If there are cracks in your basement ceiling there are several things that you need to consider as you are pondering how to repair them. Generally cracks in a basement ceiling are simply a result of the building settling. Usually these cracks are easy to repair using a standard drywall patch.
Be Safe
As you are considering how you want to begin repairing your ceiling, you always want to be aware of safety considerations. If you are looking at making repairs on a textured ceiling, find out when the ceiling was installed. In homes over 25 years old, you may want to test for asbestos before tampering with the ceiling. You can use a home test kit to test your ceiling materials or contact a professional if you are in doubt. If you do have asbestos, you will need to have an expert help you with repair or removal. Do not tamper with the ceiling yourself as it is a huge health hazard.
Simple Fixes
If your ceiling does not contain any asbestos, then you can consider how you want to go about completing the repair. For a smooth textured ceiling you can use a simple proven drywall repair technique to fix your ceiling. Begin by wearing safety glasses to keep any falling debris out of your eyes. Since you are working on the ceiling it is really easy to get something in your eye, so do not skip the safety glasses. For a textured ceiling, you will want to scrape off the textured surface with a putty knife. Once you are down to the drywall, you can fix the crack. After repairing the crack you will simply sand the area smooth.
Remove any loose texture material that is in your repair area. Then if it is a small crack you can simply pack it with drywall compound. If the crack is larger, you will need to tape over the crack using reinforced drywall tape, then apply a few layers of drywall compound over the tape. Make sure to let the compound dry in between each application usually overnight. Sand slightly before adding each new layer. Once this repair is complete, you can do a final sanding and repaint to match the ceiling.
Techniques for Drywall Repair
Sometimes there are other types of repairs that you need to make to the ceiling drywall rather than a crack. For example, if screws or nails are exposed, you can reset them and then fill the divot with drywall compound. If the wall has a gouge or hole that is too large to fill, then you can cut out a section of the wall and replace it with a new section using drywall tape. Then continue to lay a couple of thin layers of drywall compound on the tape making sure that each layer dries and is sanded before continuing. Remember that it is much better to add several think layers of compound rather than a single thick one. After the last layer of drywall compound has been applied, is dried and sanded, you can proceed to add texture and paint as indicated.
Author Resource:
While looking for an opportunity in decorating Angela Glancy found herself working with http://www.americanartisanart.com/ where she developed her own unique style for artisan floor sculptures and wall art sculptures.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")