Get matched with top plaster repair specialists in La Grange, MO

If your home was built before the 1940s and was not remodeled in the past 50 or so years, you probably have plaster walls. Aside from assuming, there are some practical ways to tell if you have plaster walls, including the following: If you knock on the wall and it feels solid, not hollow, if you can’t insert a thumbtack easily, if there are cracks that look like spiderwebs, or if your home has curved, arched, or swirled walls, doorways, or window openings.

If you have an unfinished basement or attic, you could examine the backs of any finished walls to check, too.

Plastering comes at a higher cost than installing drywall, but it also provides some pretty enticing benefits. First, plaster usually lasts longer than drywall, so long-term costs will usually be lower. Second, plaster is a highly insulative material, so it might help make your living area feel more comfortable and keep your heating and cooling costs lower, especially in the summer and winter. Finally, plastering is naturally textured, so it helps hide imperfections and often adds warmth to your home that drywall won’t.

Once you’ve contained the leak, the average cost to repair a ceiling ranges from $419 to $1,359. But small ceiling patches can cost around $150. The cost to fix a leak in the ceiling will depend on the size of the affected area and the extent of the damage. As always, a pro is the best person to give you a quote on your specific situation.

Depending on the quality of the plaster and the moisture in the building, plaster can last over 100 years in some cases. It may develop cracks in some places, but many find it aesthetically appealing. As long as no structural damage affects the plaster and maintenance is being performed—mainly repairing small patches and addressing water damage—plaster can last a long time.