How to patch holes in plaster ceilings

Do not push the plaster back up into place, however; the void will allow the vacuum to pull some of the debris out through the hole. If you have access from above, you can vacuum more of the silt and debris.

Remove keys that are visibly loose or broken as well. Plaster will kill a household vacuum in short order. Next, wet the injection holes by either spraying down the lath with a squirt bottle or squirting up into the drilled holes from the plaster surface. Wetting encourages the adhesive to travel farther when it is compressed and will also slow the drying time slightly for a stronger bond.

We use a water-based, latex product that is actually a vinyl floor adhesive. However, any good-quality latex or acrylic adhesive can work for example, Liquid Nails or floor adhesive. You can purchase these products at construction supply houses and hardware stores in caulking tubes for small projects or five-gallon pails for large jobs. If you inject too much adhesive you will actually push the plaster off the ceiling. As you inject, follow along with a damp sponge to wipe away the excess adhesive that leaves the holes when you remove the nozzle.

Adding wire lath over wood lath improves an infill repair. Complete your entire series of holes, then go back over the plaster with a clean, damp sponge to remove further glue residue.

Once we have injected adhesive into the repair area, we push the plaster back into place against the lath and secure it with forms. This step spreads the adhesive so that it bonds to a greater surface area. For more detailed information, refer to the Inflatafix DIY videos. Make sure you use appropriate safety equipment.

Occasionally, if nails are not securely set in the centre of the joist or stud, over time a nail may pop through the plaster wall. If you suspect there is water damage caused by a broken water line then you have some repairs to do. Mix up a batch and cover the patch and screws so that it is just a little proud of the surface of the existing plaster. As the compound firms up, wipe it down with a damp sponge so that the patch is now completely flush with the surrounding plaster.

Hopefully, this post has given you some encouragement that you can DIY your plaster ceiling repairs. I love old houses, working with my hands, and teaching others the excitment of doing it yourself! Everything is teachable if you only give it the chance. Super helpful. I have a brother in law who was trying to fix a whole in his ceiling, so I sent him this link.

In such situations, you can glue another layer of drywall. Because cracks can continue to appear. Not the way to go best open the cracks wet the laths and use plaster and fine triple washed white sand then a white set coat. If you do want to polish off you can then use a top ready mixed coat that can be sanded. My house has metal lath at least in the walls so im guessing the ceiling also has metal. Would this product work with a metal lath? I have 2 pictures to show you but unable to upload.

As you can tell this type of work is new to me! For that last step invoicing texture, does a quality product exist for ceiling knockdown?

I tried wall knockdown in a spray can , and the stuff just dripped to the floor before it dried enough to be knocked down. Awesome post, thanks! Your email address will not be published. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam.

Learn how your comment data is processed. Search for:. Wipe down the area with a damp cloth and allow it to dry before priming and painting the patch to match your ceiling. This easy drywall patch should not be visible to the naked eye once you are finished. Homedit explains that ceiling hole repair kits usually contain self-adhesive mesh patches, some joint compound and basic putty knives which may well be made of plastic.

These can be good for larger holes but measure yours first and see if the patch in the kit is large enough to cover it. To make this repair, sand the area around the hole first and wipe away any dust. If you wipe it with a damp cloth, allow it to dry completely before proceeding. Working with the spackling knife, increase the pressure on it so it feathers the edges.