Holes in the Ceiling: What Causes Them and How to Fix Them

A hole in the ceiling, whether it's a pinhole or a gap you can see into the attic, usually has a clear cause. Finding it before you patch means the repair holds. Here are the most common causes, starting with the small ones.

Tiny holes or pinholes

• Nail or screw pops. As framing lumber dries and shifts, a fastener can push through the ceiling, leaving a small round hole or crack with a raised edge. Often several appear in a line along a joist.
• Insects. Small holes with fine dust or debris below can be a sign of termites or other wood-boring insects in the attic. Have a pest control company take a look before the ceiling is repaired.
• Old fixtures and hardware. Holes left from smoke detectors, hooks, curtain rods or a moved light fixture.
• Water drips. A slow leak can soften a small spot until it opens up. Look for a stain or soft area around it.

Larger holes

• Water damage. In Florida, this is the most common cause. Water from a roof leak, AC drain line or plumbing soaks the drywall until it sags and breaks open. Look for brown stains and soft, sagging areas. See repairing drywall stains and water damage.
• Rodents and other pests. Rats, mice and squirrels moving into the attic chew through drywall at the edges and corners. Gnawed edges and droppings are the giveaway.
• A foot through the ceiling. Stepping off a joist in the attic is one of the most common causes of a sudden hole.
• Deteriorating drywall or tape. Crumbling drywall, or little piles of "sand" on the floor, can mean old or damaged sheetrock or joint tape that needs replacing.

What's that hole in the ceiling called?

A large square opening, usually in a hallway or closet, is an attic access or scuttle hole. It's meant to be there and is normally covered by a removable panel. Round holes cut for lights are for recessed or "can" lights.

Fix the cause first

Before the hole is patched, fix whatever made it: the leak, the pests or the loose fasteners. Otherwise the damage comes back. Our article on sagging ceilings covers what to watch for overhead.

How a ceiling hole is repaired

Small holes and nail pops are reset, filled and sanded. Larger holes are cut back to sound drywall and a new piece is installed, then taped, floated, textured to match and painted. On a ceiling, matching the texture is what makes the repair disappear.

Ceiling repair in Orlando

New Ceilings repairs ceiling holes across Orlando and Central Florida, from nail pops to water-damaged sections, and matches the texture and paint. See drywall and ceiling repair.