I have water damage to my ceiling from a bath tub that overflowed.

Question

There is cracking and damp drywall!  I'm dreading even starting this project!

GrandmasHouseDIY · Answer

Hi Bill, I would remove all of the damp drywall as soon as you can and then let the entire area COMPLETELY dry out first before moving on to patching it.

Deanna Nassar · Answer

WEAR MASK! Often drywall(sheetrock) has dormant microbes and other nasty 'bugs'.

Use a drywall knife to cut the area to be cleared. You will need to remove that section plus a little to each side to be sure you have all the damp removed. Go back to nearest rafter to have something to nail to. Sheetrock is usually put in with edge about midway of the rafter so each piece has support. Leave open to dry for at least 24 hours. Bag all debris and vacuum well, then get rid of the bag too(thorough wash if your vacuum doesn't use bags.) Change the filter too.

Cut sheetrock to fit into hole; depending on size you may need some help to hold in place while you nail it. Nail down to point where you leave a small dent. When you finish you will go back over each dent and fill with 'mud'(joint compound) and smooth over with putty knife. The seam will be filled with 'mud' taped over and more of the 'mud' to hold securely. A light sanding of rough spots and then allow to dry. Paint. Done.

For more tips and help Google How to repair drywall after water damage.

Linda Sikut · Answer

You definitely shouldn't wait to repair this. If your drywall is damp, the beams inside your wall will be damp or wet too. You need to open up that wall and get those beams to dry out so that you don't end up with mold in your walls. If you really don't want to do it, then hire a professional instead.

Lynn Frazel Flaherty · Answer

let it dry and the easiest thing is kills paint. Pain the whole ceiling. If you need more than that you can do pieces of new dry wall.

V Smith · Answer

Check with your homeowners insurance, you may be covered for this and then have it fixed professionally. Most importantly you must prevent mold from growing. The longer you leave all the moisture trapped in the cieling the more likely it is that mold will take hold.

Sharon · Answer

I would remove the wet drywall immediately, mold starts within 2 days. Once the area is exposed if you've delayed removing the drywall, I would spray it down with vinegar. Allow a few days to completely dry it out. If you have a small fan I would stick it up there to dry it out good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-p7pvnMAq8&t=760s there are 7 videos in this series

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0UHi62look&t=8s