Plaster Repair
Cracked and sagging old plaster pulled back tight and skimmed, or stripped out for new board once its lath gives up.
Drywall Repair and Installation in Eaton Rapids, MI
Lansing Elite Drywall provides drywall repair and installation in Eaton Rapids, MI, and handles plaster and drywall replacement in Eaton Rapids houses, basements and downtown buildings.
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About 30% of the homes in Eaton Rapids are considered rental homes, while 8% of the homes here are considered mobile homes. Eaton Rapids is about a 27-minute drive from Lansing, and the median home built here was built around 1954.
- Old walls checked before they are opened
- Stairwell plaster reattached
- Basements near the river finished for damp
- About 27 minutes down M-99
Drywall Repair Across Eaton Rapids
Renters, more so than homeowners, can typically wait longer to call in a professional or the landlord when sheetrock is damaged by water, which means the sheetrock job can be much larger than if they had called right at the beginning.
Stairwell Walls in Two-Story Houses
The tall wall beside a staircase takes the most knocks and moves with every step. Its plaster cracks and loosens from the lath; we screw it back with plaster washers, then fill and skim from a platform built over the stairs.
Basements Close to the Grand River
Houses near the river can have a damp basement in spring. We find and fix the water source first, then hang moisture-resistant board held up off the floor, and leave the old stone or block walls breathing behind a gap.
Checking an Old Wall Before Opening It
Before we open a wall in a house this old, we check what is inside it. Old cloth-covered wiring, gas lines and a plumbing vent can sit in the same cavity, and the plaster may carry lead paint. A small inspection hole and a voltage tester come first; the larger opening follows once we know what it holds.
Upstairs Over the Downtown Shops
Downtown on the island, many buildings have offices or apartments upstairs over the shops. We plan that work around business hours, and keep dust out of the stairway the tenants and customers share.
Old Ceiling Tiles Replaced With Drywall
Old ceiling tiles were typically stapled to wood strips up on the ceiling. This was considered a mid-century style of ceiling. First, the tiles and strips are removed, and then the new drywall is put up on the ceiling. Always get it in writing before the job starts whether there’s an extra charge to haul away all the old tiles and wood strips.
Fitting New Board to Settled Framing
Fitting new board to settled framing typically means the wall has become out of square or plumb. This can be tested with a long straightedge to determine how far out of plumb, or how high and low, that particular wall is. If some of the studs are high, they will need to be planed down to make them the same as the original studs. If some of the studs are low, then we would need to shim those up to match the original studs in the wall. Where a whole wall leans, we keep its lean and make the surface straight along it, because forcing it plumb would open gaps at the trim and ceiling.
Permits From the City’s Own Department
Eaton Rapids has its own Building and Zoning Department. The city’s FAQ names basement finishing as permit work, along with roofs, windows and siding. Homeowners working on the house they live in need no license, but they still need the permit. Small patches seldom do; ask at City Hall when in doubt.
Getting to Eaton Rapids
Eaton Rapids is about 27 minutes south of Lansing on M-99. Downtown sits on an island in the Grand River.
We also serve Dimondale, MI, the village on the Grand River just southwest of Lansing.
What Shapes Drywall Work in Eaton Rapids, MI
Eaton Rapids has a population of about 5,184. Here is what that means for the work we do here.
| Local fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Homes built in 1939 or earlier | 43.5% of the city's 2,347 housing units, with 1954 as the median year built. |
| Homes built before 1980 | 77.2%; only 1% are from the 2010s or later. |
| Building permits | Issued by the city's own Building and Zoning Department at City Hall on South Main Street. |
| Permit needed for | Basement finishing, roofs, windows and siding, per the city's FAQ; homeowners need a permit but no license. |
| Island City | Downtown sits on an island in the Grand River, formed by a mill race dug in the 1840s. |
Services we offer in Eaton Rapids
Basement Drywall
Lower-level rooms boarded and finished once the foundation is dry, moisture-resistant sheets at slab level, Lansing permit in hand.
Ceiling Repair
Cracked seams, corner gaps that open every winter, sagging board, cracked plaster and holes left by fans or plumbers, repaired after the cause is found.
Water Damage Drywall Repair
Brown rings, soft spots and drooping ceilings after ice dams, split pipes, bathroom leaks or basement water, opened, dried out and rebuilt to blend in.
Drywall Finishing
Seams finished to whatever level your paint and lighting demand, textures matched or applied, and skim coats that turn rough or textured walls smooth.
Commercial Drywall
Office suites, shops, clinics and multi-unit housing framed and hung per the plan set, rated walls to their tested design.
Popcorn Ceiling Removal
Acoustic texture sampled, misted and scraped off, then the bare ceiling skimmed smooth for primer.
Nearby areas we serve
Put a number on the damage
Describe the room and what happened to it. We call back with what the repair or hang probably involves and which details push the number up or down.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you put new drywall over a cracked plaster ceiling?
Yes, if the plaster is still mostly attached, it can hold quarter-inch or three-eighths-inch drywall board screwed through into the joists. This process does not have the dust of a full tear-out job.
Should old plaster be tested for asbestos before demolition?
Most plaster around here has none, but some old plaster had it in the joint compound skimmed over it. It's always best to send a sample to a testing lab, especially before a full tear-out.
Can you repair curved plaster arches?
Yes, we can match the old curve using flexible board or metal lath, which is shaped to the old curve, then skimmed over with compound to blend into the existing wall.
Do you work in Hamlin and Eaton Rapids Townships?
Yes, both Hamlin Township and Eaton Rapids Township. A township is a separate local government around the city, with its own rules and offices. Township homes get their permits through the Eaton County Construction Codes Department, not City Hall.
Why is paint peeling off my old plaster in sheets?
Paint peeling off old plaster is typically newer latex paint painted over the original oil paint. Once it is scraped off, a bonding primer needs to go on before you repaint, so it does not peel.
Can wallpaper glued straight onto plaster come off?
Yes. The best way, and the only way to do it properly, is with steam. The hot, moist steam releases the paper from the plaster, and then the paste can be washed off.
Request a quote
Ringing (517) 940-8317 gets you a first figure fastest. Otherwise fill in the form and expect a callback.