Can someone help with a basic problem?

I need to replace a ceiling fan using existing ducting and wiring.

Problem is that the plaster board ceiling has been very slightly damaged -
has crumbled away at 1 or 2 sides preventing screws/raw plugs from being
inserted in to it. Consequently there is nothing to screw the fan in to (if
I use the existing 4 inch hole).

Is there a simple solution to this? Would filling the ceiling - using a
plaster based filla - be a solution?

Gareth.

"Gareth" wrote in message
...
Can someone help with a basic problem?

I need to replace a ceiling fan using existing ducting and wiring.

Problem is that the plaster board ceiling has been very slightly damaged -
has crumbled away at 1 or 2 sides preventing screws/raw plugs from being
inserted in to it. Consequently there is nothing to screw the fan in to
(if I use the existing 4 inch hole).

Is there a simple solution to this? Would filling the ceiling - using a
plaster based filla - be a solution?

Gareth.

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.

In article ,
"Gareth" writes:
Can someone help with a basic problem?

I need to replace a ceiling fan using existing ducting and wiring.

Problem is that the plaster board ceiling has been very slightly damaged -
has crumbled away at 1 or 2 sides preventing screws/raw plugs from being
inserted in to it. Consequently there is nothing to screw the fan in to (if
I use the existing 4 inch hole).

Is there a simple solution to this? Would filling the ceiling - using a
plaster based filla - be a solution?

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.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
"Gareth" writes:
Can someone help with a basic problem?

I need to replace a ceiling fan using existing ducting and wiring.

Problem is that the plaster board ceiling has been very slightly
damaged - has crumbled away at 1 or 2 sides preventing screws/raw
plugs from being inserted in to it. Consequently there is nothing to
screw the fan in to (if I use the existing 4 inch hole).

Is there a simple solution to this? Would filling the ceiling -
using a plaster based filla - be a solution?

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

Phil L wrote:
Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
"Gareth" writes:

Can someone help with a basic problem?

I need to replace a ceiling fan using existing ducting and wiring.

Problem is that the plaster board ceiling has been very slightly
damaged - has crumbled away at 1 or 2 sides preventing screws/raw
plugs from being inserted in to it. Consequently there is nothing to
screw the fan in to (if I use the existing 4 inch hole).

Is there a simple solution to this? Would filling the ceiling -
using a plaster based filla - be a solution?

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

"newshound" wrote in message
...

"Gareth" wrote in message
...
Can someone help with a basic problem?

I need to replace a ceiling fan using existing ducting and wiring.

Problem is that the plaster board ceiling has been very slightly
damaged - has crumbled away at 1 or 2 sides preventing screws/raw plugs
from being inserted in to it. Consequently there is nothing to screw the
fan in to (if I use the existing 4 inch hole).

Is there a simple solution to this? Would filling the ceiling - using a
plaster based filla - be a solution?

Gareth.

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.

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.

:-(

Gareth wrote:
"newshound" wrote in message
...
"Gareth" wrote in message
...

Can someone help with a basic problem?

I need to replace a ceiling fan using existing ducting and wiring.

Problem is that the plaster board ceiling has been very slightly
damaged - has crumbled away at 1 or 2 sides preventing screws/raw plugs
from being inserted in to it. Consequently there is nothing to screw the
fan in to (if I use the existing 4 inch hole).

Is there a simple solution to this? Would filling the ceiling - using a
plaster based filla - be a solution?

Gareth.

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.

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
manage to get anyone who is willing to be paid for doing it it seems!

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.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

wrote in message
...
Gareth wrote:
"newshound" wrote in message
...
"Gareth" wrote in message
...

Can someone help with a basic problem?

I need to replace a ceiling fan using existing ducting and wiring.

Problem is that the plaster board ceiling has been very slightly
damaged - has crumbled away at 1 or 2 sides preventing screws/raw
plugs
from being inserted in to it. Consequently there is nothing to screw
the
fan in to (if I use the existing 4 inch hole).

Is there a simple solution to this? Would filling the ceiling - using
a
plaster based filla - be a solution?

Gareth.

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.

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.

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.

Usual thing is to put a sheet of something behind the hole,
anything while the filler sets.

Thank you. I'll try to use wooden sticks

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

--

~ ~ Anna Kettle, Suffolk, England
|""""| ~ Lime plaster repair and conservation
/ ^^ \ // Freehand modelling in lime: overmantels, pargeting etc
|_____|/ www.kettlenet.co.uk