Home Improvement: Water Stained Ceiling Repair

It is almost a certainty that if a roof has leaked in your house, your ceiling will have water damage. Water dripping from the dirt area above the stain carries with it dirt and debris which stain dark and ugly from its trip through the wood or other materials in the roof.

If you haven’t experienced at least one roof leak in your lifetime, you’re an unusual person and if your house has had a roof leak you probably have some water damage and stains. As water seeps down through the bad roof, it drips onto the room ceiling underneath and leaves a stain of brown or yellow which can be seen from inside the room. It may also leave dampness in the wood or ceiling materials which can increase to full-blown mold and mildew damage, sometimes hiding for months or years. You know that this type of ceiling damage can case an unsightly appearance for your decorating scheme. Some people try to do a cover-up job, but only make it look worse when the stains show up again. Take heart, though, you can make your ceiling appear new and repair those ugly spots permanently.

You should fix the ceiling damage before even trying to cover the stains. It is possible you will need to fix some parts of the ceiling because water may have accumulated on the ceiling and left warped or swollen wood or ceiling tiles. Once again, mold or mildew may need to be fully corrected before proceeding on with the job. Your goal is to prepare a smooth, clean and flat surface

Stains bleed through almost every type of paint, so just painting over the old stain won’t last. Your first step should be to use stain sealer on the areas that are stained. Since you will undoubtedly have to paint the entire ceiling, your repair job on the broken area will probably not show.

Immediate repair of stained or damp spots will also avoid mold and fungus growth from the moisture. Too often, once you fix the roof leak, you push aside the rest of the repair job. If you determine to finish the job today, you’ll find it only takes a couple of hours and the job will be completed. Then you will no longer have to look at the ugly stains and can relax and enjoy the look of your home.