Paint does not hide damaged plaster. Cracks, dents, water stains and sagging ceilings all show through a new coat, and some of them come back within months if the cause is not fixed. Repairing the surface first is what makes a repaint look right and last.
Plaster and paint go hand in hand, which is why we do both. Here is what we look for before painting and how each problem is fixed.
Common Problems With Walls and Ceilings
- Hairline cracks along cornices, joins and around door frames
- Dents, holes and old fixing points
- Water stains from roof or plumbing leaks
- Sagging or bowed plasterboard ceilings
- Bubbling or peeling paint from moisture
- Mould in bathrooms, laundries and on south-facing walls
What Causes Them
Most cracking comes from normal building movement, especially in older homes and around openings. Stains and bubbling almost always mean moisture, either from a leak or poor ventilation. Sagging ceilings can happen when plasterboard pulls away from its fixings or has been wet. The cause matters because it decides the repair.
How They Are Repaired
- Cracks are opened up, filled, taped where needed and sanded flat
- Holes and dents are patched and skim coated
- Water stains are sealed with a stain-blocking primer once the leak is fixed
- Sagging or damaged plasterboard is re-fixed or replaced
- Mould is treated before any primer or paint goes on
- Repaired areas are sanded dust-free and primed so they do not show through
We use Festool dust-free sanding systems, so repairs inside an occupied home create far less mess.
When to Repair and When to Replace
Small cracks, dents and isolated stains are straightforward repairs. If a ceiling is sagging across a wide area, has been soaked, or the plasterboard is crumbling, replacing that section is usually the better and safer fix. We will tell you which applies when we inspect the job.
Why Do It Before Painting
Fresh paint, especially in lighter colours or low-sheen finishes, highlights every flaw. Doing the repairs as part of the paint job means one team, one clean-up and a consistent finish across the whole room. See our plaster repairs to walls and ceilings service and our interior house painting page for how the two fit together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you just paint over cracks?
No. Paint will not bridge a crack for long. It needs to be filled, and often taped, then sanded and primed before painting.
Can you paint over a water stain?
Only after the leak is fixed and the stain is sealed with a stain-blocking primer. Otherwise it will bleed back through the new paint.
Do painters repair plasterboard?
Yes. Colourise Painting repairs damaged plasterboard walls and ceilings as part of our painting work, for homes, strata and commercial buildings.
Got damaged walls or ceilings that need fixing and painting? Call Colourise Painting on 0425 250 625. We service Castle Hill, Baulkham Hills, Seven Hills, Kellyville and greater Sydney.