Fire and Smoke Damaged Drywall: Repair or Replace It?
After a house fire, drywall that's charred, crumbling, soaked by firefighting water or holding a strong smoke smell needs to be replaced. Drywall that's firm and dry with only a light smoke film can often be cleaned, sealed with an odor-blocking primer and repainted. Smoke and soot cleanup comes first, then the drywall repairs, then paint.
First steps after a fire
Don't go back in until the fire department says the house is safe. Call your insurance company, photograph everything before cleanup starts, and have a fire and smoke restoration company handle soot removal and deodorizing. Soot is acidic and oily, and wiping it the wrong way smears it deeper into walls and ceilings.
Drywall that needs to be replaced
- Burned or charred drywall, and drywall that has cracked, warped or pulled away from the framing from the heat.
- Wet drywall from the water used to put out the fire. Drywall that stays wet can grow mold within a day or two. See how water-damaged drywall is repaired.
- Drywall that still smells of smoke after cleaning. Smoke odor soaks into the gypsum and paper, and cleaning the surface won't reach it.
Drywall that can often be saved
Walls and ceilings farther from the fire, with a light film of smoke but no heat or water damage, can usually be cleaned by the restoration team. Then they're sealed with a shellac-based or odor-blocking primer, so stains and smell don't come through, and repainted. Ceilings need the same treatment, since smoke rises and stains them first.
Fire-rated drywall
Some drywall, like the wall and ceiling between a garage and the house, is fire-rated Type X. It slows a fire's spread but still has to be replaced once it's damaged, using the same fire-rated type. See types of drywall and where they're used.
Drywall replacement and painting in Orlando
Once cleanup is done, New Ceilings replaces fire- and water-damaged drywall, seals and repaints smoke-stained walls and ceilings, and matches the texture across Orlando and Central Florida. Every job starts with a free written quote. See drywall and ceiling repair.