Replacing plasterboard
Discussion
Morning guys
I need to cut out a section of platerboard to run some cable. There is a hole at the top and the bottom but I am unable to get the cable to feed through.
If I were to cut out the plasterboard, when it comes to replacing, how do I get it to sit reasonably flush to then skim?
I will be papering the wall afterwards.
I need to cut out a section of platerboard to run some cable. There is a hole at the top and the bottom but I am unable to get the cable to feed through.
If I were to cut out the plasterboard, when it comes to replacing, how do I get it to sit reasonably flush to then skim?
I will be papering the wall afterwards.
Are you need to cut it out to feed the cable? If the hole at the top and the one at the bottom are in line, can you feed in from the top, a piece of string with a weight (a large nut?) toied to the end, then pull the cable through with the string?
Failing that, the best way is once you have the cut-out, you will need to fix some batten across the new hole to fix the new plasterboard to. A simple way is to glue some 1" by 0.5" lengths off wood to the back of the remaining plasterboard across the hole with some no more nails, wait for it to dry, the fix the new plasterboard to this. (I'm sure a professional dry-waller would have a fit, but that's what I'd do!)
Failing that, the best way is once you have the cut-out, you will need to fix some batten across the new hole to fix the new plasterboard to. A simple way is to glue some 1" by 0.5" lengths off wood to the back of the remaining plasterboard across the hole with some no more nails, wait for it to dry, the fix the new plasterboard to this. (I'm sure a professional dry-waller would have a fit, but that's what I'd do!)
Is it a stud wall your trying to feed the cable down? if so there will be a noggin about halfway to strengthen the studwork, if this is the case you will need to find it and cut out the plasterboard covering it so you can drill through the noggin, if you cut a square hole (also make the top and bottom holes square) you can then cut a piece of plasterboard to fit each hole, you will also need some timber (2x1 is best) cut each piece approx 4" wider than each of the holes you have cut, hold a piece in the hole and fix by screwing through the existing plasterboard, then screw your plasterboard patch to the wood, repeat for each hole you can then apply some self adhesive fibatape and apply a couple of coats of filler.
very simply solution. please follow these instructions and hopefully they make sense.
If you already have a whole at the top/bottom of the plasterboard then feed a rigid wire either up or down though one of the existing hole's. This will give you a measurement for the horizontal noggin that will be in the wall. Then transfer that measurement to the outside of the wall so you know where it is.
Now once you know where this is draw a square on the plasterboard with the bottom off the square on top of the noggin. Then what you want to do with a plasterboard saw is cut down the 2 vertical lines of the square. But when you cut down do so with the plasterboard saw at a 45 degree angle to the wall. Then do the same along the bottom of the square line.
You should now have a U shape cut in the wall with all the cuts tapered into the wall. Now use the saw and feed it into the bottom cut and pry the plasterboard out. What you are trying to do is snap the plasterboard out of the wall. What will happen is the inner plaster will come away from the wall but it will still be attached by the outer paper of the plasterboard and you should have created a cat flap like whole in the wall.
So then you open up the flap, pass the cable down from the top whole to the new whole. Now use a drill to make a whole in the noggin and feed the cable through, from there you can pull it down and out of the bottom whole.
Then when the cable is through simple push the flap back down. As you earlier created a tapered cut to its edge it will not push into the wall cavity. You can either then polyfill over the cuts to hold it in place or as you may be plastering scrim over the cuts and plaster the wall.
If you already have a whole at the top/bottom of the plasterboard then feed a rigid wire either up or down though one of the existing hole's. This will give you a measurement for the horizontal noggin that will be in the wall. Then transfer that measurement to the outside of the wall so you know where it is.
Now once you know where this is draw a square on the plasterboard with the bottom off the square on top of the noggin. Then what you want to do with a plasterboard saw is cut down the 2 vertical lines of the square. But when you cut down do so with the plasterboard saw at a 45 degree angle to the wall. Then do the same along the bottom of the square line.
You should now have a U shape cut in the wall with all the cuts tapered into the wall. Now use the saw and feed it into the bottom cut and pry the plasterboard out. What you are trying to do is snap the plasterboard out of the wall. What will happen is the inner plaster will come away from the wall but it will still be attached by the outer paper of the plasterboard and you should have created a cat flap like whole in the wall.
So then you open up the flap, pass the cable down from the top whole to the new whole. Now use a drill to make a whole in the noggin and feed the cable through, from there you can pull it down and out of the bottom whole.
Then when the cable is through simple push the flap back down. As you earlier created a tapered cut to its edge it will not push into the wall cavity. You can either then polyfill over the cuts to hold it in place or as you may be plastering scrim over the cuts and plaster the wall.
dave0010 said:
'Fishing cable', 'firebreaks' - once again, two countries divided by a common language 
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