★ Old walls, done right
Plaster Repair in Columbia, MO.
The 1900s–1940s homes in the Old Southwest, Benton-Stephens, East Campus and along West Broadway — and the historic districts of Jefferson City, Boonville and Rocheport — have lath-and-plaster walls that crack, bow and crumble differently from drywall. We repair them so the original walls stay.
Plaster Repair in Columbia, MO — done so well you can't find the repair
Plaster was applied wet over wood lath in three coats and keyed into the gaps between the laths. Over a hundred years those keys break, the plaster separates from the lath, and the wall develops map cracks, bulges and hollow spots. Water from an old roof or a radiator leak turns it soft. Doorknob holes and anchor holes punch straight through. Patching plaster with drywall compound alone doesn't work because the two materials move differently and the patch never bonds to the lath.
We repair plaster with the right materials and the right sequence: re-anchoring loose plaster to the lath with adhesive and screws, filling holes with a setting-type compound that bonds to the lath, bridging cracks with fiberglass mesh so they don't reopen, and skim-coating so the surface reads as one continuous wall. Where a section is too far gone, we cut it back and fill with drywall shimmed flush to the plaster, then blend the two.
See typical prices in our Columbia drywall repair cost guide.
Free estimate
Free quote: plaster repair
Tell us about the damage — a photo by text gets you the fastest price.
What we fix
Plaster Problems We Fix
Common in Columbia's older neighborhoods and the historic river towns:
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Map and spider cracks
Networks of fine cracks across a wall or ceiling from a century of movement. Bridged with mesh and skimmed so they stay closed.
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Loose, bulging or hollow plaster
Plaster that has separated from the lath. We re-anchor it with plaster washers or adhesive rather than letting it fall.
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Holes and missing sections
Doorknob holes, anchor holes, sections that fell. Filled and keyed into the lath, or replaced with drywall shimmed flush.
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Water-damaged and crumbling plaster
Soft plaster under old roof leaks or radiator drips, removed and rebuilt once the source is fixed.
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Sagging plaster ceilings
The most urgent plaster problem. Reattached or replaced before it comes down on its own.
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Plaster-to-drywall transitions
Blending an old plaster wall into a newer drywall addition or remodel so there is no visible step.
If you own a home in one of Columbia's historic districts, keeping the plaster is usually worth it — it is denser, quieter and more fire-resistant than drywall, and repair is cheaper than gutting. We'll tell you honestly when a wall is past saving.
Our process
How We Repair Plaster
Different materials, same standard — a repair you can't find:
- 01
Stabilize
Loose plaster is reattached to the lath with plaster washers, screws or injected adhesive. Anything that can't be saved is removed back to sound material.
- 02
Rebuild
Holes are filled with a setting-type base coat keyed into the lath; cracks are opened, filled and bridged with fiberglass mesh; missing sections get drywall shimmed flush.
- 03
Skim and finish
The repair area is skim-coated in thin coats and sanded so it reads as one continuous surface, then primed. Smooth is standard; we can match a historic sand or swirl finish too.
Pricing
What Plaster Repair Costs in Columbia, MO
Most plaster crack and hole repairs in Columbia run $175–$550, a little more than the equivalent drywall repair because of the extra anchoring and skim work. Re-securing a large loose ceiling or rebuilding a whole wall is quoted after a free look.
Quotes are free and flat-rate, and we will tell you if a wall is beyond saving before you spend anything.
FAQ
Plaster Repair: common questions
Can plaster walls be repaired, or do they need to be replaced with drywall?
Most plaster walls can be repaired. Loose plaster can be re-anchored to the lath and cracks bridged so they stay closed. Replacement only makes sense when large areas have lost their key or been soaked.
Why did my previous plaster patch crack again?
Plaster and drywall compound move differently, and a compound-only patch never bonds to the lath. We use setting-type compound keyed into the lath and mesh over cracks so the repair holds.
How much does plaster repair cost?
Most plaster crack and hole repairs run $175–$550. Larger stabilization or rebuild work is quoted after a free look.
Which Columbia neighborhoods have plaster walls?
Mostly homes built before about 1950: the Old Southwest, Benton-Stephens, East Campus, West Broadway and the streets around downtown, plus historic homes in Rocheport, Boonville, Fulton and downtown Jefferson City.
More services
Related drywall services
Drywall & Plaster Crack Repair
Settling cracks, corner cracks, seam cracks above doors and windows — taped and floated with proper backing so they don't come back.
Pricing & process →Ceiling Repair
Water-stained, cracked, sagging or damaged drywall ceilings cut out, replaced and texture-matched so the repair disappears under the light.
Pricing & process →Texture Matching
Knockdown, orange peel, skip trowel, stipple, smooth — matched so the patch is invisible after paint. The hardest part of any repair, and our specialty.
Pricing & process →Service areas
Plaster Repair across Columbia & mid-Missouri
Same flat-rate pricing in every town we serve — no trip fees.
Need plaster repair? Get a price today.
Text a photo of the damage or fill out the form. Free flat-rate quote, usually within the hour.