Repairing your ceiling stains

What A Feeling, Water Damage On The Ceiling

There are a few ways water damage can happen. Sometimes ice walls resembling The Wall from Game Of Thrones can form in gutters during winter, skylights can let more than just the sun in, and sometimes it’s just ordinary plumbing problems. Whichever one it is, the problem still needs fixing.

Something besides the water also plays a part in causing damage, and if you don’t know what it is, you won’t be able to make a permanent repair.

Why Water Damage Occurs And How To Stop It

Water damage could cause repairs to be anything from a light staining to a complete teardown and re-installation.

The brown stain staring you in the face is caused by wood tannins deposited by the water, creating damage. If you don’t properly seal the damaged area with a stain blocker, your water-based paint will cause the tannins to bleed through and discolour the ceiling again.

If you don’t want that to happen, follow these simple steps:

Plugging The Water Damaged Ceiling

Here’s a quick rundown of what needs to happen to get rid of that stain:

– Inspect the stained surface

Make sure the water hasn’t caused any damage to the drywall or plaster. Any damage needs to be fixed before further steps are taken.

If the drywall feels soft and/or spongy, take a look at https://www.sentricdesign.co.uk to see how to repair it.

– Repair any damage

This can range from a quick skim coat to cutting out the damaged area and installing a new section of ceiling. If the damage brings up the question “How am I going to fix this?” call a professional.

– Prime the affected area with a stain blocking primer

You’re going to need to put a defence on the affected area like the Chelsea FC needs a special defender.

Oil or shellac based primers are best because they will prevent the staining from being reactivated and causing problems down the line.

*Tip: make sure to get some ventilation for the room (open window, fan, etc) because these primers stink and will give you a headache or other symptoms if inhaled regularly.*

– Paint the entire ceiling

This may seem unnecessary, but unless you want a patchwork ceiling, the whole thing will need to be repainted. Performing a localized touch-up on the repaired area before recoating the ceiling is the best technique for a seamless repair.

What Water Damage?

Follow these steps and you can once again have that perfect ceiling. No more looking up and seeing a stain on the ceiling, wishing it looked like Anthony Joshua or Halle Berry. If you have to repaint the whole ceiling, look at it as a chance to start over and choose another colour. Make this DIY project a masterpiece.

If you decide that the damage is too much for you to handle, fill out our contact form www.sentricdesign.co.uk/contact or give us a call for an estimate at 020 8935 5159.