Filling a hole where a ceiling rose sat

[fathertobe]

Hi,

I'm fitting a flush light fitting to a place where a ceiling rose was. Having removed the ceiling rose, (and rewired using connecting blocks), I now need to attach the base of the flush light.

However, the ceiling rose was partly set in the ceiling and in removing it I've left a hole that is just too wide to accommodate the fixings of the base. So now I need to bulk out the hole in some way in order to give myself something to attach the new base to.

What's the best way of doing this? Some wood or something? There's nothing simple to even attach the wood to. I can see wood lath strips (which held the first layer of plaster), then a layer of plasterboard (but that's crumbled where the hole is.

Am at a bit of a loss. Pls help!

 

[rjb]

Oh yes good old lath and plaster!!

You will need to put a noggin in between the joists and use that to support your new fixture.

Easy if you can access from above floor. Not so easy if you cannot.

I have a Victorian house which had exactly the same problem. I was able to estimate the distance between the joists through the hole and cut a length of 3" wide timber to that length. On one end of the timber cut at a slight angle (15 degrees approx)

Then it gets tricky. Put the noggin through the hole avoiding wires (suggest you isolate that circuit at this time!). Position it flat so it runs parallel with the joists and then 'turn it so it wedges between the joists. As the end is slightly angled you can twist and wedge it in. If at this point it's a good fit. Remove it and put some no nails on the ends and put it back. You can then fix you new fixture to this noggin.

 

[fathertobe]

Thanks. This is the answer I feared.

Access from above is impossible.

Would it be possible, you think, to cut two piece of plasterboard - the size of the hole. Bond them together in some way and then use some plaster to adhere these to the wooden lath strips?

The light to be fitted isn't very heavy.

My avoidance of the noggin is that it will involve making the hole much bigger (it's at present around 7cm square).

\thanks for the reply.

 

[rjb]

If the fixture is light then use lighter wood (1" x 1/2" strips should be OK). If you cut the end at an angle you will be able to push the noggin through the hole (end on of course) and turn it into place and it will be wedged.

Give it a go. the 7cm opening is enough to get a hand in to manipulate it to position.

If your hand is to big get a small child to help out.

 

[RF Lighting]

If your hand is to big get a small child to help out.

He might as well sweep the chimney while he is at it

 

[Chri5]

If the fitting is light in weight, then you will get away with a 8" piece of 2 x 1 buttered on one side with grip fill or no nails.

This can be rested on the laths at 90 degrees so that 5-7 laths are supporting the baton.

No worse than the suggestion of trying to insert a noggin which is unlikely to compress and glue on to both joists (as support) when twisted in to place. Better in away, since the baton will rest on a greater number of laths.

Then fill the hole and screw the fitting on through the filler and on to the baton.

 

[fathertobe]

Thanks for suggestions.

The only thing is that a baton on top of the laths would still leave a depth of over two thicknesses of plasterboard to fill. That's gonna take some layers with the filler - and even be such a potential weight that I can imagine it fall ing out...

Or am I just lacking confidence?

 

[kevnurse]

Use a strip of wood that is sligtly thinner than the diameter of the hole and 2 inches longer than the diameter. We'll call this a batten. Make another batten of the same size, but drill a hole in the middle of the second batten big enough for a 8 x 50mm wood screw to pass through. Pass the first batten, with strong adhesive on the underside, through the hole. Centre up the pilot hole. Give the adhesive a few minutes to take a slight grip. Lay the 2nd batten at 90 degrees to the first batten and then use the screw to pull the upper batten down on to the top of the ceiling. Leave 24 hrs, fill with plaster filler, etc.