How to Replace a Collapsed Ceiling

Whether a heavy rainfall triggers it or your ceiling has aged, dealing with a collapsed ceiling can be a daunting experience. Even if you’re dealing with only a partial collapse, it’s a good idea to replace a collapsed ceiling in its entirety to ensure uniformity. Make no mistake, this project will take time, patience and a lot of elbow grease. Get a friend to help you with the heavy drywall when you replace your collapsed ceiling.

Drop cloths or plastic sheeting
Pry bar
Hammer
Tape measure
4-by-8-foot sections of drywall, 1/2-inch thick
Pencil
Utility knife
Drywall screws
Drill
Respirator face mask
Pole sander
Medium-grit sandpaper, 80 grit
Block sander
Fine-grit sandpaper, 220 grit
Damp cloth

Instructions

- 1
  Cover the floor with drop cloths or plastic sheeting to protect the surface.
- 2
  Pull the drywall and drywall tape down from the ceiling with a pry bar where it collapsed and over to the wall. Use a hammer to remove drywall screws from the ceiling joists.
- 3
  Measure the area to be covered -- length and width -- and figure out how you will position the sheets of drywall to cover it all. Drywall should be placed perpendicular to the ceiling joists and the seams should be staggered where possible -- if you use a full 8-foot sheet and part of another one, use the cut-off piece to start the next row of drywall.
- 4
  Mark the drywall pieces that must be cut, using a pencil. Score the drywall along those lines with the utility knife and break the edges away.
- 5
  Begin next to the wall and hold a piece drywall so one end is against the wall. Enlist help for this step. Secure the drywall to the ceiling joists with drywall screws, beginning at the center and spacing the screws about 16 inches apart.
- 6
  Continue cutting and securing the drywall to the ceiling joists in this manner.
- 7
  Cut drywall tape to match the length of the seams formed by the drywall pieces along the joists. Place drywall tape over the seams.
- 8
  Spread joint compound over the drywall tape in a thin layer using a drywall spreader. Let the compound dry four to six hours.
- 9
  Put on a respirator face mask and smooth the compound by sanding it with medium-grit sandpaper. Use a pole sander to make it easier on you. "This Old House" magazine suggests using a block sander to sand the corners and edges. Don’t sand down to the tape.
- 10
  Add another layer of joint compound over the taped seams. Make the layer 1/4 inch wider than the width of the tape. Let the compound dry for four to six hours and smooth again with medium-grit sandpaper.
- 11
  Apply one last layer of compound. Let it dry overnight until all of the compound appears white to indicate it is dry.
- 12
  Sand the compound with fine-grit sandpaper until the surface is uniformly smooth.
- 13
  Wipe down the entire ceiling with a damp cloth and let it dry. Prime and paint the ceiling.

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