Fix a Hole in the Ceiling

A reader sent in this photo of a hole in their kitchen ceiling which they recently patched with duct tape. Obviously the duct tape won't due and it looks like there could be further water damage around the hole.

If it's a plaster ceiling here are some steps to fix it.

1. Score around the hole with a utility knife to where the plaster is solid and remove.

2. Clean out from in between the lathe boards get rid of any loose dust or plaster.Shop vac paint, brush,ect.

3. Bond the lathe and plaster edge with bonding agent.

4. Mix up some stucto lite plaster or gypso lite(home depot)

5. Put enough in the hole to squeeze into the lathe but dont fill the hole completely yet.Scratch it with the corner of your trowel to make keys for the second coat and let it set.

6. Mix up some more base coat and fill in the hole and slick it off with something so its flat.Let it set

7. Apply finish as it sets trowel until smooth(youll want a paint brush and water to wet the finish when troweling )

8. Wait a week or to so everything dries and prime and paint

9. Done!!! The gypsum based base coat set in about 3 hrs.

Good Luck!

Charles & Hudson | Comments () |

Puroclean water damage

Great advice. The only other thing i would add is to try build containment first before cutting out the damaged sheetrock. Since there is obvious water damage staining in that area there is a good chance there is mold on the otherside of that sheetrock and you want to contain those mold spores.

Theresa

Some plaster is backed by wood lathe. Some by rock lath or plasterboard. If the hole is big enough to put your head through, I would guess that not only is the plaster badly deteriorated, but so is the backing (rock lath or plasterboard)

That being the case, you will need some kind of backing in the hole to attach your new filling to.

Probably the easiest is a piece of wood or plywood a little narrower than the hole. Insert through hole and position on back. Hold tight and fasten with some long screws, with a screw gun or drill with philips head.

You can cut a piece of drywall to fit in the hole. Attach with screws. Then go ahead with hot mud or plaster to fill the hole to level. If you use plaster, you will need to put a bonder on the sheetrock piece. So hot mud or maybe plaster of paris would be a better choice.