A Hyde Park home sustained ceiling drywall damage from a slow upstairs plumbing leak. We cut out the damaged section, replaced with new board, retextured and painted.
The Challenge
A slow supply line leak from a second-floor bathroom had saturated a 3×4 ft section of first-floor ceiling drywall. The homeowner discovered it after the ceiling began to sag. The plumber fixed the supply line; we handled the drywall and finish.
Our Solution
We cut the damaged drywall back to the nearest joists, inspected for mold (none present — the leak was recent), installed new 5/8" drywall, taped, applied two coats of compound, and feathered the edges. We matched the existing light knockdown texture with a hopper gun — test-patching first — and painted the entire ceiling to eliminate any sheen variation.
The Result
The repair is invisible. No visible seam, no texture mismatch, no color variation. Completed in 2 visits over 2 days (repairs + dry time) with painting on day 3.
Work Completed
- Cut damaged drywall back to joist faces — 3×4 ft section
- Inspect framing and remaining drywall for mold — clean
- Install new 5/8" Type X drywall with clips
- Tape, bed and finish — two coats
- Match existing light knockdown texture with hopper
- Prime and paint full ceiling — flat white
Questions About This Project
How do you match existing drywall texture after a repair?
We test-patch on a scrap piece first to dial in the hopper pressure and aggregate mix. Once we match, we apply to the repair and feather the edges 12–18" beyond the patch perimeter.
Do you check for mold before patching water-damaged drywall?
Always — we verify moisture levels with a meter and visually inspect for mold. If mold is present, we remove it properly before patching. Covering active mold is not a repair — it's a future problem.
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