack, you might be able to fill this in yourself. First, widen the crack with a small chisel. Use a medium bristle brush to clean out the cracked area, and then dampen the crevice with a wet sponge. Before the plastered area can dry, use a putty knife to apply joint compound to the crack.

Be sure skim coat the surface of the repaired area, using the flat edge of your knife to smooth down the joint compound. The plaster is then ready for a fresh coat of paint, which should hide the repair. If the crack is still visible, however, it’s time to call a professional to have it repaired correctly.

Never assume that you can learn how to repair water damaged ceiling plaster from an online tutorial or website, as repairing water damaged plaster is much more involved than filling in a small crack. Water damaged plaster typically gets soft and loses its adhesion, pulling away from the framework above it. When this happens, holes need to be drilled into the plaster and new bonding materials injected behind those sagging or bulging areas.

While this may sound simple, use the wrong drill bit or drilling too deeply will not only damage the plaster itself, but you might also drill right into the framework of the home. The wet and heavy dust created during plaster ceiling water damage repair can settle in other areas of the house, and easily tear up a household vacuum. To avoid these risks, leave this work to a professional, who knows how to repair water damaged ceiling plaster properly, and who will have the right tools and equipment to get the job done quickly and safely.