Plasterboard disintegration

Cause

Plasterboard has become wet from a wall, window or roof leak

Repair

  • identifying the cause and extent of the leak, and making a permanent fix, is crucial. Water damage to plasterboard may indicate a single leak or may be a symptom of a much wider problem. If the cause is not easy to see, or the extent of the damage is unclear, contact a registered building surveyor to investigate. This is strongly recommended for houses constructed in the 1990s–early 2000s with features proven to be at risk of leaks

  • check whether there is water damage or rot to framing behind the plasterboard. If there is, this must be addressed. Fixing leaky buildings is a specialist area. Only building surveyors, architects/designers and builders with experience in this area should be involved. There have been many cases where an unsatisfactory repair job las led to the need for further repairs down the track. A building consent may be required for repair work. You can find more information on the BRANZ Weathertight website

  • if there is no damage to framing and there is clearly only a single leak, make a permanent repair to the source of the leak. Ensure the wall framing and/or wall cavity is completely dry before replacing the damaged plasterboard with new