Plaster Ceiling Repair: A Helpful Tip
Today we’d like to share an inquiry emailed in by Janine from Pennsylvania. Janine is using Big Wally’s Plaster Magic to repair a damaged plaster ceiling (25’ x 30’) in an old house, circa 1850.
Janine writes:
“I’m looking at contractors to deal with the big holes but have started using Big Wally’s for D.I.Y. crack repairs (about 250 linear feet). I’m on my 5th tube or so of adhesive and I’m getting less sloppy with dripping conditioner and backflow of adhesive. Still, when I spray the conditioner in, lots drips back out. Any tips (other than practice) for ceiling work?”
First off, kudos for having the courage to tackle this ceiling plaster repair job yourself, Janine. We love to see homeowners doing repairs the right way and making the effort to preserve historic plaster.
Thanks to gravity, ceilings present a unique problem when it comes to conditioning the lath and plaster in preparation for the adhesive. Indeed, the liquid will want to drip back out. I have discovered one tool that helps, though — a pressurized garden sprayer, which you can pump as much or as little as necessary to produce a stronger stream than the standard spray bottle. You can purchase these sprayers at any home improvement center. The stronger stream will penetrate deeper into the lath-work, resulting in less back-drip. Additionally, I’ve found that simple clay plugs inserted into the holes keep the conditioner in (just make sure you remove the plugs before injecting the adhesive behind the plaster).
Also, make sure you go around the perimeter of each hole and glue the plaster at every lath. This will stabilize the open edge of the old plaster, keeping it secure.
Thanks, for your note, Janine. Good luck with the project and let us know how it turns out. And hey, send us some photos of your progress to info@plastermagic.com so we can share your work with the world.
Category : Blog & Plaster Repair Articles & Tips
Helen
1 month ago
Big Wally’s Plaster Magic worked really well on my ceiling cracks. A simple solution to keep the excess conditioner from dripping on the floor for me was to have a bucket of water and several big 1-inch thick sponges beside me at all times. After every squirt of conditioner, I wiped up the excess with a damp sponge (I kept the conditioner bottle in one hand and the sponge in the other). Basically, I would squirt, wipe, squirt, wipe, etc. When I was done, I had very little mess to clean up. I also did the same thing when injecting the adhesive.
Plaster Repair Terms, Definitions, Glossary | Big Wally's Plaster Magic
3 weeks ago
[...] Map Cracking wide cracking looks like a road map; often seen in turn of the century lime plaster over terra cotta as well as developing over time in lime plaster ceilings [...]