Repairing Walls and Ceilings

[D7]

I am in the process of renovating my kitchen in a 1945 vintage home. Running new electrical outlets required I cut holes in the walls and ceiling in order to fish electrical wire. Now it's time to repair the holes. I installed wood backing strips, secured with drywall screws, in the holes. I then filled the holes with drywall cut to fit the holes. However, this house has the old wet plaster and the thickness of the plaster in not consistent. In some places, on the same wall, the thickness can vary as much as a half an inch. In most cases I've been able to fill the hole to be patch with a least two layers of drywall such as; two 3/8 in. or one 3/8 in. and one 1/2 in. pieces. However, in some holes regardless what I do, I I'm unabe to fill the hole and I leave about an 1/8 in. area to level surface. I tried filling the area with ready mix joint compound only to find the next day the compound didn't dry and there were cracks everywhere. What can I do to finish this project? Help !!!! Will Durabound 90 help?

[Jimmer]

D7,

Welcome to the forum.

Yes, Durabond 90 is your answer for filling in large voids. Be sure to underfill and then topcoat with lightweight ready-mix drywall compound.

It is too late now for you to use this advice on this project but if you ever have to cut openings for access again... Use a 6" hole saw on your drill and cut a perfect circle everytime. If, as in your recent project, the walls are different thicknesses be sure to label the discs as you cut them out so you will put them back in the right spot. If you are dealing with 1/2" drywall everywhere it does not matter if you mix up the discs.

Good luck, Jim

'Just a handyman trying to help'

[D7]

Thanks Jim,

Believe it I tried using a hole saw. This plaster is so old it just crumbled whenever there was a variance is drill speed. I couldn't go fast and I couldn't go slow. And, the plaster cracked all around the hole I was drilling. The one plug I was able to save, and re-use, broke into pieces when I re-inserted the plug and attempted to set with a drywall screw. In fact, Jim, I was tempted to remove the entire wall, frame with studs since the structure has no framing studs what-so-ever, insulate, wire, and then install new dryall. In fact, if I had it to do over again, that's exactly what I would do. Thought this was the quickest and easiest method. Boy, was I ever mistaken.

But, back to the issue at hand. I'm now on me way to Home Depot for the Durabond 90. Thanks for all your advise.

D7