Silly hole in the wall query

[p00kie]

Hi , I hope you can help.... I'm replacing the skirting on the landing area in my house and there's one or two holes that need filling before putting the new skirting on. However one of the holes is quite deep and has an electric cable running through. I was thinking of filling this hole with patching cement before plastering over but am concerned about plugging a hole with electric cabling in it with cement in particular. I have this vision of the plastic on the cable reacting with the cement ..... My thoughts/questions are .... would it be okay to plug the hole with patching cement or should I surround the cable in say plaster or something else (suggestions) first? Help and advice most definately welcome.

[BigWallop]

Try packing the hole with wet newspaper first, allow it to dry off a bit, then fill and smooth it over with plaster. Cheap, cheerful and so inert it doesn't react with anything.

[stuart noble]

Plaster/cement doesn't affect cable in any way.

[rrh]

Assuming you use The Independent of course. Page 3 of The Sun might cause a fire.

[Lurch]

On Sat, 22 May 2004 07:05:25 GMT, "p00kie" strung together this:

Cement will be fine.

[Chris Hodges]

I have been known to use scraps off wood held in place with "instant nails" or similar as a cheap & quite strudy backing for wood filler.

[p00kie]

Hmmm .... how about the times .... :-) Many thanks all for suggestions and advice, I've some plasterboard left over from previous escapades which I think I'll break down into bits and use some newspaper to pack around the cable with p'board over top! /me - hopes it works .. if not skirting should cover it!

[N. Thornton]

I generally just use filler as backing for filler. First just stick enough in to cover the back of the hole, without worrying about it having any noticeable strength. When thats set it has enough strength to enable you to fill the hole and smooth it flush: the 2nd lot is what provides the strength.

Regards, NT

[Z]

In article , p00kie writes

Is this cable one tucked behind the skirting board before going up the wall? If possible drill through the wallplate at the bottom 50mm in from the wall wall surfaces and re-route the cable up that hole. Alternatively if it needs to still be tucked behind the skirting board cut a check out of the bottom plate run the cable up that and fit a bit of flat-bar metal over the cable so the flat bar is flush with the front surface of the wall plate. If the wall is lath and plaster and the lath is broken you could fit a new lath easily enough which would help in plastering a good surface. Personally I fill all holes through deckplates and floorboards with fire-rated foam, I don't think it is a requirement in deckplates but I have a thing about not leaving extra hole to help the spread of fire. If you don't have foam don't go out and buy any.