How to Repair Dining Room Ceiling Leak - Part 1 of 2 - Ceiling Repair

Fig.1 Wet ceiling 
from leaking copper pipe

By Gary Boutin

Supplies and Tools:
500-watt lamps (3)
Drywall 36 inch by 36 inch
Drywall knives
Drywall sander (manual)
Drywall saw 
Drywall screws coarse 1-1/4 inch
Gloves (protect hands)
Joint Compound Fast set 20 minutes
Ladder 6 feet
Sanding screens
Wall tape (paper)

Mr. Johnson lives in Norco, California. He had called a plumber to repair a leaking copper pipe. The damaged pipe had been leaking for a long time and the entire ceiling was wet and soggy. The local plumber punctured the ceiling just enough to repair the copper pipe and the ABS sewage pipe. Two pipes were leaking, the copper pressure tee pipe, and an ABS drain pipe. The copper pressure tee pipe was replaced and soldered. The ABS pipe was not glued in place and was loose at the union. The plumber managed to pull it apart and insert ABS cement inside the pipe. This pipe was not under pressure like the copper pipe so repairs were easier. Mr. Johnson called my repair service to repair and paint his dining room ceiling. The catch was the job had to be done in one day because the family was leaving to New Mexico the next day.

This post shows the nine steps to quickly repair the dining room ceiling.   

Step 1: Fig.1 shows a little hole in the dining ceiling were the plumber did all of his repairs.  
Step 2: Fig.2 shows a close up of the copper tee that was repaired. Fig.3 through fig.6 shows the wood studs that will be used to pull up the ceiling. 

Fig.2 Copper tee

Fig.3 Wood studs

Fig.4 Another ceiling view

Fig.5  Cutting the corner

Fig.6 Ceiling is apart
from  the wood stud

Step 3: Fig.7 and fig.8 shows the tools for this job. Fig.7 shows painter's tarp placed on the floor to cover the dining room tile. Fig.8 shows a joint compound, yellow mud pan, drywall knives and sanding screens required for this job. 

Note: To make the joint compound dry faster use Westpac Fast Set 20 Lite Setting joint compound. This compound dries hard in 20 minutes.

Fig.7 Tarp the floor

Fig.8 Joint compound, 
texture and tools

Step 4: Fig.9 and fig.10 shows the drywall saw cutting the hole into a square and near wood studs. The studs are important because the ceiling is so wet that it needed to dry out. Placing drywall screws with flat washers will pull up the wet ceiling. Later the washer were removed and new drywall screws were inserted. Luckily this would dry as the new drywall was replaced. Fig.11 shows the new drywall piece cut at 36 inches was easier to put into the ceiling then cutting several pieces of wallboard.

Fig.9 Cuting the 
ceiling square

Fig.10 Cut the black line

Fig.11 New wallboard 
secured to ceiling

Note: While the ceiling area was cut, three 500-watt lamps were placed on the floor to help dry the  ceiling. 

Step 5: Fig.11 shows the wallboard (drywall) has been placed into the ceiling area. Many 1-1/4 inch coarse drywall screws were used to secure the wet drywall to the ceiling studs.
Step 6: Fig.12 and fig.13 the wall has been patched and now is drying. 
Note: Using three 500-watts lamp baked the ceiling patch. 

Fig.12 Wall tape was 
used on all edges

Fig.13 Patch is drying
 now needs sanding

Step 7: Fig.14 and fig.15 shows the addition of joint compound. Now make the ceiling as flat as possible. The last coat was a very light coat to finish the ceiling.

Fig.14 Load up the ceiling

Fig.15 Flatten the joint 
compound using a wall knife

Step 8: Fig.16 shows the ceiling is drying the outer edges are dry and the center part of the patch is still wet.

Fig.16 Patch is drying

Step 9: Fig.17 shows that gloves must be worn when sanding joint compound. Fig.18 shows a hand sander with a sanding screen. Fig.19 shows a drywall (Hook and Loop) pole sander with 120 grit sanding screen aids in making the ceiling flat.

Fig.17 Wear gloves 
lime irritates the skin

Fig.18 Hand sander

Fig.19 Pole Sander

How To Repair a Dining Room Ceiling Leak:

• Part 1 of 2 - Ceiling Repair 
• Part 2 of 2 - Priming and Painting

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