MobileHomeDoctor.com
|
Repairing/Replacing CeilingsAs I indicated above, replacing a ceiling panel in a mobile home is not a job for the fainthearted. Newer Homes Repairing the ceiling in new homes is quite a challenge and requires work that is best done by experienced people. To do it well you are going to have to remove & replace a large, heavy, fragile sheet of drywall. You will then have to seal the seams, cover the screw heads and texture to match the rest of the ceiling. Finally you will probably want to paint the whole ceiling to make the color match. Unfortunately, if you have one of the acoustically textured ceilings, painting is not an option. I am open to ideas for what you do then. Older homes. Mobile home supply stores sell replacement ceiling panels for homes that have the flat panel ceilings with the plastic strips every 16" inches. Note that in spite of what it looks like these are 4' x 14' panels. They are awkward & fragile. They will probably not have the exact pattern your home has but most people are not that sensitive to the pattern and seldom look up anyhow. Thus an approximate pattern match, which is the best you can hope for, will probably be acceptable. The new plastic strips will probably not match your old ones which will have yellowed with age and/or been painted. You will probably want to plan to paint the entire ceiling to make the repair as inconspicuous as possible. You will be unable to remove the old ceiling panel more than an inch or so back into the wall and will want to make sure there are no nails or rough spots that would make it difficult to slide the new panel into place. The walls are probably not square so you will want to measure carefully before you cut the replacement panel. You are going to have to let the replacement panel bow down in the middle while you position the ends at the wall line and lift up the middle to force (gently) the ends into the wall. The depth you can get will depend on how long the replacement piece is and how far you can bow the panel without breaking it. Especially for a short piece, such as in the kitchen ceiling, you will probably want to trim the edge with quarter-round because you will not be able to get the panel far enough into the wall for reasonable support.. You also have to make sure you have the replacement panel positioned properly from side to side. If you are off by just a little you won't be able to insert the plastic trim strip on one side and it won't stay in place on the other. |
Mobile Home Doctor Ltd.
Co. P. O. Box 10332, Albuquerque, NM 87184 USA
|