John,
If it is a small repair, you may want to test out a product at Lowes. Homax ceiling texture. I'd suggest trying it on a scrap piece of drywall (make sure it's at ceiling height for testing). ... read more
The difficulty depends on many things.
I would say PT post is the way to go, but install it over a post standoff past so water doesnt get trapped between the bottom of the post and whatever it is sitt ... read more