# Plaster Board/Drywall ceiling is falling!



## Thadius856 (Jun 2, 2011)

Well, there's drywall screws specifically for attaching drywall to wood studs. You'll find them next to the mud, tape and other supplies at the big box.

Perhaps I don't understand the question.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

*HOLD ON!!!*

Once drywall has begun to sag it cannot simply be pulled up with screws, the screws will tear through the drywall and nothing will be accomplished. Remember that the existing nails have pulled-thru and are now an obstacle if trying to push the old drywall back into place.

If you intend to try to save the drywall as-is where-is, then you would have to either rent a drywall lift or build a couple of "T"-type supports to be used to force the drywall back to its original position and then screw it while the support is holding it tightly in place against the ceiling joists.

You can however expect the entire ceiling to come down now that some of it has started to fall. It may be wiser just to take out all of the ceilings and re-do them.


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## DIY2009 (Aug 15, 2009)

If money were no object, I'd replace the drywall. Unless I can get a better idea, I'm going support the ceiling to it's original position and rescrew with 2" drywall screws with fasteners. If I take out the ceilngs it would it involve: demo, blown insulation and cost of re-hanging/finishing.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

Once drywall has sagged it has also warped and it has a new memory. Raising a warp in this case would also put serious strain on the drywall panels. I think the panels should be slowly raised to again meet the ceiling structure and then screwed about every six to eight inches so as to counter/offset the strain of the boards wanting to return to their sagging position. Don't know that two-inch screws are necessary, I would think 1-1/4" or 1-1/2" screws would suffice.

A simple "T" made of 2X4's would work by placing the top of the "T" strategically near the seams and wedging the leg of the "T" on the floor.


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## DIY2009 (Aug 15, 2009)

Thanks...I'm going to carefully return boards to their original position and screw every 8". The Plaster board and plaster is little more than 5/8" thick.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

> The Plaster board and plaster is little more than 5/8" thick.


*OKAY HOLD ON AGAIN ! Jheeeezh!*

I assumed when you first said "plasterboard" you meant drywall and you just didn't know the difference. Now I'm not so sure.

*Which is it?* Drywall? Or, plasterboard with plaster? There's a difference and you could be headed down a slippery slope if it is the latter.


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## Thadius856 (Jun 2, 2011)

Bud Cline said:


> *HOLD ON!!!*
> 
> Once drywall has begun to sag it cannot simply be pulled up with screws, the screws will tear through the drywall and nothing will be accomplished. Remember that the existing nails have pulled-thru and are now an obstacle if trying to push the old drywall back into place.


*HOLD ON!!!*

The OP didn't state that the nails pulled through. I assumed that the omission of that detail meant the nails had backed out.

He also doesn't say that the now open seam is particularly large or that there's much sag. I took this to mean that there was just enough movement to open the seam.

All the same, this speak of plaster has me pretty confused as well.


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## Snav (Aug 20, 2009)

Pictures please - so we can better assess your situation and problem - knowing exactly what material your ceiling is and why the boards are falling is essential.

Have you had roof leakage (rain seepage, pipes bursting) - water can dampen drywall and plaster and weaken it, rendering any efforts to readhere it with screws absolutely useless.

There might be other things going on that are causing this - (what's above - the attic? A 2nd floor?). If the attic is above it's possible that someone put their foot through and the integrity of the existing material isn't compromised too much.

Or - perhaps a few nails were just nailed in too deep and after all this time it finally ripped through - a relocation of new screws would be necessary.

Either way: depending on what caused it - there might be a solution that's quick and simple and there might not be.

But - to take down the boards (either plaster or drywall) and replace with new drywall it's not too expensive: one or two sheets of drywall - a small container of mud, a roll of drywall tape, some screws, and set of plastic scrapers . . . . Maybe $40.00 or $50.00 and a weekend.


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## boman47k (Aug 25, 2006)

I too was /am confused as to what is being dealt with here. I am assuming it is 5/8" drywall.

What I have done is similiar to what Bud posted, except instead of a normal "T". I placed a framework made of 2x4's at the top. It was like 2'x3' with a piece going across the middle which rested on the uprite 2x4. This spread the pressure being applied to the sag and allowed me to install several screws before releasing the pressure.

One particular time I remember I used a small jack to slowly apply my 2x4 framework to the ceiling trying to avoid cracking the drywall. This was not a really bad sag, just enough that you could see and push against it with your hand and feel it move.

Imo, the severity of the sag, not to mention the cause, would determine how to deal with it, because as was mentioned, it will have a new memory and may not be rushed back into position.

P.S. I doubt the longer screws would be needed. In fact, they may make the situation worse.


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