How to Repair Water Damage
Our homes are our frontline protection against the elements. Over time, the wear and tear will begin to show, and some of them come in the form of water damage. Here are some tips on how to repair water damage on a variety of surfaces.
Water Stains
The most typical water damage comes in the form of water stains. Characteristically dark yellow or dark brown, water stains are caused by the substances in the plaster or the drywall that have leached to surface because of moisture or leaking. An easy way to get rid of them is to paint over them, granted that the surface itself isn’t damaged.
To get rid of water stains, use a detergent that’s made for cleaning paint. Avoid soaking the surface when cleaning. Let dry and then apply a stain-blocker primer. After it dries, put a fresh coat of paint over it.
Woodwork
If the woodwork you’re dealing with is varnished, you can fix minor damage by slightly sanding the damaged area with a low-grit number sandpaper. Follow this with a coat of varnish. If you’re dealing with more serious damage, ou will have to strip down the varnish completely and sand down the damaged wood area to level it all out. Refinish with a new coat of varnish.
Plaster
Remove all loose and crumbling plaster from the walls using a putty knife and a chisel-blade joint knife for the tougher patches. Anything loose plaster must go.
Once you’ve removed all the loose plaster, remove the plaster dust and debris. Apply a shellac-based primer sealer all over the affected water-damaged areas. This will seal off the source of the water leakage.
Smooth out the area using a couple of coats of skim coats of setting joint compound. This will also fix any dents or holes in the wall as well. Layer at least a 1/4-inch thick on top of the damaged area. Let the mud dry for 30 minutes to an our, removing protruding edges afterward.
Lightly sand the area with a medium-grit sandpaper to remove any bumps or extraneous materials. Brush off the dust and wipe clean with a damp rag. Put a second coat of mud perpendicular to the first coat. Let dry for another hour and sand again with a 120-grit sandpaper. Wipe clean again and now prime with more primer-sealer before letting dry completely. Re-paint the formerly water damaged area.