Walls, Ceilings & Repairs
Wall & Ceiling Repair and Painting in Somerville
Ceilings, cracked plaster, holes and failing surfaces — fixed first, then painted.
Repairs are quoted by the extent of the damage rather than by room. Small filling is part of an interior estimate; larger cracks and water-stained areas are quoted separately.
Paint does not hide a bad surface
It emphasizes it. A fresh coat over a cracked, dented or flaking wall makes every flaw more obvious rather than less, because a uniform color strips away the visual noise that was disguising the damage.
That is why repair comes first on every job, and why it is the line on the estimate that varies most between houses.
Older Boston houses crack, and that is normal
Most of the housing stock around Somerville, Cambridge and Medford is old enough to be lath and plaster rather than drywall. Plaster is harder and more brittle than drywall, and it moves with the seasons — heating on in November, off in April, decade after decade.
The result is hairline cracking, usually along the same lines every year. A crack skimmed with filler and painted over will reopen. Cut out, filled and feathered wide into the surrounding surface, it stands a far better chance of staying shut.
Ceilings
Ceilings show everything. They catch raking light from the windows, so any ridge, patch or roller mark reads clearly from across the room.
Water damage is the common problem — a stain from a bathroom above, an old roof leak, a radiator that let go. That cannot simply be covered; it bleeds through the new coat, sometimes weeks later. It needs sealing with a stain-blocking primer, and the source needs fixing first.
Peeling ceiling paint gets removed rather than covered. Painting over a failing surface is the fastest way to guarantee a callback.
Materials
What the job actually needs
The product matters as much as the brand. These are what this kind of job calls for — Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams finishes, plus the standard primers the trade relies on. Ask Cayo which he recommends for your job, and why.
Filling
Setting-type compound on real cracks, lightweight filler only on small dents
A setting compound, not a ready-mixed tub, for larger cracks
Stain blocking
Water stains bleed through ordinary paint, sometimes weeks later. They have to be sealed
Zinsser B-I-N shellac primer or Kilz Original
Finish
Flat on ceilings, a washable finish on walls that get touched
Benjamin Moore Waterborne Ceiling Paint, and Regal Select on walls
Walls, Ceilings & Repairs — recent work
Photos from actual jobs
Reviews
What customers said
…From the beginning, their preparation work was excellent and showed their attention to detail. They worked clean, protected everything properly, and left the rooms spotless when they were finished. The paint lines are sharp, the finish looks fantastic…
Questions
Walls, Ceilings & Repairs — common questions
Can you paint over a water stain?
Not directly. Water stains bleed through ordinary paint, sometimes weeks later, and the mark comes back. The stain has to be sealed with a stain-blocking primer first — and the leak itself has to be fixed before any of that is worth doing.
Why do the cracks keep coming back?
Because filler alone does not hold a moving crack. Plaster cracking in an older Greater Boston home is usually seasonal movement, and a crack that is simply skimmed over will reopen the next winter. Cut out, filled and feathered wide, it stands a far better chance.
Do you work on plaster as well as drywall?
Yes. Most of the older housing stock around Somerville and Cambridge is lath and plaster rather than drywall, and the two behave differently — plaster is harder, more brittle, and cracks along different lines.
My ceiling paint is peeling. Can it just be repainted?
No. Peeling paint has to come off first, back to a surface that is bonded. Painting over it hides the problem for a few months, then the new coat comes away with the old one still attached to it.
Is repair work included in a painting estimate?
Small filling is. Anything larger — big cracks, water damage, wide areas of failed plaster — is quoted separately, so you can see what it costs and decide.
Where we work
Walls, Ceilings & Repairs across Greater Boston
Free estimate
Get a free estimate for walls, ceilings & repairs
A free estimate, no obligation. Cayo looks at the job himself and talks you through what it needs.
- The price you agree is the price you pay. “Completed project and price as agreed upon” — Neal E., Google review.
- Not sure what you need? Text a photo of the room to (857) 880-7832 and Cayo will tell you what it needs — and what it doesn't.
- Rather talk? Call or text (857) 880-7832. It goes to the owner, not an office.