Back box is full of beige plaster and cracked, what to do ?

[Readen]

Perhaps ignoring the colour aspect may help. Basically, disused,galvanised metal boxes are full of plaster. Will that plaster ever harden, the guy has added a top layer of different plaster.i hope so it is expensive for me.

 

[jacko555]

Have you employed a "tradesman" called kettle?

 

[sparkwright]

Perhaps ignoring the colour aspect may help. Basically, disused,galvanised metal boxes are full of plaster. Will that plaster ever harden, the guy has added a top layer of different plaster.i hope so it is expensive for me.

Firstly, I hope there is no live wiring in the box.



The cracking often occurs when too much filler or plaster is used to fill a deep hole, all in one go. It pays to do it in two or three hits.

You say the plaster isn't hardening.

Do you mean it's soft and not fully set, or do you mean it's crumbly and dry?

If it's soft and not fully set, that often indicates a ready mixed filler in a tub, which can take ages and ages to set if it's been used to fill a deep hole in one go.

By leaving the old box in place, you risk rust bleeding through the plaster, you also risk damage if anyone tries to drill a hole there (for whatever reason) in the future. He should have removed the box, assuming no live wires, and filled it in better than that, though I don't know what the agreement was.

 

[Readen]

In thin areas some has crumbled off. The first layer followed 1/2hr later by 2nd layer are still soft, because bits of Lt have become visible Shen I sanded (3rd layer) to day. Job done 24.6.22. metal chilling the plaster. There are spare cable holes to hopefully air plaster. He said he cld remove all these blanks and plaster them. I expected the depth to have paper,card rubbish, then plasterboard patches over that wi polyfiller. Cable not live.

 

[sparkwright]

He's obviously rushing it and doesn't want to be there.

 

[flameport]

Plaster sets by a chemical reaction, thickness is unrelated.

Thick plaster will take a long time to dry, but drying and setting are two unrelated things.

 

[Readen]

That's a big point.is it worth waiting some more, it needs lots more topping up before painting. Not want to pull it ALL out if I don't need to. 5 out 9 are ok, except for little topping up wi plaster and paint.

 

[Readen]

Is there a plasterer who could tell me how to fill 4" holes, I might take the e/boxes out ( not live) myself.how to fill a hole in internal hollow walls ??

 

[foxhole]

THIS TOPIC IS CRAZY.

I've hardly understood a word of it.

Vacant question after which everyone else took the p , well Nearly everyone , some didn’t notice.

 

[Readen]

As u say, some useful thoughts, & some people just wanting a laugh.thankfully, I have figured how to sort it properly. Thanks to ALL.

 

[sparkwright]

As u say, some useful thoughts, & some people just wanting a laugh.thankfully, I have figured how to sort it properly. Thanks to ALL.

To be fair, I don't think anyone really knew what you meant, until you sent the photograph.

And technically, it wasn't an electrical question as such, and should have been sent to the plastering or decorating forum.

Glad you can sort it out.

 

[Readen]

In thin areas some has
crumbled in off. The first layer followed in1/2hr later by 2nd layer are still soft, because bits of Lt have become visible Shen I sanded (3rd layer) to day. Job done 24.6.22. metal chilling the plaster. There are spare cable holes to hopefully air plaster. He said he cld remove all these blanks and plaster them. I expected the depth to have paper,card rubbish, then plasterboard patches over that wi polyfiller. Cable not live.

In

Yes, the beige plaster isn't suitable near electric cables. It's not fire retardant.

In yes

 

[Readen]

Oh, useful to know there is a decorating forum, thanks