Calgary Drywall Services

Water-damaged drywall · Calgary, AB

Water-damaged drywall repair in Calgary

Stains, soft spots, bubbling paint and sagging ceilings after a leak. The drywall can be rebuilt so the damage disappears, but only once the water source is fixed and everything behind has dried.

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Contractor pulling a water-stained piece of drywall off a wall at floor level, exposing the wood studs and insulation behind it

Common requests

  • Ceiling stains below a bathroom
  • Walls damaged by a plumbing leak
  • Swollen drywall at the bottom of a wall
  • Basement walls after water got in
  • Damage from an ice dam or roof leak
  • Cut-outs left by a plumber or restorer
Step one
Fix the leak. Drywall work comes after the source is repaired.
Step two
Dry the framing and insulation. Never close in wet materials.
Then
Cut out damaged board, replace, tape, finish and stain-block.

The most important thing

New drywall does not fix a leak. Replacing drywall over an active leak or wet framing only hides the problem until it shows up again, often with mould. The order is always: stop the water, fix the source, dry the structure, then replace and finish the drywall.

The right order

From leak to finished wall

The drywall is the last step. The steps before it decide whether the repair lasts.

  1. Step 1: Stop the water and make it safe

    Shut off the water, keep clear of sagging ceilings, and turn off power to wet areas if it is safe to do so.

  2. Step 2: Fix the source

    A plumber, roofer or other trade repairs the leak. Ask them to confirm it is fixed.

  3. Step 3: Remove wet materials and dry out

    Saturated drywall and insulation come out; framing is dried. Larger events usually need a restoration company with drying equipment.

    Moisture readings confirm when it is dry enough to close in.

  4. Step 4: Replace the drywall

    Damaged sections cut back to sound board or to framing, new board fastened, joints taped.

  5. Step 5: Finish, stain-block and paint

    Finished to match the surrounding wall. Any remaining water stain gets a stain-blocking primer so it does not bleed through.

Keep or replace

When wet drywall can stay, and when it has to go

What you seeUsuallyWhy
Small dry stain, board firm and flatUsuallyKeep and stain-blockWhyThe board is sound; only the stain needs sealing.
Brief wetting from clean water, dried fastUsuallyAssessWhyMay be fine; check firmness, edges and for mould.
Soft, crumbling or swollen at the bottomUsuallyReplaceWhyThe gypsum core has lost strength.
Sagging or bulging ceilingUsuallyReplaceWhyWet board is heavy and can pull off its fasteners.
Visible mould or musty smellUsuallyReplace and investigateWhyMould often extends beyond what is visible.
Sewage or floodwater contactUsuallyRemoveWhyContaminated materials should not be kept.

Leak fixed and walls opened up?

Send a photo of the opening and the contractor can often scope the rebuild quickly.

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Mould

Mould and hidden damage

Drywall paper is food for mould once it stays damp. What shows on the surface is often less than what is on the back of the board or in the insulation, which is why wet sections are usually cut out generously rather than just patched where the stain is.

Where water hides

Water runs down inside walls and along the top of ceilings before it shows. The stain may be well away from the leak itself, and the bottom plate of the wall can stay wet long after the surface looks dry.

Large areas of mould

Health Canada advises that large areas of mould, or mould that keeps returning, should be dealt with by professionals. Health Canada: addressing moisture and mould in your home.

In Calgary

Where water damage usually comes from

In Calgary homes, the usual culprits are ordinary ones: a leaking supply line, shower or toilet on an upper floor, a failed water heater or washing machine hose in the basement, a roof or ice-dam leak after a winter freeze and thaw, and water finding its way through a foundation wall. Each one is a different trade to fix, and each one should be fixed before the drywall is rebuilt.

For rebuilds that go beyond a patch, see when drywall should be replaced.

Common questions

Water damage questions

Can wet drywall be dried out and kept?
Sometimes. Drywall that got wet briefly from clean water and dries quickly can stay firm and flat, and may only need a stain-blocking primer and paint. Drywall that stayed wet, sagged, crumbles, swelled at the bottom edge, or shows mould should be cut out and replaced. Anything soaked by sewage or floodwater should be removed.
Should I wait before replacing water-damaged drywall?
Yes, until the leak is fixed and the framing and insulation behind are dry. Closing in wet framing traps moisture and can lead to mould and the same damage again. A contractor or restoration company can check moisture levels before new drywall goes up.
Will insurance cover water-damaged drywall?
That depends on your policy and the cause of the water, so ask your insurer before work starts. Take photos of the damage and the source, keep damaged materials until the adjuster says otherwise if they ask you to, and get a written estimate for the drywall work.
How do I know if there is mould behind the drywall?
Musty smells, dark spotting on the surface or at the bottom of the wall, and drywall that stayed damp for days are all signs. The only way to be sure is to open the wall. Health Canada advises that large areas of mould should be cleaned up by professionals.
Who fixes the leak?
Not the drywall contractor. A plumber, roofer or other appropriate trade finds and repairs the source. For larger water events, a water damage restoration company handles drying. The drywall contractor rebuilds the walls and ceilings once that is done.

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Free, no-obligation estimate

Get a free estimate for water-damaged drywall

Tell the contractor what happened and where things are up to. Whether the leak is fixed is the first thing they will ask.

Useful to include

  • Where the water came from, and whether it is fixed
  • Which rooms, and walls, ceilings or both
  • Whether drying or restoration has been done
  • Whether an insurance claim is involved

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.