What to Use If My Ceiling Is Falling In

Causes

• One of the most common causes of falling ceilings is the movement of ceiling joists and wooden lath members, according to nationally syndicated newspaper columnist Tim Carpenter. Heat and humidity in the summer cause the home’s wood lath system to expand, while drier air in the winter causes the wood to contract. This causes ceiling plaster to crack and detach from the wood lath and, with time, collapse onto the floor below. Plumbing, heating and cooling systems installed directly above ceilings can also cause leaks and structural weakness in your ceiling. Cracks and “pillowing” or sagging between ceiling joists are typical indicators of moisture damage or structural stress.

Solutions

• If your ceiling contains undersize drywall, then the most professional approach is to rip it out and replace it with thicker drywall, according to “The Family Handyman” magazine. This process entails removing drywall screws and extracting old drywall along the edges of the ceiling. The other option is to add a new ceiling below the old one, using spacers. DIY experts of the “Family Handyman” recommend using 1-by-3-inch-thick furring strips or joists (the length depends on the size of your ceiling) so that the new drywall is easier to hang. Use 2-by-2 furring strips for ceilings that sag past 3/4 inches. Install the furring strips to the trusses using 2-by-2-1/2-inch drywall screws approximately 2 feet apart. Finish by nailing the new drywall over the furring strips.

Tools and Equipment

• Gather the correct hand and power tools to fix your falling ceiling. To replace drywall, you need a hammer, screw gun, keyhole saw, caulking gun, Phillips screwdriver, utility knife and carpenter’s square. Chalk and pencils are handy for marking insertion points and helping with precision. Wear a tool belt so that you can keep track of all your equipment and easily toggle between tools and materials. Above all, you need sheetrock and a rock lift device to hold up drywall while you attach it to the ceiling.

Expert Insight

• The former editor of “Today’s Homeowner” and “Fine Homebuilding” magazines, Scott Gibson, cautions that some hardware used to repair sagging ceilings has limited usefulness. Plaster ceilings weakened by heavy pounding, jumping and other vibration on the floors above can be anchored with plaster washers or foam adhesive. Plaster washers or buttons are appropriate for repairs where debris is not present between the loose plaster and lath. Adhesive foam can be used if the ceiling plaster has extended no more than 1/2 inch. Gibson suggests pushing upward into the ceiling and listening for crunching sounds to ensure debris is not present.

Considerations

• Most drywall on the market ranges from 1/4 inch to 1 inch of thickness. Drywall can droop if it is too thin to handle the span between roof trusses or support the added weight of attic insulation. Selecting drywall made for specific areas of the house can prevent future sagging. Different types of drywall offer benefits such as moisture, shock and fire resistance. For areas such as the bathrooms and laundry rooms, use boards that can withstand extreme humidity. Fire-resistant drywall is ideal for areas exposed to high heat, including furnace rooms, garages and kitchens.