Q: Just off the side door in my house are the stairs that go down to the basement. The ceiling overhead is sloped where the underside of the stairs to the upstairs go. The house was built almost a ...

Q. How important is it to repair plaster before repainting? Our ceilings have peeling paint that we’re pretty sure was caused by past water damage. Since the water problem is no longer an issue, can ...

Q. I’d appreciate your guidance with regard to the need to repair/replace a plaster ceiling in a bedroom in a 1910 house. A big chunk of the ceiling fell down and there are cracks in the rest of the ...

Dear James: I have an old house with plaster walls and many cracks that need to be repaired. How can I fix these so they stay fixed and are invisible? — Julianne T. Dear Julianne: Many older houses ...

Q We have plaster walls, and there are cracks showing up everywhere. What can I do to cover these unsightly blemishes? A Sheet rock does have a little elasticity, but plaster is unforgiving, and if ...

Repairing cracks in walls and ceilings can seem like an endless job. With weather changes and the passage of time, homes shift and settle, often reopening cracks that were previously repaired. Use ...

Q. An ice dam left a small irregular brownish area and a crack in a bedroom ceiling. How do I fix it? A. You don’t mention if it’s a textured ceiling, the width of the crack, if there’s any loose or ...

Q. I live in a condo (built around 1952) with radiant heat in the ceilings. Unfortunately, the builders didn’t give much thought as to how high to place the pipes above the ceilings. Over the past ...

Most older homes and apartments have plaster walls and ceilings with a hard surface that resists wear. Cracking, however, is common. Damage also can be caused when furniture hits the wall or fasteners ...

Dear Angie: How important is it to repair plaster before repainting? Our ceilings have peeling paint that we’re pretty sure was caused by past water damage. Since the water problem is no longer an ...