fixing hole in ceiling around light fitting

[deanow27]

Hi hope you can help.

Whilst crawling around in the loft space today, I knocked the top o light fitting. Flush with the ceiling the light fitting measure approxmately 13cm across.This fell through the ceiling along with hal the plaster surrounding around the light fitting. Caused a hell o mess right above the cooker.

Half the plaster around the light fitting remains in place. I no have a hole approximately oblong (or more accurately rather like a overlapping venn diagram) approximately 20cm across. The light fittin is hanging down precariously although is held in place with two flims aluminium struts.

I don't know how to refit the light fitting flush with the ceiling. I this a job for a plasterer or more simple than that. Do you have t build up support from the loft space? any tips gratefully received Many thanks

Dea

-- deanow27

[Phil Anthropist]

For repairing a hole in either a plasterboard ceiling or a plaster and lath ceiling one method is to cut back to sound plaster in the form of a square or oblong shape then cut a piece of plaster board to fill the hole. If there are no ceiling joists exposed that you can nail on the new piece of plasterboard you could fix two wooden battens between ceiling joists to take the galvanised nails. The surface of the new plasterboard patch needs to be almost level with the existing ceiling so that the surface can be made good and level with filler or a plaster/plaster skim coat. It is advisable to coat the new plasterboard and the edges of the existing plaster with PVA adhesive to prevent it absorbing the water from the filler/plaster. Relevant websites: