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3 Things You Need to Know Before Commencing Repairs On Your Plasterboard Ceiling

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If you own a house that was built in the 1950s, chances are that its ceiling is made of plasterboard. Repair of plasterboard ceiling is done differently compared to modern day ceilings due to its unique qualities. Any sort of repair demands careful consideration to avoid making glaring mistakes, literally. If you prefer the DIY approach to fixing your plasterboard ceiling, this article is meant for you. It offers useful pointers to consider before commencing the repair work.

Cause of Damage -- Repairing a plasterboard ceiling before establishing the root cause of the damage is like going to a battlefield blindfolded. You will be fighting invisible 'enemies', and the only possible outcome is defeat. The two common causes of damaged plasterboard ceilings are moisture and poor workmanship. For example, if you believe that poor workmanship is to blame for a sagging plasterboard ceiling when the real culprit is moisture, you will be doing zero work by trying to fix the sags. Each challenge has a causative agent and a specific solution. Therefore, determine the causative factor before commencing repair work.

Consider the Texture -- Plastered ceilings can be either smooth or rough in texture. Although this might seem irrelevant, the relevance is revealed after you are done with repairs. If you have a rough texture ceiling, you need to maintain that texture after repairing the damaged area. The same goes for ceilings with a smooth texture. You do not want to spot a ceiling whose surface is part rough and part smooth. To avoid such a sight, you should replicate the ceiling's original texture. You can achieve this by using dry powder texture paint. The paint is applied using an applicator with a rough or smooth surface depending on the finish of your ceiling. Most importantly, however, is that you should practice painting on dry smooth wood until you get the technique right. Doing so will achieve a seamlessly repaired patch.

Dampen the Area -- Dampening of plasterboard ceiling is vital when dealing with cracks. That is, dampening the area around a crack will assist in firm binding of mixed filler, thereby leaving no room for partial attachment. However, be careful not to soak the area because doing so will weaken the plasterboard, hence forcing you to widen the crack or hole further. Using a brush that has been dipped in water is an easy way of dampening a plasterboard ceiling without soaking it.


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