Gyproc Plasterboard Patches various sizes 12 Pack (2 x 50mm, 5 x 100mm & 5 x 150mm))

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Both, lath-and-plaster and plasterboard ceilings are fixed to the joists that support the floor above. The depth of the joists will vary depending on the age of the building (older ones are often deeper than modern ones) and their length. Lath and plaster If you're not confident with plastering large areas, plasterboard will achieve a flat surface with which to skim over.

In both cases, you'll need to skim over the undercoat plaster or the plasterboard to achieve a smooth finish, smooth enough to paint onto.

You may be doing the same, or you may just be skimming over little bits, leaving most of your existing plaster exposed. Either way, I have covered how to skim coat in another post. Here's a link to it which will open in a new tab for you. Measure and cut a new piece of plasterboard to fill the hole. Fix in place with plasterboard screws or nails. Mix up plaster, apply and leave to dry. Tap the plaster - To determine if the plaster has become detached from the masonry behind, give it a tap with your fists. There's a bit on my video, about 3:35 in, where I tap good and bad bits of plaster. Place a piece of self-adhesive plasterboard repair mesh tape over the hole, ensuring that all four edges are covered. If the home is too large for a single piece to cover all the sides, use multiple pieces with as little overlap as possible.

If sanding plaster or cutting plasterboard, be sure to wear goggles and a dust mask and try to work in a well-ventilated space

Patch repair plaster to solid walls

When working with plaster, it's best to only work with small amounts on the hawk and trowel. Try to build up a rhythm so you can cover the patch repair before the plaster starts to set Once completely dry, sand over the filler gently, ensuring any seams are removed and that the layer of filler is not a raised patch in relation to the wall surface. There are many different fillers and plaster products available, so be sure to consider the range and select a product that is best suited to your job. For example, if you only need a small amount, you might find it easier to use ready mixed plaster By the time you've read all this post, you should have a clear idea which option to go with, I'm not expecting you to decide right away so don't worry, just read on for now. Once the adhesive has dried enough to support the patch you can now push the screw out into the wall void. Leave for a further 24 hours for the adhesive to completely harden off and then you can start filling.

Now you need to measure and cut two noggins (horizontal wood that bridges the gap between the studs). Use a bit of 2 x 4 inch – approximately 100mm x 50mm – timber to create the noggins. Nail or screw them into position, between the studs, from the sides. This will create an area to fix your new plasterboard patch to. The two main repair methods can be found below: Repairing a Plasterboard Hole Using a Piece of Plasterboard or Timber As you will need to do a bit of cutting, before you start this, firstly run over the area around the hole with a wire detector to make sure there aren’t any wires, pipes or other items that you may accidentally cut through. With the batten positioned screw it in place through the front of the plasterboard making sure the screw heads go below the skim of plaster on the board. Do this with both battens and then cut a square of plasterboard to fit in the hole. This can be screwed to the battens with drywall screws and the square plastered together with the 4 screw holes for the battens.If you can get yourself a scraper with a metal plate on the end of a handle, like the one above, this'll help as you can tap the end with a hammer and use it like a bolster. Caulk can’t really be sanded down so you need to get it as smooth as possible. For any larger holes you are much better served by a more suitable filler. How Do You Fill Screw Holes In Plasterboard? Thorough preparation is key to achieving a high-quality finish, so be sure to remove all traces of old plaster, dust and grease for the area you plan to repair For me, when I was sorting out both bedrooms, I skim the lot, over the old plaster too. This is because I wanted to make sure I had a flat surface throughout and I'd already had a bit of practice at skim coating.