Packing with damp newspaper

[Glastoun]

A woman who may/may not be a/my mother-in-law said that before plastering the void around newly fitted electrical sockets we should pack it out a bit with damp newspaper as the plaster level would be too deep (it varies from 2-5cm). I plastered the top section with bonding that was 2-4cm and this dried out with no problems.

In all the plaster research I've done I've never come across this. Is she referring back to the days of horsehair and lime, or is 'the newspaper trick' a well-kept trade secret?

 

[footprints]

Dunno! might be an "Old wives tale"

Not sure newspaper that will dry out to become tinder dry is a good idea around electric fittings though.

 

[roughcaster]

Not a good idea at all partly filling out with paper, very amateurish. If it's deep, bring it out gradually wiith render/plaster. If it's a big/deep hole, you can even use "small bits" of brick bedded into the render/plaster as you go, to help fill up the bulk. Bring it out to within 10mm of flush, leave it a day or so, then plaster/ fill out flush.