Gyproc Plasterboard Patches various sizes 12 Pack (2 x 50mm, 5 x 100mm & 5 x 150mm))

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For more advice, see our online guides or leaflets ‘How To Plaster a Wall’ and ‘How To Prepare Walls & Ceilings for Decorating’ Now draw two lines across the gap to create a rectangle around the hole. Cut out the existing plasterboard with a sharp Stanley knife or use a small jab saw. Why is it that the plaster in the corners of windows always fails? Well, I'll tell you about that in a jiffy. For now, let's get it sorted. Cut a piece of plasterboard that is slightly narrower than the hole but an inch or so longer top and bottom. Screw in a long screw in the middle of the patch; this will be used to position the patch in place. Another complication that springs to light when you have unfortunately made a hole in a plasterboard wall or hollow door is the void behind it due to the construction of the stud work used to hold the plasterboard up or provide the framework for the door meaning that you can’t just use filler as there is nothing to bond it to.

For me, when I was sorting out both bedrooms, I skim the lot, over the old plaster too. This is because I wanted to make sure I had a flat surface throughout and I'd already had a bit of practice at skim coating. As well as using plasterboard to fill a small hole to the corner of my window (as seen in the above picture), I also used plasterboard to one side of a window opening, like so:

Planning & preparation

Use a digital stud detector to locate studs, noggins and joists in walls and ceiling (Image credit: Getty Images) Can I Use Caulk To Fill Holes? Most modern ceilings are built from sheets of plasterboard nailed to the joists. These joints are taped with scrim - a very open-weave, self-adhesive tape. Wet plaster is then added, or the ceiling is finished with jointing tape and compound - which seals the joints and creates a surface ready for decorating. The floor of the room above a plasterboard ceiling may well be laid with floorboards or chipboard. Suspended ceilings

Feed a batten into the hole and twist it so it is either upright or horizontal and one third of the distance either up or down or across the hole. Make sure you have a 50mm overhang either side of the hole. Now you need to measure and cut two noggins (horizontal wood that bridges the gap between the studs). Use a bit of 2 x 4 inch – approximately 100mm x 50mm – timber to create the noggins. Nail or screw them into position, between the studs, from the sides. This will create an area to fix your new plasterboard patch to.Thorough preparation is key to achieving a high-quality finish, so be sure to remove all traces of old plaster, dust and grease for the area you plan to repair The two main repair methods can be found below: Repairing a Plasterboard Hole Using a Piece of Plasterboard or Timber This method is very similar to fixing holes in plasterboard on walls. If it’s a small screw hole or nail hole just use a putty knife and a suitable filler, and smooth out. Rub down when finished. So I'm guessing it's loose, echos slightly when you tap it, with a little bit of movement. Then, when you remove the wall paper you see something like this:

The first thing to do is to cut out a rectangle around the hole using a steel rule and a Stanley knife. Alternatively, mark out with a pencil and ruler and cut out with a jab saw.Tap the plaster - To determine if the plaster has become detached from the masonry behind, give it a tap with your fists. There's a bit on my video, about 3:35 in, where I tap good and bad bits of plaster. As you will need to do a bit of cutting, before you start this, firstly run over the area around the hole with a wire detector to make sure there aren’t any wires, pipes or other items that you may accidentally cut through. There are many different fillers and plaster products available, so be sure to consider the range and select a product that is best suited to your job. For example, if you only need a small amount, you might find it easier to use ready mixed plaster Give the masonry a good clean out with a brush and a vacuum cleaner, Remember to get the edges of the old plaster too, that'll be quite dusty and dust is not our friend. Remove any items or objects from the wall so nothing protrudes out from the wall & make sure your wall is clean and dry.

Once the final layer has dried, you can smooth off any seams or imperfections. As before, use the Hoover attachment if you have one on your sander or alternatively, mask up and catch the falling dust with the Hoover nozzle under the sander/sandpaper.For both options, once the bonding coat has dried it's time to apply the finishing skim. This can be applied over the bonding coat, the existing plaster and the plasterboard. I have seen and heard a lot of people applying a 1 part PVA and 3 part water to the masonry and allowing it to dry before attaching the plasterboard. Whilst this is not mentioned as part of the plasterboard adhesive instructions, it does seem to be an accepted solution. Now that you have squared up the hole, the next job is to make a patch. You can either use a scrap piece of plasterboard or timber.