Spoilt plaster/bonding around new electrical sockets

[Middo99]

Hi guys,

I had some renovation work done in my lounge a few months back - as I am a complete novice at this sort of thing I payed the professionals to come in. Had solid oak floorboards put in which raised height of skirtings which meant sockets had to be raised too. The sparky dug out what seemed to me to be an excessively oversized hole in a party wall for the metal back box and filled the gap between it and the pre-existing plaster with some sort of reddish bonding agent. This bonding has never dried properly - for a while it had some sort of fungus spores growing from it, which have since gone but as you can hopefully see from the included photo the plaster/bonding around the sockets is spoilt.

Now the sockets have shorted out and trip the fuse at the main switchboard for the flat.

Sparky turned out to be a bit of a cowboy and won't come back. Not sure I want him back anyway. I'll get the electrics sorted but was hoping for some advice here as to the correct way the plastering should be done so it doesn't spoil and so i don't sound like a complete idiot ready to be fleeced by any other cowboys.

Thanks heaps for your help

Dave

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• Middo99
• 14 Mar 2011
• 2

 

[plstering]

and tonight matthew im going too be right ****

 

[Middo99]

Uh, I'm not sure i get the joke. This is a genuine appeal for help.

Thanks.

 

[1john]

Looks like you have damp to me.

 

[Middo99]

Apologies moderator - was intending on posting separate info for separate replies from separate specialists. Also had extra pics in other post. Anyway...

Wall is a party wall in lower ground floor flat - not "basement" as back opens to a garden, front is steps down from street level to an entrance. Other side of wall in question has neighbour's bookcase - no plumbing or radiators.

Had a damp company in to investigate, they said it was problem with bonding agent. Is best solution to remove all the bonding agent and some of the plaster and start again? Is it possible to do this without removing skirtings? I'd like to minimise upheaval and costs if possible.

One socket was split into two, other socket was a straight replacement. No sign of any I'll effects on any other area of wall.

Thanks.

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• Middo99
• 14 Mar 2011
• 2

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• Middo99
• 14 Mar 2011
• 2

Untitled

• Middo99
• 14 Mar 2011
• 2

 

[JohnD]

there is a lot of efflorescence round the socket, so I think a great deal of water is present. If it was me I would cut the power, test for dead, hack out all the plaster and re-fill with sand and cement (it is far stronger and resistant to damp damage). You can skim it with plaster or filler for a smooth finish to decorate. Leave it unplastered until it looks fully dry.

Use perfectly clean sand and water for your mix. You can get a plastic socket plastering guide for a few pounds which helps do a good job

While the hole in the wall is open look and see if it seems damp.

 

[jrplastering]

you flat is still below ground level so will suffer from damp if the backing coats are not properly applied.

i would remove the box and and skirting and a good area of plaster around the affected area say 600 or 700mm around on all sides.

now as you proberly have damp riseing you need to apply a 4:1 scratch coat of sand cement and sika proofer. then place you electric box, other wise the box on the bricks is createing a bridge for the riseing water to corode you electrics.

then you apply a top coat of 5:1 sand and cement and sika proofer, then skim ontop once the sand and cement have dried of course.

remember its important to not place the box directly onto the brickwork and dont use a gypsum backing coat as water will track through it and ruin it all again

 

[roughcaster]

I think the damp company meant it was a problem with the Bonding plaster, not the bonding agent. As JR said, gypsum plaster is not suitable for any job where there is damp etc. Go for the cement render as he said.

 

[Middo99]

Thanks for the advice guys. Not really looking forward to this but hey ho...