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

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Most modern ceilings are built from sheets of plasterboard nailed to the joists. These joints are taped with scrim - a very open-weave, self-adhesive tape. Wet plaster is then added, or the ceiling is finished with jointing tape and compound - which seals the joints and creates a surface ready for decorating. The floor of the room above a plasterboard ceiling may well be laid with floorboards or chipboard. Suspended ceilings Now that you have squared up the hole, the next job is to make a patch. You can either use a scrap piece of plasterboard or timber. 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? This was a time-consuming method of building walls and ceilings, as individual laths (thin strips of wood) had to be nailed to the joists and then covered with layers of plaster. The plaster was squeezed between the laths so that 'nibs' formed - ridges of plaster that squeezed through the laths and set hard, holding the ceiling plaster in place. The room above would traditionally have had floorboards. Plasterboard Due to the nature of plasterboard and in a similar way hollow doors, they can become damaged quite easily.

The first thing to do is to cut out a rectangle around the hole using a steel rule and a Stanley knife. Alternatively, mark out with a pencil and ruler and cut out with a jab saw. Roller - including the handle, obviously! Like the brush, we're using it to apply a PVA/water solution, so we're going for coverage, not quality, so just get a cheap one for this. Although, a short pile would avoid a lot of mess.

Repairing a Hole Using Timber Battens

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. 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.

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. Remove any items or objects from the wall so nothing protrudes out from the wall & make sure your wall is clean and dry. For both options, once the bonding coat has dried it's time to apply the finishing skim. This can be applied over the bonding coat, the existing plaster and the plasterboard. If sanding plaster or cutting plasterboard, be sure to wear goggles and a dust mask and try to work in a well-ventilated space Painters brush - just for the PVA, so 1.5 inches or more will do and it doesn't matter if it's a rubbish brush - we're going for coverage, not quality here.

Aftercare

Drive nails into the noggins at an angle to secure them to the joists. Using plasterboard that's slightly thinner than the depth of your ceiling, cut a piece the same size as the hole. Fix it in place with plasterboard nails along the joists and noggins. Step 3 Why is it that the plaster in the corners of windows always fails? Well, I'll tell you about that in a jiffy. For now, let's get it sorted.

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. Feed a batten into the hole and twist it so it is either upright or horizontal and one third of the distance either up or down or across the hole. Make sure you have a 50mm overhang either side of the hole. 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. For larger holes locate the joists either side of the hole in the ceiling and mark the middle with a straight pencil line and create a rectangle around the hole. Cut out and add two noggins to bridge the gap between the joists.

Wait for the bonding coat to set overnight. When you return the next day, use the wide scraper to gently chip off any protruding bits that'll get in the way when skimming. For more advice, see our online guides or leaflets ‘How To Plaster a Wall’ and ‘How To Prepare Walls & Ceilings for Decorating’ Spread a small blob over the hole and wait for it to dry. Once dry, get a 180-220 grit sandpaper and rub down until smooth and blended with the current surface. How do You Fix a Hole in Plasterboard on the Ceiling?