You folks have been so wonderful in all your help with the questions I have posted. Thank you. Here is one for my mother. She is a retired Arkansas teacher who sometimes gets talked into things she does not need if the person is charming. She lives in a small, not very valuable house (maybe $25 T) in Arkansas. She has had some slow roof leaks and has a little bit of cracking in the plaster of the ceilings in two rooms. She was told by a contractor that she should have new ceilings sprayed on and that this would take care of the problems.
I have been arguing for getting a good painter in and having the cracks fixed and the ceiling painted. But I suddenly realized I don’t know what I am talking about. I know the sprayed ceilings no longer have asbestos in them. Will this really take care of the problem? Is it the most economical? What does she/we need to know about getting it done correctly? Thanks in advance for your sagacious answers. She who did not want ducks in her leaky basement.
Replies
If the source of the leak is not repaired, then nothing applied on the inside will fix the problem. Don't trust anyone who tells you otherwise. Get the leak fixed by using someone whose reputation you have checked out, with the BBB and/or a friend or family member who has had a good experience with the same sort of problem.
John
Oh the roof has been fixed. These are old cracks and stains and they are in plaster, not dry wall.
In that case, I would probably recommend repairing the cracks and repainting. If she has no burning desire to change the look of her smooth plaster ceilings, why spray texture on them? Keep them smooth, is my vote.
JohnJohn Svenson, Builder, Remodeler, NE Ohio (Formerly posted as JRS)
Agree completely. As long as the plaster is reasonably well adhered, repair it and paint. I recently helped my daughter stirp the 'textured' ceiling that was blown on over a beautiful old horsehair plaster ceiling. A lot of work, but once we got it down to the old plaster, I scraped out the cracks, reattached some sagging plaster and then had an experienced plasterer come in and re-skim coat it with the period plaster (or a close facsimmile), and after priming and painting, the ceiling is beautiful! Cost about $700, which is probably less than the knotheads who are trying to sell your mother something that will probably reduce the value of the house when they are done.
Oh...and make sure to protect her from the commissioned 'investment advisors'!!
BruceM
Yep, seems advise is in fine order, nothing to add but agreement .
Tim Mooney