Repairing a plasterboard hole

Raz

Hi guys. Anyone know how I would go about fixing this?
A door opened too far in my apartment and at one time the door handle went throught the plasterboard wall.
The hole is shaped like a 'U' on it's side, so I effectively have a flap of plasterboard protruding into the cavity in the wall.
How would I go about pulling the flap out (or should I just cut it off?) and repairing the crack/hole that would be left.
I'm thinking this is a job for more than just polyfilla!!

ur mentor

this happened at my stag
of course it was my head through wall over bathtub
took page from readers digest- very very sad it took years of counselling to admit 2 this-
anyway page over hole
plenty of paint of same colour
thankfully magnolia in this case and in matt emulsion
and bobs ur uncle and nellies ur aunt
quick runner out da door and deposit refunded
lol

Raz

Well that'd be fine if I was trying to just get my deposit back but I just moved into the place the other week and I'm looking for a more permanent solution.
I should get the landlord to do as it was there when we moved in but from the handi work I've seen around the house since I moved in I'm sure I'd probably get a job like your page and paint one! Bless, but I'm a perfectionist

Capt'n Midnight

you could get that other Readers Digest book - the DIY manual well worth it.

I seem to remember you get a piece of cardboard and tie a piece of string to it and put it in the hole - then another bit of wood or pencil to tie the string to so the cardboard is held in place behind the plaster board. - then polyfilla up the hole. Then cut the string and sand it down and paint it.

KdjaCL

Lots of things you could get to fix it and once painted on will never look out of place.

Polyfilla about €5 for a tub use that if the hole extends into an abyss where any filler would fall into mush in a sheet of newspaper then polyfil the hole smooth over with somfin flat and when it dries paint it or leave as it.

There are even aerosol type cannisters you can buy called "no More Cracks" "no More holes" no More eveidence of drunken shenagians" etc:

kdjac

Raz

I hav to say I like Capt'n Midnights plan. Once again the Midnight man has come my rescue
(And if that doesn't work I'll be looking for those aerosols! )

Thanks guys, I'd be lost without you.

Borzoi

Wet (dampen) some newspaper sheets and shove in hole to just below the surface level. This basicly stops your filler falling behind.

Wet the edge of the plaster around the hole.

Partly fill with fillers, keep below the surface level. The reason for this is that are fillers shrink and crack, particularly when doing a deep hole, so your first fill forms the backing for a final fill.

Wait to dry, out, probably the next day.

Do a final fill to just above the surface level, smooth with a filly knife or a the light touch of a damp paint brush.

Wait to dry.

Sand down using a medium grade paper, dust off, paint.

Materials:
Tub fine filler (personally I use cheap fillers, they're softer than polyfilla and easier to sand)
One sheet sandpaper M40
One mini tub matching paint

Time:
Three 10 min jobs.

davej

Originally posted by Capt'n Midnight
you could get that other Readers Digest book - the DIY manual well worth it.

I seem to remember you get a piece of cardboard and tie a piece of string to it and put it in the hole - then another bit of wood or pencil to tie the string to so the cardboard is held in place behind the plaster board. - then polyfilla up the hole. Then cut the string and sand it down and paint it.

I can vouch for this method...

davej

Victor

Of course, buy the right colour paint and buy a door stop.

jabaroon

You really dont want to use filler....its not designed for jobs of that size!....it never dries properly and will probably push out at the first bit of presure applied.

The best solution (from experience!).....is to:

- Stuff some newspaper into the hole, not to try and fill the hole, but to stop your filling compound from falling down when you put it in. Therefore stuff newspaper in and downwards.

- Buy a small bag of "Bonding". Its only a few quid for a small bag. Its great stuff, bit like corse cement, but its very sticky and dries very fast. Mix it up in a small bucket or whatever you like. Make it a fairley sticky mix (not too watery).

- Squish the bonding into the hole using a trowel or a paint scraper. It will leave a fairley rough surface, so using a wet sponge, smooth it over. Your ideal goal would be to have the bonding level being just below the surface of the plasterboard, but no big deal if is isnt.

- Leave the bonding to dry overnight and then sand it smooth. For best results sand it to a bit below the surface.

- NOW....get your fine pollyfila and go nuts!

When your done, you shouldnt be able to tell the difference. And more to the point, if the door handle hits the wall again, it wont go through!!

Good luck!

Jab

Couch Potato

I have used stuff called 'Blue Hawk Plasterboard Repair Kit' - purchased in Atlantic Homecare (cheap!!)

It is brialliant !! - Basically you get a mesh which is placed over the hole and then some mix up some plaster which is smoothed over the mesh. When it is dry just smooth it down with sand paper and then paint as necessary ...

jabaroon

Problem hidden, but not fixed!.....
Swing that door open again and its time to start buying shares in the "quick" fix company!!

Lol!

Victor

Originally posted by jabaroon
Problem hidden, but not fixed!..... Swing that door open again and its time to start buying shares in the "quick" fix company!!

This is what door stops are for.

Falkorre

Firstly, as Vic says, buy a door stop!

Then, a quick but effective solution that will last even though it sounds crazy is....

Push newspaper into hole as far as possible.
Cover hole with sellotape overlapping 1-2mm of edge on hole.
*Carefully* Cover sellotape with filler of choice (I actually use an adhesive (no more nails) instead of filler, flatten and it dries solid, no use for what its sposed to do, but makes a fine filler lol),
Paint same as surrounding wall.

Being a wheelchair user, I hit a LOT of wall in my house, this has always worked for me