On Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:56:56 GMT, The Medway Handyman wrote:

I haven't found a good technique for getting the filler to the bottom
of the holes. So far I have been pushing some filler in, then tamping
it down, adding some more, tamping it down...

That's a bit excessive IMHO. Why do you feel the need to fill the hole
completely? I remove the old plugs, make a nice thick filler mix and using
a small trowel spread a small dollop of the filler over the hole. A fair
bit goes down the hole and a "spread" or two more is all that is required.
Leave a bit proud but before it fully hardens treat like plaster, wet and
smooth over with a small float or the flat of the filling trowel. I've not
had any of these fillings fall out or crack around. Part of the trick is a
stiff filler mix so if you trap a pocket of air and it can't get out it
doesn't push a dome onto the surface of the filler. A stiff mix doesn't
slump out of the hole either.

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Readymix-Fil...ed-Filler-Once

Brilliant - does what it says on the tin.

Is that nice and smooth or a bit gritty? Bought a tube of ready mixed
polyfilla, on the basis that it would always be ready and easier than
mixing up a tiny amount of powdered filler. But it was terrible stuff, not
smooth at all but full of tiny gritty bits.

--
Cheers
Dave.