Hole in Wall Repair

Small holes, yes. Larger ones need a patch, because filler cannot bridge a gap with nothing behind it. The method depends on the size:

The plug is pulled out, or pushed in and cut flush if it will not come out. Loose edges are trimmed and the dust is removed. The hole is filled slightly proud, left to dry, then topped up, because filler shrinks a little in a deep hole. Once sanded flush, the spot is primed so it does not show through the paint. Torn plasterboard paper around the hole is sealed first, otherwise it bubbles under the filler.

1. 1

   Check behind the wall: we use a detector and look inside the hole for cables and pipes before cutting.

2. 2

   Cut back: the damaged board is cut back to a neat square or rectangle.

3. 3

   Add support: timber battens or noggins are fixed behind the opening, or the cut is taken back to the nearest studs.

4. 4

   Fit new board: a new piece of plasterboard of the same thickness is screwed in place.

5. 5

   Tape and fill: the joints are taped and filled with jointing compound, or the patch is skimmed.

6. 6

   Feather and sand: the edges are blended into the wall and sanded smooth, ready for decorating.

In brick and block walls, deep holes are packed and built up in layers of bonding plaster or mortar, so the repair does not slump or crack, then finished with a skim. Holes in lath and plaster walls need the laths repaired or bridged before plastering, and larger areas are handled as a plaster patch repair.

New sockets, moved switches and new pipe runs often leave chases and holes. We make these good after our domestic electrical installation and plumbing work, or after work by others. Where a pipe or cable passes through a wall or ceiling that must resist fire, such as between an integral garage and the house, the gap should be sealed with a suitable fire-rated product rather than ordinary filler.

A repair only disappears if the finish matches. Smooth walls are sanded flush and primed. Textured walls are matched as closely as possible, but Artex and similar coatings applied before 2000 may contain asbestos, so they are not cut or sanded until tested. A touched-up spot often shows, so we usually recommend painting the wall from corner to corner. Papered walls can be repaired and finished with wallpaper hanging. In homes built before about 1960, old paint around the hole may contain lead, so it is never dry-sanded.