Repairing plasterboard ceiling hole with "bulging"

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I stepped on my plasterboard ceiling on Sunday when in the loft. D'oh!

There is a small half credit card sized hole and some cracks leading to it. If it were just this hole it would be easy to fix, but there's more.

The hole is right on the edge where two plasterboard panels meet. Both panels have been pushed down a cm or two so where the hole is looks like a bulge from inside the room.

I can't push the plasterboard back up, it just resists before it gets flat and springs back to the bulge.

I have checked for obstructions between the board and the ceiling joists, but all I can find are the fixings for the board.

I tried pushing one or the other board down to see if I could get the edges to meet up better, but no luck.

I tried holding a batten against the ceiling from below along the joists and hammering back up, but it doesn't budge.

Should I cut back square as far as the "bulge" exists? Anyone dealt with similar?
 
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A picture of this may help.
But it sounds like like you have damaged/brusied the board, rather than an obstruction.
The only way to repair this is to remove and replace the damaged area.
Depending on the overall size of this damage would depend on the size of repair, it maybe a case that a good sized section be removed between joist, or that a plaster patch will do.
 
I was a bit worried a picture would not show the bulge, but here you go. Looking along the ceiling:


The board on the left is slightly lower.

Looking straight up, note the fixing to the joist that has popped at the top right:


There's a piece of plasterboard I have slotted in behind the hole.

As you can see, I had a quick go at it with filler but then realised the bulge could not be left.
 
Well looks like the nails have popped also, so the board will always drop down, unless screwed. First thing to try is, purchase some dry-wall screws at about 40mm and attempt to screw the board back up. Use a cordless driver and easy on the torque, you want the board to lift, without piercing it.
Might be an idea to prop/support the board in place whilst trying screw in place, just to help prevent damaging the board, when initially fixing in place.

If that fails, it's a cut out and replace.
 
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I didn't explain this brilliantly but the boards do not push all the way flat. Not sure if you would expect them to... they push up a bit but then spring back.

With no obstructions to the joist I think it's something (a bit of plaster) in one of the cracks that is stopping the boards going flat.

I might have another play at trying to get the boards to meet up. If I do, and I can get the boards flat, then I'll prop in place while screwing.
 
When you try screwing the plasterboard up to begin with put some large repair ('penny') washers on the screws as this will allow more pressure to be exerted before the screw disappears through the board.

Once you have the board in place then use the screws on their own.
 
Nice idea.

So should I expect there to be a lot of resistance to them being pushed flat? I cannot push them flat at the moment. The question is whether screwing them will manage to push them into a flat plane.
 
As advised above - use a prop and board (a tee arrangement) and force the p/b back onto the nails that have pulled thro it. Set the board along the joist position.
 
The board edges are probably fouling each other. Rake them out, fix it back up and fill.
 
Thanks all.

By "rake out" do you mean take a plasterboard saw along the cracks? That's what I planned to do. Sorry if I'm asking too many questions.
 
Yes. That will free the edges and let you screw it back up.
 

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