Made a balls of fitting a new socket

xabi

I need to fit another double socket beside an already existing one but cut it too close and the middle bit cracked and is loose. How best to fix this? I’m thinking of glueing a strip of plasterboard back in where it should be, but what glue would you use?

Looking at the pic below, it’s the gap between sockets that’s now missing.

Stoner

There are a couple of options

You could butt them closer together leaving the gap at the other side of the new socket.
It is easier to fill the gap then.

You can plug the gap with plasterboard and skim over it.

Be very careful doing this. Have the power off on the sockets you are working near until the filler has dried completely.

BTW for the plasterboard just jam that in, so cut it slightly too long, have filler on it's ends not glue.
Have it set back slightly to allow for a skim. Then dampen it's surface and skim over it. Have it slightly proud if necessary. When dry, sand it to a smooth finish to the original wall.

It's just pollyfiller interior filler that you need with some plasterboard

xabi

Good idea about jamming it in, will try that. Can’t butt them together as I’m using the dry lining boxes with the little wings that grab the board when you tighten down the face plate, so need a bit of plasterboard either side.

Stoner

Well for that you can use a slip of timber, you will need to get it behind the plasterboard and screw it in top and bottom so the screwheads will be visible as you look at your wall one above the sockets and one below

Get the clips behind the timber and you will compress the clips against the back of timber, it will then pull against the back of the plasterboard as you tighten up the box.

The lats from old plastered walls work well for this. You need it to be thin but strong enough to hold the box straight and in position.

Then fill in the gap on top of the timber between the sockets with filler and make sure the screws are tight and recessed so that you can spot fill them too.
You'll have to have some of the filling done but not set as you tighten the sockets back on. Don't tighten it completely as it is setting. It can be worth returning to this and taking the socket off again to get more filling in there.

Advice on all power off stands

Carpet gripp timber with the nails pulled completely out works for this too

Stoner

Note the jammed in plasterboard strip will not work as you describe it on your second post