Repairing a hole in old plaster

[AMS1]

About a year ago I had a plasterer repair some sections of a bedroom walls that felt 'blown' - one section was above and to the side of the window. I'm not sure what he used (as I didn't stand over him while he was working) but the final coating of plaster around the window looked white.

The house is quite old (at least 70 years old, I'd say) and the plaster isn't great anywhere to be honest.

It was a good few months after he'd done the job that I got around to fixing a curtain pole for the bedroom (it's a spare room).

This weekend I was hoping to paint the bedroom ceiling so was up on my ladders with some filler repairing some little cracks and imperfections prior to painting it, when I had a bit of a wobble, grabbed instinctively for something to stop me from falling (the curtains) - and ended up pulling the whole curtain pole out of one side of the wall.

I now have a lovely hole in the wall where the curtain pole was once attached. It's about 10cm in diameter and about an inch/inch and a half deep at the deepest point.

Would I be able to repair a hole this size myself and if so what should I use and how should I go about it? Because it's quite deep should I fill it in stages (ie fill it a bit, wait for it to totally harden before adding some more)?

And how long would I have to leave it before attempting to drill into it so I can put my curtain pole back up?

Thank you.

Untitled

• AMS1
• 21 Aug 2013
• 1

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Knock off any loose plaster in the area and remove any dirt/dust.
I would seal around the hole of the old plaster and bare wall, using two coats of PVA, letting first coat dry and second coat drying tacky.
Then for you, best product would be one coat plaster, which is white and likely what was used before. If you follow instruction on the bag, you will be fine.
Drying time will depend on the warmth of location, but do not force the drying process best left to own curing time. With depth being 25mm, I would leave at least two weeks, in warm drying conditions.

 

[AMS1]

Knock off any loose plaster in the area and remove any dirt/dust.
I would seal around the hole of the old plaster and bare wall, using two coats of PVA, letting first coat dry and second coat drying tacky.
Then for you, best product would be one coat plaster, which is white and likely what was used before. If you follow instruction on the bag, you will be fine.
Drying time will depend on the warmth of location, but do not force the drying process best left to own curing time. With depth being 25mm, I would leave at least two weeks, in warm drying conditions.

Thank you for your response.

I found some PVA in the shed this morning, so I have applied the first coat as a mixture of 5:1, as per instructions on the tub. For the second coat that needs to be tacky do I keep the proportions of waterVA the same, or make it thicker?

Now off to buy some plaster.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I would go 3:1 for second coat, normally one coat also allows for a little for suction, but belt/braces then it does not need to be readdressed later.

 

[AMS1]

Thanks again, I appreciate it

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Thanks again, I appreciate it

No worries, good luck with the task, hope all goes well.
just to add, if you do get an uneven or slightly proud finish using one coat, it will sand down.