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Plaster repair • For homeowners

Repairing Plaster the Lasting Way

Cracked ceilings, loose walls and water stains do not mean your plaster has to come down. We find out why it failed, fix that cause, and repair the plaster so it matches the rest of the room.

  • Cracks & loose plaster
  • Water-damaged ceilings
  • Smooth or textured match
  • Cause fixed first
Darrin Straub

Request a consultation & estimate

Residential or commercial. We’ll get back to you to set up an evaluation.

We never share your information. Prefer to talk? Call (888) 592-1304.

Keep your plaster

Most plaster can be saved

Old plaster is tougher than it looks. A cracked ceiling in a 1920s bungalow or a stained wall in a 1990s stucco home usually has a specific cause, and once that cause is handled, the plaster can be repaired rather than torn out and replaced with drywall.

Plaster on wood lath holds on through keys, the blobs of plaster that squeeze between the lath strips and harden. When those keys break, from settling, vibration or years of seasonal movement, the plaster sags away from the lath. We reattach it with plaster washers and adhesive, then fill and skim the cracks so they stay closed.

Water damage is different. A stain that keeps growing points to a roof, window or stucco leak. Because we are a stucco company, we can trace and repair that exterior leak too, then fix the plaster once the wall is dry. See leak detection, or read about plaster walls if you are considering new plaster.

Smooth plaster wall in a home after repair
Plaster problems

What goes wrong and why

Each kind of damage tells you something about the house. The repair depends on reading it right.

Hairline & map cracks

Fine cracks from settling and seasonal movement, taped with mesh and skimmed so they do not reopen.

Common and fixable

Sagging ceilings

Plaster that has lost its keys to the lath, reattached with washers before it falls.

Act before it drops

Water stains

Rings and soft spots from roof, plumbing or wall leaks, repaired only after the source is stopped.

Leak fixed first

Holes & gouges

Damage from moving furniture, old fixtures or wiring work filled in layers to full thickness.

Built up, not caulked

Cracks at doors & windows

Diagonal cracks from opening corners, often from framing movement, reinforced and refinished.

Movement points

Bulging or blistering

Paint or finish coat lifting from plaster, usually a moisture sign that needs checking.

Moisture check needed
Repair or replace

Repair the plaster or replace the wall

Replacing plaster with drywall is messy, changes the feel of an older home and often costs more than people expect once trim and outlets are reset. Repair is almost always the better route when the plaster is mostly attached and dry.

Replacement makes sense for sections that are crumbling, soaked through or have fallen. We patch those areas with new plaster or veneer and blend them into the old walls so the room still reads as one surface.

Choosing a plaster repair
ConditionOur approachResult
Fine cracksMesh tape and skimSmooth, stable wall
Loose from lathReattach and fillOriginal plaster kept
Water-stained, drySeal, patch, paintStain gone
Crumbling sectionCut out, new plasterBlended patch
How we repair plaster

Our plaster repair process

We protect your floors and furniture, and keep dust inside the work area.

Find the cause

We look at the crack pattern, tap for loose areas and take moisture readings where there is staining.

  • Loose areas mapped
  • Moisture checked
  • Leak traced if present

Stabilize & fill

Loose plaster is reattached, unsound material removed and cracks and holes filled with compatible plaster in layers.

  • Plaster washers set
  • Cracks reinforced
  • Layers built up

Skim & match

The repair is skimmed and textured to match the wall, smooth or sand-finished, then primed for paint.

  • Texture matched
  • Primed for paint
  • Room cleaned
Reviews

What our customers say

Homeowners and long-time commercial clients on working with ASR.

“I got quality of work with a quality product; the workmanship of his staff do amazing work. As a woman, I despise mess, I had none with the crew and the phenomenal way they cleaned up.”
Michelle R.Customer letter
“For over 10 years we have relied on ASR for all our stucco repair needs, but as well, for a number of other water intrusion related solutions. Their leadership are responsive and have trained their technicians well.”
Google review
Wilburn House10+ year repeat customer
“A quality honest contractor is hard to come by – I’d use ASR for anything I could.”
Google review
Joe WatsonGoogle review

Read more reviews

Questions & answers

Plaster repair questions

What homeowners ask us about cracked and damaged plaster.

Is it worth repairing old plaster walls?
Usually, yes. Plaster that is mostly attached and dry can be stabilized and refinished for less disruption than tearing it out, and it keeps the solid feel of an older home.
Why do plaster cracks keep coming back?
Cracks reopen when they are filled with a rigid material and no reinforcement, or when the movement causing them continues. Mesh-reinforced repairs and fixing loose plaster around the crack stop most of them.
Is a sagging plaster ceiling dangerous?
It can be. A ceiling that has pulled away from its lath can drop without warning. Keep people out from under it and have it reattached or removed promptly.
Can you repair plaster damaged by a leak?
Yes, once the leak is stopped and the wall has dried. If the water came through stucco, a window or a roof-to-wall joint, we can repair that exterior source as well.
Can you match a textured plaster finish?
Yes. We match sand finishes, swirled and hand-troweled textures, and smooth plaster so the repair blends into the wall around it.

Get your plaster repaired

Call (888) 592-1304 or use the form. We will find the cause and explain the repair before any work starts.

Get started

Request a consultation & estimate

Tell us about your home and what you are seeing, and we will set up an evaluation.

Darrin Straub

Send us your project details

Residential or commercial. We’ll get back to you to set up an evaluation.

We never share your information. Prefer to talk? Call (888) 592-1304.