Crumbly Walls

[DanC123]

Hi,

I have a 1930's mid terraced house. Every time I drill a hole in any of my walls I end up with a much larger hole as the plaster and the stuff behind it just crumbles. I usually get round it by drilling the hole, filling the larger hole with no-more nails and then pushing the screw-plug into the no-more nails, and waiting until the next day before screwing to it.

I recently put up safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs as our child has just started crawling. He managed to pull bottom gate bracket from the wall. Someone at work suggested I drill extra deep (into the brick and use longer screws and 2x screwplugs in each hole), but looking in the hole, there is no brick? It's just pebbles & a crumbly mortar.

I've decided to fill the hole and cover it with a piece of wood to match the bottom post on the other side and screw that into the existing staircase (in the picture) and then the gate onto the new post.

What should I be using to fill the hole? Is there any benefit from getting the house re-plastered if the walls are that crumbly anyway?

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[Robbie uk]

Think it needs taking back to brick and then dot and dab the whole lot prior to re-skimming .

 

[DanC123]

That's just it, I'm not sure there's any brick in the wall?

I'll try drilling a bit further tomorrow.

 

[Robbie uk]

There will be when you start hacking it off !!

 

[Spokegg]

Just a thought… From the pictures I notice hairs in the old plaster. This would suggest lime plaster, possibly sitting on lath, so you may not find any brick. you could patch the hole with filler (not ideal for lime but ok for small patch) and secure the 'gate' to the woodwork.

 

[Robbie uk]

Probably horse hair plaster, typical for the period. Looking at the hole, it looks too deep to have laths underneath. You wouldn't normally have stud wall on a staircase due to fire risk, I do appreciate that years ago anything went!!!!!!