Calgary Drywall Services

Ceiling repair · Calgary, AB

Ceiling drywall repair in Calgary

Cracks, holes, old leak stains and sagging sections, repaired and blended so the ceiling reads as one flat surface again. And when ceiling damage points to something above, that comes first.

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Contractor on a stepladder spreading joint compound over a square patch in a living room ceiling, with furniture covered in plastic

Common requests

  • Cracks along ceiling seams
  • Stains or patches from an old leak
  • Holes from moved lights or fans
  • Nail pops in a line across the ceiling
  • A section that sags or bulges
  • Old repairs that show under light
First check
Is the cause fixed? Leaks and movement come before cosmetic repair.
Harder than walls
Overhead work, more setup, and window light shows every flaw.
Priced by
Size, height, texture matching, access and protection needed.

Before anything else

A sagging, bulging or wet ceiling is not a cosmetic problem. Keep people and belongings out from under it, stop the water if you can, and have it looked at. Cracks, holes and dry stains are routine repairs. Stains and sagging mean finding and fixing the cause before the drywall is touched.

Common ceiling problems

What you see, and what it usually means

  • Straight crack along a seam

    Tape not fully bedded, or the joint flexing. Re-taped and feathered.

  • Crack where ceiling meets wall

    Often seasonal movement of the roof structure. May need a repair that allows for it.

  • Brown ring or stain

    A past or current leak. Confirm it is dry, then stain-block and repair.

  • Row of nail pops

    Fasteners backing out along a joist. Re-secured with screws and refinished.

  • Sagging between joists

    Wet board, failed fasteners, or board too thin for the spacing. Usually replaced.

  • Holes from fixtures

    Old light, fan or speaker locations. Backed, patched and blended.

Ceiling stain and not sure if the leak is fixed?

Mention it in your request. The contractor can check whether the drywall is dry and sound before quoting.

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The repair

Making a ceiling repair disappear

Ceilings are harder to hide repairs on than walls. Light from windows travels across a ceiling at a low angle, which exaggerates any ridge or dip, and you look at the whole surface at once. So ceiling repairs are feathered wider, sanded carefully and checked with a light before primer.

Smooth ceilings

Repaired like a wall, but wider and flatter. Painting the whole ceiling afterwards, rather than just the patch, avoids a visible difference in sheen and colour.

Textured ceilings

The patch is finished flat, then texture is sprayed or applied to match. On a large or awkward repair, re-texturing the whole ceiling sometimes gives a better result than blending one spot.

Popcorn and textured ceilings in older homes

Textured ceilings in homes built before about 1990 may contain asbestos. It is only a hazard when disturbed, for example by scraping, sanding or cutting. Have the texture tested before any work that disturbs it. Health Canada: health risks of asbestos.

In Calgary

Ceiling repairs in Calgary homes

Ceiling repairs here often follow a plumbing leak from a bathroom above, an ice dam or roof leak after a winter with heavy snow and quick thaws, or seasonal cracks along the ceiling line in newer houses. Whatever the cause, the order is the same: fix the source, let everything dry, then repair the drywall. The water-damaged drywall page walks through that sequence.

Common questions

Ceiling repair questions

Is a sagging ceiling dangerous?
It should be treated as a warning. Sagging can mean the drywall is wet and heavy, or that it has pulled away from its fasteners. A ceiling that is bulging with water, or sagging noticeably, should be kept clear and looked at promptly. Do not push on a bulge that may be holding water.
Can a water stain on the ceiling just be painted over?
Only once the leak is fixed and the drywall is dry and firm. Water stains bleed through ordinary paint, so the stain needs a stain-blocking primer first. If the drywall is soft, crumbling or has sagged, that section should be replaced rather than painted.
Why is there a crack where my ceiling meets the wall?
In many homes it is seasonal movement: in cold weather the roof structure can lift slightly, pulling the ceiling away from interior walls, and the gap may close again in summer. Taping it rigidly often re-cracks. The contractor may suggest a repair that allows for the movement, or trim that hides it.
Can you match my textured ceiling?
Common ceiling textures can usually be matched closely enough to be hard to spot, though an exact match on an aged or unusual texture is not always possible. Sometimes re-texturing a whole ceiling gives a better result than blending a patch. In older homes, the texture should be tested for asbestos first.
Do I need to move furniture for a ceiling repair?
The area under the repair needs to be clear for a ladder or scaffold and protected from dust and drips. Moving smaller items out and letting the contractor cover larger furniture is usually enough. Ask what they expect when you book.

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Free, no-obligation estimate

Get a free ceiling repair estimate

A wide photo of the ceiling and a close-up of the damage are the most useful things to include.

Useful to include

  • What you see: crack, hole, stain or sag
  • Whether there was a leak, and if it is fixed
  • Ceiling height and texture (smooth, popcorn, knockdown)
  • Roughly when your home was built

Get a free drywall estimate

About two minutes. Fields marked * are required.

1Your project

What is damaged or being built, roughly how big, which rooms, and whether a leak was involved.

2Your details

At least one of phone or email. A call or text is usually the quickest way to book a look at the job.

Free and no obligation. The price is set by the contractor after seeing the job.