How to fix ceiling damaged by water leak?

[Maxtiger]

Hi there handy, clever people! My ceiling had a leak and now part is sagging at the join and coming unstuck in my living room. Also think my 85 year old home is sagging so problems in front bedroom in ceiling, also had massive construction on street digging 6 mtr deep huge storm hole drains which created subsidence.  Also the Fix ideas please?

I'm a novice so need step by step help

.., or should I get a professional? Thanks!

[Jason]

Hi @Maxtiger,

We have a step-by-step guide that is a great place to start - How to repair a water-damaged ceiling. Please have a read and let us know if you have any follow-up questions.

As per the guide though, the first step is to track down the source of the ceiling leak - you need to address what cause this problem before undertaking any repairs to the ceiling otherwise the problem will reoccur. Possible sources could include a broken roof tile, inadequate roof flashing or even a leaking water pipe. Do you know what caused these problems and have they been addressed?

I'm sure our resident Bunnings D.I.Y. experts will also be happy to assist.

Jason

[EricL]

Hi @Maxtiger 

Thanks for sharing your question about how to fix your damaged ceiling. I totally agree with Jason's suggestion of finding the source of the leaks first. I propose engaging the services of a roofing specialist first and tracking down every leak that could possibly be in your roof. If you have a tiled roof, I would go as far as repainting and repointing your roof if your budget allows it.

Once all the leaks have been addressed, I now suggest examining your ceiling boards and see if any of them have started to sag or have developed too much mould and mildew. I recommend replacing the severely damaged ones rather than forcing them back into shape.

Once you've made those repairs, I suggest following the guide - How to repair a water-damaged ceiling. When the ceiling has been repainted the acid test will be the first batch of heavy rain. Please make sure to mark any missed areas so that you can tell your roofing specialist that certain spots were missed.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric