A 1938 Seminole Heights bungalow had significant settlement cracks in original 3-coat plaster. We stabilized, filled and skim-coated the living room ceiling.
The Challenge
The homeowner had 8 diagonal settlement cracks, several delaminated plaster sections and a water ring in the living room ceiling of a 1938 bungalow. They wanted to preserve the original plaster rather than covering it with a drywall overlay, which would lower the ceiling height.
Our Solution
We injected Plaster Magic adhesive conditioner into the delaminated sections and re-bonded them with plaster washers. Cracks were V-grooved, filled with setting-type compound and then skim-coated the entire ceiling surface in two thin passes with gauging plaster. The water ring was sealed with shellac-based primer before the final coat.
The Result
The original plaster ceiling is intact, stable and smooth. No drywall overlay needed, ceiling height preserved. The homeowner painted the ceiling themselves the following day.
Work Completed
- Plaster Magic conditioner injected into 4 delaminated sections
- Re-bond with plaster washers and setting compound
- V-groove 8 cracks — clean and stabilize
- Fill cracks with setting-type compound
- Seal water ring with Zinsser BIN shellac primer
- Two-pass skim coat of gauging plaster across entire ceiling
Questions About This Project
Can original plaster be repaired rather than replaced in Seminole Heights?
Usually yes — original plaster is structurally superior to modern drywall and worth preserving when it's sound. The key is re-bonding delaminated sections before applying any fill or skim coat.
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