Plaster Wall Repair in NYC

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Cracked, loose and water-damaged plaster on walls and ceilings, repaired in thin coats on sound lath until the repair cannot be seen. In New York homes since 2007.

5.0 from 109 Google reviews · In New York homes since 2007 · Licensed and insured, NYC HIC #1321983-DCA · EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm · Manhattan and northern Brooklyn

Plaster wall repair for apartments, co-ops and brownstones

Paint Works does plaster wall repair in New York apartments and homes, and keeps the original plaster and lath wherever they can be saved. We work in Manhattan and northern Brooklyn, for homeowners, architects and property owners, and for the interior designers they hire.

Plaster on lath is standard in New York buildings from before the 1950s. It cracks along the lath, comes away from it, and has often been patched two or three times before we see it. Paint over failing plaster fails with the plaster, so the repair comes first.

What we repair

Walls and ceilings in prewar apartments, brownstones and townhouses, from a single crack to a room that needs reshaping and a skim coat.

  • Cracks in plaster walls and ceilings
  • Loose plaster that has come away from the lath
  • Water-damaged plaster
  • Ceilings that have come down
  • Wood and metal lath, repaired or replaced
  • Plaster moldings and ceiling medallions, restored or recreated
  • Skim coating of rough or heavily patched walls
  • Cracks and water stains repaired before a listing

Wood trim, casings or baseboards that need work too? See Trim & Molding Repair. Painting the room once the plaster is done? See Interior Painting. Papering instead of painting? See Wallpaper Installation.

Plaster ceiling repair in a New York apartment, with the room protected

Plaster in New York buildings

Prewar walls and ceilings in New York are usually plaster on lath. A good repair starts with what is behind the surface.

Why we keep original plaster

Original plaster is worth keeping. It is durable, it insulates against sound, and it resists fire. Where the plaster and lath are sound, we repair them instead of replacing the wall with drywall.

Wood lath and metal lath

Some walls are plastered over wood lath, others over metal lath, and the two are repaired differently. We check which is behind the wall before the work starts.

Moldings and medallions

Plaster moldings and ceiling medallions are restored where they survive and recreated from a mold of the original where a section is missing. In a 110-year-old Brooklyn brownstone, a ceiling came down after a fan was hung from it on butterfly anchors. We saved the original medallion, mounted it on a plywood backer fixed to the joists, and plastered the new ceiling to its edges.

How a plaster repair is done

Before anything comes off the wall, furniture is moved and wrapped and the floors are covered. Loose plaster is taken down by hand with a putty knife, gently, so the lath underneath survives. Damaged lath is repaired or replaced, a bonding agent goes on, and new plaster goes up in thin layers that blend into the wall around it. Once it is dry, the repair is sanded, wiped down, primed and painted.

The aim is a repair you cannot find once the wall is painted.

"You cannot see where they plastered and repainted the ceilings and walls." Victoria C.

  • Rooms protected before work starts
  • Original plaster and lath kept wherever they are sound
  • New plaster built up in thin, blended layers
  • A two-year workmanship warranty
Plaster tray and tools set up for a plaster wall repair

What happens after you get in touch

Send photos

Share a few photos of the cracks or damage and the room around them, and tell us what you want done. Most of what we would otherwise ask on the phone is answered by the pictures.

Book a time

We find a window that works around your building's hours and access rules. If a certificate of insurance is needed first, we send it ahead.

On-site estimate

We come and see the walls and ceilings, check the condition of the plaster and how far the damage goes, and confirm exactly what the job involves.

Written quote

A detailed quote, line by line, covering preparation, materials, protection, sequence and schedule. The number does not move unless the scope does.

"Price quoted was the price charged." Paul P.

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Restored plaster ceiling medallion in a Brooklyn brownstone

Questions we get asked

Ready to talk about your plaster?

Send a few photos of the walls or ceiling and we will come back with a time, within 24 hours. Prefer to talk it through first? Call (212) 923-2600. We never share your information.

REQUEST AN ESTIMATE