Home of Bok Tower Gardens
Lake Wales Drywall Contractors and Plaster Specialists
Lake Wales is one of the most distinctive towns on the Lake Wales Ridge, with a historic downtown, older Mediterranean-style homes and lakeside streets. We repair plaster and drywall here with methods that suit each home's age and construction.
- Veteran-owned
- Background-checked techs
- 1-year written warranty
- Text-a-photo quotes
Free estimate in about an hour
- Text a photo to 727-242-8500
- Written quote = final price
- HEPA dust control on every job
- Walkthrough before you pay
A ridge town with real history
Lake Wales sits on the Lake Wales Ridge in eastern Polk County, where US 27 and SR 60 cross. It is known for Bok Tower Gardens on one of the highest points in peninsular Florida, for its historic downtown, and for Lake Wailes, the lake the town grew up around. Many older homes date from the town's early growth and have Mediterranean Revival or bungalow styling, stucco exteriors and plaster interiors.
Around that historic core you will find mid-century block homes, lakeside houses and newer subdivisions, plus surrounding communities such as Highland Park, Hillcrest Heights and Babson Park to the south.
Plaster homes need plaster methods
In older Lake Wales homes, interior walls and ceilings are frequently plaster over wood lath. When plaster cracks or bulges, the instinct is to cut it out and patch with drywall. That often creates a visible ridge, damages the surrounding plaster and loses the solid feel of the original wall.
Instead, we re-secure loose plaster to the lath, reinforce cracks and fill with compatible materials, then skim to match. Only sections that cannot be saved are replaced. Our plaster wall and ceiling repairs are designed for exactly these homes.
What else Lake Wales homeowners ask for
Leak damage
Older tile and flat roofs can leak at parapets and flashing. Once fixed, we repair the ceiling below.
Popcorn removal
Mid-century homes often have acoustic ceilings. Test if pre-mid-1980s, then we scrape and refinish them.
Rewiring patches
Upgrading wiring in older homes leaves notches in plaster. Our after-electrician repairs close them.
Settling cracks
Newer homes show nail pops and seam cracks; we fix them so they last.
Signs your plaster needs attention
Plaster usually gives warning before it fails. Call us, or at least keep an eye on it, if you notice:
A crack that has started to widen or has one side sitting proud of the other.
A section of wall or ceiling that sounds hollow or moves slightly when pressed.
Fine plaster dust or small crumbs collecting on a floor or windowsill below a crack.
Brown staining around a crack, which suggests past or present water.
Paint that has bubbled into a blister over a hard, uneven surface.
Caring for an older Lake Wales house
Older Lake Wales homes often have features that make drywall work more involved: arched openings, coved ceilings, thick plaster returns around deep-set windows and decorative niches. Repairing these well takes patience and the right tools, because a straight-edged drywall patch looks wrong on a curved surface.
We shape repairs to follow the original geometry, using flexible bead on arches and building up curves with compound rather than forcing flat board into place. On walls that have been painted many times, we check that the old paint is sound before skimming, because new material will only stay put if what is underneath is well bonded. If you are restoring rather than renovating, tell us; we will keep as much of the original surface as possible and limit changes to what is needed.
Nearby
We serve Lake Wales along with Highland Park, Hillcrest Heights, Dundee and Frostproof to the south. See all communities on our Polk County page.
Wall & ceiling services in Lake Wales
Wall & Ceiling Repair
Lake Wales has a high share of older homes, so the first question on any repair is whether we are dealing with plaster, drywall or both.
Learn more about Wall & Ceiling Repair →
Drywall Repair
Mid-century and newer Lake Wales homes have gypsum board, and we patch holes with backed inserts that resist cracking.
Learn more about Drywall Repair →
Seam & Crack Repair
Arched openings in older Lake Wales homes often crack at the top of the curve, and we reinforce them with flexible tape that follows the shape.
Learn more about Seam & Crack Repair →
Damaged Drywall Replacement
In Lake Wales Mediterranean Revival homes, a damaged section of plaster is replaced with material built up to the original depth so the joint disappears.
Learn more about Damaged Drywall Replacement →Texture Matching
Smooth plaster and hand-trowel textures are common in older Lake Wales homes, and we match them by hand.
Learn more about Texture Matching →Painting Prep
Older Lake Wales walls may have oil paint or chalky surfaces, so we use bonding primers before new paint.
Learn more about Painting Prep →Patch Finishing
Coved ceilings and curved walls in older Lake Wales homes need hand-shaped finishing coats over the repair rather than flat, machine-style taping.
Learn more about Patch Finishing →Plaster Repair
Lake Wales' older Mediterranean Revival and bungalow homes often retain original plaster, which we re-anchor and preserve.
Learn more about Plaster Repair →
Popcorn Ceiling Removal
Mid-century Lake Wales homes frequently have acoustic ceilings; test those from before the mid-1980s before removal.
Learn more about Popcorn Ceiling Removal →Drywall Repair After HVAC Work
Adding or relocating ductwork in older Lake Wales homes means opening plaster ceilings, which we patch with compatible material.
Learn more about Drywall Repair After HVAC Work →
Drywall Repair After Plumbing Work
Ageing plumbing in older Lake Wales homes leads to wall openings that we rebuild in plaster or drywall.
Learn more about Drywall Repair After Plumbing Work →
Drywall Repair After Electrical Work
Rewiring Lake Wales' historic homes leaves notches in plaster that we fill and smooth.
Learn more about Drywall Repair After Electrical Work →Contractor Damage Repair
Window restoration in Lake Wales' older homes can crack the deep plaster returns around each opening, and we rebuild them with square, crisp edges.
Learn more about Contractor Damage Repair →
Also serving near Lake Wales
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you repair plaster in an older Lake Wales home?
Yes. If the plaster is mostly attached, we re-secure loose areas, reinforce cracks and skim to match, keeping as much original material as possible.
My ceiling has a bulge. Is it dangerous?
A bulge in a plaster ceiling usually means it has detached from the lath. It should be addressed promptly, before it worsens. Avoid pushing on it and send us photos.
Can you match the smooth walls in my older home?
Yes. We use materials that produce a hard, smooth surface compatible with plaster, so repairs look and feel like the original.
Do you work on homes around Bok Tower Gardens and the ridge?
Yes. We serve Lake Wales and the surrounding ridge communities. Include your address when you send photos.
Can you repair arched doorways and coved ceilings?
Yes. Curved surfaces are common in older Lake Wales homes. We use flexible corner bead and build curves up with compound so the repair follows the original shape, rather than leaving a flat spot on a curve.
Is it better to replace old plaster with drywall?
Not usually. Sound plaster is dense, quiet and durable, and removing it is messy and disruptive. Repairing it preserves the character of an older Lake Wales home. Replacement makes sense only where the plaster has failed over a large area or been badly water-damaged.
Keep exploring
Tell us about the damage
Send the details and a photo through the form and we reply with a written quote, usually within the hour. The quote is the final price.
- Free virtual estimate, no obligation
- Veteran-owned, background-checked technicians
- HEPA dust control on every job
- 1-year written workmanship warranty
Get Your Free Estimate Today
Fill in your details and we'll respond within the hour — often in minutes.
Prefer not to use the form? Text a photo to 727-242-8500 or call 1-877-728-2448.
Ready for a flawless repair?
Text a photo, call for a free estimate, or send the form. We serve Tampa, Clearwater, Lakeland, Bradenton, Sarasota and all of West Central Florida.
Or text a damage photo to 727-242-8500 for a written quote, usually within the hour.