How to fill large hole in plasterboard wall

Nick1881

Nick1881

Nick1881

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As title, we have a few large holes in the walls, I think where the previous owner had TVs and used them to get cables down for power. What’s the best way to fill these? I have normal polyfill for the smaller holes but not sure it will work on something this big with nothing behind. It’s about 37mm diameter.
 
You can put tissue into the hole and fill. Or cut it wider and put in a wood brace behind and put in a new bit of board but they’re too small for that tbh. I would just use tissue or paper behind and use easy fill.
 
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ChrisD. said:
You can put tissue into the hole and fill. Or cut it wider and put in a wood brace behind and put in a new bit of board but they’re too small for that tbh. I would just use tissue or paper behind and use easy fill.
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Thanks, that’s a good idea. I will try to jam some paper or thin card in there, then fill over it. Worst case scenario I need a bigger repair.
 
Unless you have a decent cleanable can of expanding foam, filling a tiny hole like that with it would be pointless.

If it is a dry area a plug of wood, or plasterboard of the same size should be more than enough. Plug it slightly lower than the surface and fill with a decent filler.
 
ChrisD. said:
You can put tissue into the hole and fill. Or cut it wider and put in a wood brace behind and put in a new bit of board but they’re too small for that tbh. I would just use tissue or paper behind and use easy fill.
Click to expand...

This is the way OP.

Proper DIY did a vid recently on varying sizes and as Chris above said, for that size jamming some tissue and then filling was the way.

 
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Lol.

The hole doesn’t look too large. Worst case is use some board cut out in a circle then use some collapsable plastic or wood cross behind it. That way the cross is stuck to the wall behind, the string etc heels it all in place as it sticks then cut string and then fill/sand.

I’ve has todo thus with some large holes - if you use two rectangles they can be fed through and pulled against the back with glue and do the same. Not had an issue - either filling with a plaster square against the secured backing or simply filling.

with plaster walls with a large hole plastering mesh will help stabilise the buildup of the plaster over a crack or unstable base work.
 
My approach is,
- Get a small piece of plasterboard thats larger than the hole to be filled. Get the shape I want by trimming
- Draw round this piece after offering to the wall
- Cut shape in wall (multitool is best but stanley knife or similar is fine)
- Clean up hole in wall and wash edges with a decently wet/damp cloth
- Apply non solvent* gripfill to edge of hole in wall and edge of piece of plasterboard
- Slowly push plaster board piece into hole ensuring I get the depth I want all round, which is just below the surface level of the wall to allow for filling
- Leave an hour to fully set due to depth of grip fill
- Fill with fine surface filler

*non solvent is crucial. Its got the consistency of toothpaste rather than solvented which is the consistency of chewing gum

This approach avoids stuff behind the wall and is really easy to get the level you want. The grip fill sets harder than the plasterboard wall itself and no annoying things behind it for the future.
 
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aVdub said:
Unless you have a decent cleanable can of expanding foam, filling a tiny hole like that with it would be pointless.

If it is a dry area a plug of wood, or plasterboard of the same size should be more than enough. Plug it slightly lower than the surface and fill with a decent filler.
Click to expand...
The plasterboard plug would be one i'd look at, especially if you can get a bit of cheap/offcut plasterboard from somewhere and have some small holesaws.

MKW's post above is pretty much spot on.
When I had to do some reasonably deep spots in our house I used a deep filler for the bulk of it, then a fine surface filler, and when I've had to do wider areas the "cut a bit of plaster and stick it in" approach works fairly well.
 
Thanks guys. I did the paper method, I haven't sanded it yet. Not sure how good of a job I will have done but it's better than a big hole that seemed to have a draft coming through. We are going to have a mirror on this wall anyway.
 
I was going to suggest the paper method, basically just enough to stop filler pushing into the void and fill over the top.

It’s a tiny hole, no need to overthink it.
 
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