As you can imagine, here at Broadbent Miller we have seen some interesting attempts at filling in holes. As Bank Holiday (and DIY) season approaches, we wanted to share with you the top 5 mistakes we have seen people make and give you some tips to solve these problems.
Mistake number 1: Lack of Preparation
Annoying as this may sound, preparation is key. If you do not knock off the loose plaster around a hole before you start, it is likely you will end up with a worse problem later as you have not got a stable surface for the filler to adhere to. Also, before we fill in any holes, we always give it a coat of PVA glue and wait until it goes tacky; this seals the plaster below and gives the new filler something to stick to. You must be patient though as the glue needs to be tacky not wet!
Mistake number 2: Using the wrong equipment
You would be surprised the different products used to fill holes because “that was what they had in the garage”. Generally, it is fine to use any filler ready mixed or otherwise providing it has not been left for too long. Ready mixed fillers that have been left too long will have gone off and started to set or (if they were a powder to mix) already absorbed water from the air. We like to use Gyproc Easi-fill for smaller holes as this is a quick drying filler and we can mix as much or as little as we need. Generally, we find a wallpaper scraper is fine for application of the filler.
Mistake number 3: Not using enough filler
On several occasions, we have been to jobs where the holes are still visible because not enough filler has been used. It is tempting to try to get the filler exactly smooth when putting it in but it is actually easier to make sure that the filler is proud of the existing wall and sand back to create a smooth surface.
Mistake number 4: Lack of attention to detail
Having filled in the hole it can be tempting to leave it there; however, it really is important to sand back the filler carefully to be in line with the existing wall. There is nothing more annoying than spending all that time decorating and seeing an avoidable blemish or bump on the wall when the sun shines along it.
Mistake number 5: You should have called a professional
We have been to many jobs where customers thought they would have a go themselves and changed their minds half way through. As a rule of thumb, we suggest that anything larger than a plug socket should really be looked at by a professional. Most tradesmen, including ourselves, are happy to quote for any job regardless of how small it appears to be.
(images from pixabay.com)