Ceiling repairs are essential to keep them operational. If you have a plaster ceiling, especially if you have an older home, you may find it necessary to patch it at some point as a repair or maintenance measure. Patching the ceiling won't be a difficult task as long as you have the right tools and follow the correct procedures. This is important because you don't want to make mistakes during the task since this could damage your ceiling to the point where your only solution would be to replace it. Replacing the entire ceiling could be costly. Therefore, to prevent such, here are some mistakes you should avoid when patching your plaster ceiling.
Neglecting Small Cracks
Small cracks on your ceiling should not be ignored. This is because such cracks usually develop into something bigger that may be more complex to fix. In addition, small cracks can easily be fixed by simply filling them instead of patching. For larger cracks however, especially the discoloured ones, you will have to remove a small area of the ceiling around the cracked spot before patching it.
Missing the Cause
A crack in your plaster ceiling will have to be caused by something. It's important to find this underlying cause to prevent constant cracking of your plaster ceiling. The first reason could be that your ceiling is simply aging. Some of the other common reasons your plaster ceiling could be cracking is due to structural defects or dampness. Therefore, find the causes of the dampness as well as the structural defects and have them repaired or fixed.
Removing the Old Plaster Incorrectly
If you have to remove the old plaster in order to patch the damaged spot on the ceiling, such as for larger cracks, you need to do it correctly. Knocking out your old plaster the wrong way will make it hard for you to fit a new patch on the ceiling. For this reason, the best way to remove your old plaster is to use a hammer and a chisel to cut out a rectangular or square area around the crack.
Incorrect Spacing of the Screws When Securing the Patch
You will use screws when securing the patch onto the ceiling. When doing this, you need to be careful with the spacing of the screws in order to create a secure fit. For the best results, the patch has to be structurally secure. Therefore, make sure the screws are a few centimetres apart. This space should be uniform as well for structural stability.
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