| Location | Roland Park (21210), MD |
|---|---|
| Service | Water-damage plaster repair |
| Property | Condominium unit in an older building |
What happened
Water came down into this Roland Park condo twice from two different sources: an overflowing gutter, and a neighbor upstairs watering plants. Both times it hit the same spot, the corner where the living room wall meets the ceiling beside a set of built-in shelves. The water then ran down the far side of that wall into a closet.
By the time we saw it, the plaster in the corner was stained and soft, and the closet walls behind it had the same damage. The owner also needed the work done quickly, so we had to plan around a short deadline.
What we did
- Cut back the softened plaster at the wall and ceiling corner until we reached sound material.
- Rebuilt the corner so the wall and ceiling planes meet in a straight, crisp line again. That is the detail that gives a patched corner away if it is rushed.
- Repaired the closet walls on the other side.
- Primed every repaired area and then painted, so the owner had finished rooms and not just patches.
Why the corner matters
Water damage at a wall-to-ceiling corner is more work than the same size patch in the middle of a wall. The repair has to tie into two surfaces at once, and in older buildings neither surface is perfectly flat or square. We set the new plaster to the existing planes, not to a level line, so the corner looks original rather than "fixed."
Priming before painting matters too. New plaster and old water-stained plaster both absorb paint differently from the wall around them. Skip the primer and the repair shows through as a dull or shiny patch, and stains can bleed back through the finish coat.
If you have a similar leak
Get the source stopped first: gutter, roof, plumbing or a neighbor's unit. Then let the wall dry before any plaster work. Plaster sealed over wet lath or brick will fail again. Our guide to spotting water-damaged plaster covers the warning signs.
Have a similar problem?
Call or text (443) 806-8077 for a written estimate. We will look at the job, explain what is going on and give you a clear price before any work starts.
We describe projects by neighborhood only and never publish customers' names or addresses.