Ceiling fan and damanged plaster?

Possibly. Often in cases like this it is easier to glue the new fan back in place where the fixings are gone using one of the cartridge adhesives or perhaps a dab of araldite. It's not an item which is routinely removed. While the glue might pull off some plaster skim if it was removed again, this can be patched invisibly with a little skill.

A ceiling fan must be fixed into a joist or something more structural than plasterboard. They do occasionally fall down, and in the US, falling ceiling fans kill about 2 people/year. I suggest to move it to the nearest joist/noggin.

I think he means extractor fan, rather than those decorative fans that are often wobbling about when in use

If its an extractor, ordinary polyfilla is fine to repair holes to drill and fix. If a ceiling fan, as Andrew said, never hang them on plaster.

NT

Thanks. I think I may have to give your suggestion a go. It isn't ideal but with my skill level it's the only option I have I think. The wiring isn't difficult - that can be done with commonsense and reading the instructions. The job is so small that I can't even manage to get anyone who is willing to be paid for doing it it seems!

How is it possible to use filler in a case like this though? I wouldn't be filling a hole I would be trying to fill a complete gap - a bridge to nowhere. There's nothing to plaster the filler on to.

:-(

Usual thing is to put a sheet of something behind the hole, anything while the filler sets. But filler onto nothing substantial is a lot weaker than filler in a masonry hole, and I wouldnt want to fix a vibrating extractor fan to it. A better option would be to lay a few wood sticks on top of the PB, using nomore nails or pva etc to stick them in place, then u can screw the fan into them.

NT

Gareth wrote: The job is so small that I can't even

Thats the sort of job I do all the time, my niche market in fact.

Not touting for work, I'm miles away, but thats where the handyman concept come in.

Thank you. I'll try to use wooden sticks.

It will take me at least a week to pluck up the courage to approach the task myself (!) but I don't think I have another option and I'll have to try to do it myself. At least I will save money that way. Still, there's real skill in planning even apparently basic jobs to avoid unplanned problems - a skill that I don't have when it comes to diy :-(

Thanks again.

Cut some plasterboard or suchlike a bit longer and narrower than the hole then screw a long screw to the middle. Put it in the hole with the screw pointing out then you can hold on to the screw to give a bit of resistance while the gunk goes in.to just below the surface. Let it set then unscrew the screw. Put on a finishing coat

Anna