Plaster ceilings are almost never installed in new construction anymore, but they still exist in older homes. If an old plaster ceiling is damaged and part of it has to be replaced, the proper repair method today is to install a drywall patch. It's much easier than attempting the lost art of plastering over lath to fill in the damaged area. Drywall comes in varied thicknesses, allowing you to match as closely as possible the thickness of the plaster.
Instructions
1. Mark a square around the damaged area, using your pencil and carpenter's square. Make two parallel sides of the square run along the edges of ceiling joists, pulling down enough of the damaged plaster to assess the joist locations.
2. Cut out the damage area with a jig saw, running the saw along the square that you marked out. Cut out both the plaster and the lath behind it, so there's a square hole in the ceiling. Two parallel sides of the hole should run along the centers of joists.
3. Measure the square hole, mark out the measurement on a sheet of drywall, and cut out the square with your utility knife, scoring and snapping slightly inside the lines to make the patch a little smaller than the hole.
4. Set the patch in place. Sink screws along the two edges that are sitting on the joist, putting one screw every six inches. Also sink screws into the any other joists that that are behind the patch, between the two outer edges.
5. Press mesh drywall tape over the border of the patch. Spread joint compound over the seams with a drywall knife, making it smooth and flat. The compound should be a little wider than the tape. Let it dry about six hours.
6. Spread a second, slightly wider coat of compound over the seams, again keeping it flat and smooth. Let it dry, then apply a third layer. Let the third layer dry, then sand it smooth with a drywall sanding pad. The ceiling is ready to be repainted.
Related posts
Holes larger than 4 feet in diameter are often not repairable and may require replacement of the ceiling.Plaster ceilings are commonly found in older homes and are made of multiple coatings of gyp...
Take frequent breaks when working overhead to prevent fatigue-related accidents.Plaster ceilings and walls are common in older homes, and some modern-day contractors use plaster to create smooth,...
Old style plaster walls don't last forever, and eventually you will have to deal not only with hairline cracks and small holes, but whole areas of loose plaster. Larger repairs can be patched in w...
If an entire plaster ceiling is sagging because of water damage, it will likely have to be completely replaced. However, if the sagging area is limited to 1 or 2 square feet, you can remove the ol...
Before the days of modern drywall, walls were built by nailing thin pieces of wood lath side by side across the wall studs, then spreading plaster over them. When that plaster becomes loose and cr...
