A leaky roof caused water damage to an area of the ceiling approximately 3' x 4'. The ceiling also has a nearby crack that seems to follow a joint, bringing the total affected area to about 5' x 8'. The room itself is 13' x 16':
Is it reasonable to cut out an area of drywall that amounts to about 20% of the total area and patch it with a new sheet of drywall the way one would patch a smaller area? Is there anything that I should do differently for such a large repair? Finally, is this a project that a competent do-it-yourselfer can manage, or should I call a pro?
Best Answer
Yes, this is certainly doable, but I guess an assistant would be very useful when handling pieces of drywall and attaching them to the ceiling.
What you essentially will have to do is remove the affected drywall (not necessary to remove entire sheets - if a sheet is only partially damaged you can cut the damaged part away and leave the unaffected part) and then patch the area. No major difference compared to a small area patch - you will have to replace the damaged material entirely from one closest stud to another, studs are separated with rather small distance.
This will constitute lots of tedious work and will be rather dirty but it is certainly doable by a DIYer.