Question re plastering/DIY

[Highbinder]

Hey guys,

My partner and I have recently moved into our first house together, and it has fallen on me to do some of work needed in the house. I cleaned up the electrics and rewired all the lights, and have stripped all the wallpaper ready for plastering/painting

In the second bedroom there was a shoddy over-the-wall extension running to a bedside plug and two bedside switchs which I've removed entirely, which has left three recesses. I'd like to know how best tackle the holes before plastering?

Should I just fill them with cement and then finish them with plaster? Where the two light switches were the holes are totally empty, but the third still has some wiring. Or would it be better to cut to shape some plasterboard to plug them, or are there prefabricated 'plates'? The recessed fittings seem to have spots for screws.

Any help appreciated, thrown in the deep end some what with this one

 

[spandit]

You can buy blanking plates but I'd be inclined to cut some plasterboard as you mention & then skim over the top. Just filling with plaster will cause shrinkage problems

 

[Teepee]

Whatever doesn't cost a lot to fill with. Check to see if the wiring is dead before filling-if it is then its fine. If not, the wires will need checking and then wrapping in gaffer tape or pvc.

Render, a few squares of plasterboard, some old browning/ bonding are all good. Platerboard will be drier and won't take a few days to dry out. Id stick them in with filler/ gripfill etc, leaving them a little recessed to avoid the paper edges fluffing up if its not being platered and then fill over the top with powder filler or plaster over the top of a flush plasterboard plug.

Avoid blanking plates, they look bad-much better to fill properly.

To make your life much easier, I recommend buying a buy a bag of Toupret Le-reboucher interior powder filler from Crown or Brewers-its by far the best on the market and will save you much time and hassle.

I'm assuming the socket reveals are into brick. if its plasterboard, you'll need patching mesh, again available from decorators merchants.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Having done a fair bit of plastering myself due to renovating an old house I feel I can add my 2 cents worth......... Assuming the holes are in a solid material I would just fill them in with general purpose plaster (the white stuff but NOT plaster of paris) mixed thickly, if the holes are deep then you may have to do it in 2 goes, fill the back of the hole first, let it dry a bit then fill the rest flush with the wall.If you have some plasterboard offcuts lying around & the holes are really deep, then you could cut some pieces the size & shape of the holes to be filled, dap some plaster on each piece then push it onto the holes & finish with plaster but I don't think it's neccessary to buy a plasterboard just to fill in your holes. I've not found shrinkage a problem but as you're going to re-plaster the walls I wouldn't worry about it as the plastering will cover & fill any cracks that may appear once the plaster in the holes has dried.


Hope this helps.

 

[WULF]

Fill the holes with mortar but unibond the holes first,this will key the wall and give the mortar something to stick to so it doesn't just roll out..