Filling a hole in the ceiling

[Novoiceleft]

I am trying to fill a hole in the ceiling - about 40 x 30mm and 15 mm deep. It is plaster (not plasterboard). I'm using deep fill Polyfilla.

It would easy enough if it were in a wall or a floor. But upside down - the Polyfilla just keeps falling out under its own weight.

Is there some magic trick I should know about ?

TIA

NoVoice

[Itsallaguess]

I am trying to fill a hole in the ceiling - about 40 x 30mm and 15 mm deep. It is plaster (not plasterboard). I'm using deep fill Polyfilla.

It would easy enough if it were in a wall or a floor. But upside down - the Polyfilla just keeps falling out under its own weight.

Is there some magic trick I should know about ?

It sounds like it's falling out because you're trying to fill it all at once.

Try layering a little at a time, and you should be able to reduce that 15mm depth, which is the main issue here.

After a few layers, with drying time between layers, you should have a relatively thin layer at the end that should stay put, ready for sanding after it's dry.

Polyfilla doesn't take that long to dry out, so even a number of distinct layers shouldn't take too long, and it will be less frustrating to do in the long run.

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

[AsleepInYorkshire]

I am trying to fill a hole in the ceiling - about 40 x 30mm and 15 mm deep. It is plaster (not plasterboard). I'm using deep fill Polyfilla.

It would easy enough if it were in a wall or a floor. But upside down - the Polyfilla just keeps falling out under its own weight.

Is there some magic trick I should know about ?

TIA

NoVoice

Before putting any filler in try filling the hole with a small piece of 9mm plasterboard. If its a lath and plaster ceiling you should be able to pin the board to the ceiling with a thin diameter screw.

Mix the Polyfilla so it's quite "stiff" - premixed off the shelf is too sloppy.

AiY

[paulnumbers]

I am trying to fill a hole in the ceiling - about 40 x 30mm and 15 mm deep. It is plaster (not plasterboard). I'm using deep fill Polyfilla.

It would easy enough if it were in a wall or a floor. But upside down - the Polyfilla just keeps falling out under its own weight.

Is there some magic trick I should know about ?

TIA

NoVoice

Strangely enough I was trying to find this out a few weeks ago, and found this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoPUIeonyf4

I gave up, and bought another downlight instead

[wilbobob]

This stuff works well for ceilings as it's light weight. As noted above you may need a couple of layers, but it's fast and easy to apply

https://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense- ... 10ml/72591

[bungeejumper]

Before putting any filler in try filling the hole with a small piece of 9mm plasterboard. If its a lath and plaster ceiling you should be able to pin the board to the ceiling with a thin diameter screw.

Ed Zackerly. The plasterboard will absorb enough moisture from the plaster to make it stick.You could achieve the same effect with thick cardboard, except for the small side-effect that it would bend and droop - and, in time, it might just drop out.

Too late to be helpful, probably, but I also wouldn't have used Polyfilla for a hole that size. (Sorry, have just seen W's post.) https://www.artexltd.com/repair-hub/gyp ... -to-choose is easier in every way, and you can sand it after it's dry because it stays slightly soft for several hours. I can confirm that it doesn't shrink (unlike many fillers).

While your'e applying the final coat of plaster/filler, smooth and level it with a metal edge like a 2 foot steel rule. It'll help you figure out where the hollows are.

BJ

[DrFfybes]

When patching a dry backed hole I mist the backing with water first - an old windolene bottle or similar.

15mm is quite thick in one go - what are you sticking it on to (it what is at the back of the hole you are filling)?

Paul

[stewamax]

When patching a dry backed hole I mist the backing with water first - an old windolene bottle or similar.

Yes. You could also brush on some PVA which will seal the surface (like primer paint) as well as providing a better grip.

[AF62]

Strangely enough I was trying to find this out a few weeks ago, and found this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoPUIeonyf4

I gave up, and bought another downlight instead

No wonder you gave up, as that is a pretty rubbish way of doing it!

Get an off-cut of plasterboard and cut roughly to the size of the hole and then strip off the bottom face of the paper so it is a bit thinner than the existing ceiling board.

Glue a piece of baton across the hole on the top side (use Gripfill or something like that) and then glue the piece of plasterboard to it (use a temporary screw to hold it if needed).

Now you only have a thin area to fill with whatever is your preferred filler.

[staffordian]

Strangely enough I was trying to find this out a few weeks ago, and found this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoPUIeonyf4

I gave up, and bought another downlight instead

No wonder you gave up, as that is a pretty rubbish way of doing it!

Get an off-cut of plasterboard and cut roughly to the size of the hole and then strip off the bottom face of the paper so it is a bit thinner than the existing ceiling board.

Glue a piece of baton across the hole on the top side (use Gripfill or something like that) and then glue the piece of plasterboard to it (use a temporary screw to hold it if needed).

Now you only have a thin area to fill with whatever is your preferred filler.

I'm glad I didn't see that video before filling several downlighter holes in our ceilings! If I'd tried something similar, the very least I'd have done would have been to temporarily drive a screw into the underside of the piece of board to enable me to hold it flush against the ceiling as I was filling the gap...

But I did more or less what you suggested, though I screwed the batten in place with rustproof countersunk screws, then similarly screwed the plasterboard off-cut to the batten. I was possibly fortunate (?) to have artex ceilings so didn't have to get a really smooth finish, just an approximate match to the existing horror

[csearle]

I use the batten technique too. I use a dry-lining screw on each side up into the batten, screwing them in enough so they are countersunk. Sometimes to facilitate this I either prepare a screw through the hole into the batten to pull down on it, or I just pull down on a bit of wire looped around the batten to achieve the same thing. I then use a suitably shaped bit of plasterboard to fill the hole and another dry-lining screw to hold it in place.

At this point I usually leave it to a plasterer on site to do the skimming

Chris

[UncleEbenezer]

I've had success with holes like that first inserting a screwed up ball of paper, then adding polyfilla - which now has something to grip on.

Obviously only works if the paper can be wedged in place first: no use if it's just going to fall out, or disappear into a ceiling void.

[sg31]

I would recommend the batten technique for downlighter holes. I've used it on many occasions before replastering the ceiling.

Smaller holes can be a problem and cracks in the ceiling rarely cover well. The cracks occur for a reason, that needs sorting first or the crack will reopen. Sometimes fibreglass mesh tape across the crack before replasteing will solve the problem but not always.

[quelquod]

I would recommend the batten technique for downlighter holes. I've used it on many occasions before replastering the ceiling.

Smaller holes can be a problem and cracks in the ceiling rarely cover well. The cracks occur for a reason, that needs sorting first or the crack will reopen. Sometimes fibreglass mesh tape across the crack before replasteing will solve the problem but not always.

For downlighter-type holes I’ve generally used the ‘batten’ technique. I slip a thin lath through the hole and use a couple of squirts of nonails to hold it then use nonails again to stick a piece of plasterboard in the hole, then fill and plaster.

I’ve had good success even on large cracks by cutting back to the plasterboard, retaking with fibreglass pressed into a skim of plaster then plastering. (And in my case sanding back since my skimming skills are nil!)

[quelquod]

Retaping!

[Novoiceleft]

Many thanks all.

I got there in the end. I used Polyfilla bit-by-bit working from the sides - in about 5 separate passes..

Patience is a virtue

NoVoice