Modular home ceiling repair
 

I bought a modular home a few days ago to use as a rental property . I’ve never owned a modular, but this one was too good of a deal to pass up, and the location is very desirable.
One of the rooms has a few holes in the ceiling. It appears to be made out of a pressed wood pulp material. I don’t know how you would patch something like this. I would assume you would have to replace the entire panel. The panels look to be a few feet wide and run the length of the room, maybe 10ft? I can’t tell how they mount either.
I don’t take possession for a few weeks, so no pics. Just trying to plan repairs ahead of time.
Any modular home wall, ceiling info would be appreciated!

See if you can find out who manufactured it, check the back of a cabinet door for a manufacturers decal, usually under the kitchen sink. Contact the local distributor to see if they can supply a replacement panel.

Thanks. I’ll look into that.
Just to clear something up, I use the term modular home, but after doing some reading on the internet it seems like modular and mobile home are kind of interchangeable sometimes.
My house has a partial basement, and has a steel I-beam running the length of it in the basement and crawl space. I don’t know how the wall and ceiling construction would compare to a mobile home, but figured I’d clear that up if they are different!

Public documents regarding plans, permits, Certificate of Occupancy and final construction approval are available at the local Building Code enforcement agency if the residence was built with required permits. Those records can be accessed by anyone( including potential property purchasers) most times with a nominal fee or free.
In other words, you can research who built your new home as well as, if a modular home, which company manufactured that portion of the home. the foundation and some supporting structure were then probably built on-site to accommodate the modular pieces.
BTW, what did the home inspection report say regarding whether it was a manufactured, modular or stick-built construction?

I dug these off of the listing photos if it helps.

Good info, thanks!
It was listed as a “manufactured “ home.

Are the strips between the panels plastic?


I had an old mobile home that had a ceiling that looked like that.
The strips slide out at one end or the other. (if you don't want to tear it all down). Then you would see how the panels are nailed up there. Would have to take strips on both side of the broken panel.
I think you can buy the panels at a mobile home parts place. Lots down here in Florida.

But may be easier to just replace the ceiling with something else?


:confused:

I don’t remember if they are plastic or metal.
My other option is tear it down and Sheetrock it, I HOPE. I’m pretty good at hanging and mudding. Just don’t know how these current ceilings are hung, so it’s all a learning curve on this one.
Thanks for the info.

40 some years ago I had to take down and replace a ceiling panel in a mobile home that I owned. The ceiling looked the same as pictured. I was able to coax the plastic strip out without any damage and then remove the molding along the wall and cut the panel under where the molding sat. The panel was attached to the ceiling framing with staples which were easily pulled. You have to support the panel as the fasteners are removed or it will come crashing down at some point. as I remember the hardest part was removing the plastic and then replacing without doing any damage. I didn't need to buy a new panel because the reason for the work was to move a ceiling light box and wiring.
I would think that in you were to install a sheetrock ceiling the new panels could be installed directly over (under) the existing ceiling since what is already there isn't very heavy and you could avoid the mess of knocking everything down.
Good luck.