We just installed a new furnace in our house and would like to remove 2 registers at the bottom of our wall that are non functional . The walls i beleive are plastered since it was built in 1950. The holes would be 25"x 9". How do you replaster such a big hole or can you use a piece of drywall?
How to repair hole in wall
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simple fix....put in a shiny new register cover and call it good...:laughing:
Have you got access to the back of the wall ( furnace side)?
If so, go back there and put a couple 2x4 running across from the studs on iether side so that about half of it sticks past the hole. That way when you fix the new piece of drywall in the hole (cut to fit) some of the new drywall sits on top of the new 2x4's and part of the old wall sits on the other half of the 2x4's.
That way both old and new drywall are sitting against something firm (new 2x4s nailed to the studs).
Then mud lightly, spread evenly with a drywall knife (around 6" wide is fine for first coat) then let dry, make another light pass with mud and spread it out little further (use larger dryuwall knife) and then let dry. Make a final pass with some drywall mud and feather it out 8-10" on all sides.
Then sand lightly, prime and paint.
TRick is to use just little drywall mud each time.
If the wall is not accessible from the back, you can cut a square hole (make the little one bigger) so you can reach up and attach the same 2x4's I was talking about earlier, but do it from the front side.
then repeat the same steps.
Pretty easy fix, you cant mess up too much. Worse case scenario is you have to do some re-mudding:yes:
Hope that helps
Have you got access to the back of the wall ( furnace side)?
If so, go back there and put a couple 2x4 running across from the studs on iether side so that about half of it sticks past the hole. That way when you fix the new piece of drywall in the hole (cut to fit) some of the new drywall sits on top of the new 2x4's and part of the old wall sits on the other half of the 2x4's.
That way both old and new drywall are sitting against something firm (new 2x4s nailed to the studs).
Then mud lightly, spread evenly with a drywall knife (around 6" wide is fine for first coat) then let dry, make another light pass with mud and spread it out little further (use larger dryuwall knife) and then let dry. Make a final pass with some drywall mud and feather it out 8-10" on all sides.
Then sand lightly, prime and paint.
TRick is to use just little drywall mud each time.
If the wall is not accessible from the back, you can cut a square hole (make the little one bigger) so you can reach up and attach the same 2x4's I was talking about earlier, but do it from the front side.
then repeat the same steps.
Pretty easy fix, you cant mess up too much. Worse case scenario is you have to do some re-mudding:yes:
Hope that helps
Sorry I just noticed you said the walls are plastered possibly. I missed that.
I am not much help with old plastered walls so I would be guessing now, but I would try the same as I mentioned. You would need to make sure you got the correct thickness drywall for it to work tho. I am not sure how thick the plastered wall would be, you would have to measure.
I am not much help with old plastered walls so I would be guessing now, but I would try the same as I mentioned. You would need to make sure you got the correct thickness drywall for it to work tho. I am not sure how thick the plastered wall would be, you would have to measure.
You can run screws through the existing wall into wood blocking that you put in the wall, so that part of the block is behind the existing wall, and part protruding into the hole. The blocks should be not more than 6-8" apart, measured around the perimeter. The blocks provide support for drywall that will be screwed to the blocks.
The maximum (& ideal) thickness of drywall you can use is the thickness of the wall.
If it is thinner than the wall, then you can fill the space with drywall joint compound (the chemical setting powder is easier for this if you need to fill a lot). Build up in thin layers - thick layers will crack, and may not stick properly.
As an alternative to using filler to build up to be flush with the wall, you could attach shims to the blocks before using a piece of drywall to fill the hole.
Make sure you use either paper or fiberglass tape along the seams. If you do not, the seams will crack sooner or later.
The maximum (& ideal) thickness of drywall you can use is the thickness of the wall.
If it is thinner than the wall, then you can fill the space with drywall joint compound (the chemical setting powder is easier for this if you need to fill a lot). Build up in thin layers - thick layers will crack, and may not stick properly.
As an alternative to using filler to build up to be flush with the wall, you could attach shims to the blocks before using a piece of drywall to fill the hole.
Make sure you use either paper or fiberglass tape along the seams. If you do not, the seams will crack sooner or later.
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3,165 Posts
The suggestion to put on some register covers was, I think, tongue in cheek. But, it's really not a bad idea. get some solid material (plywood, mdf, whatever), cut it to the size of the interior of the register, paint it matte black, seal it everything with some caulk.
KISS - it will look great, and will be relatively little work.
KISS - it will look great, and will be relatively little work.
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7,556 Posts
Simple answer: Yes. You can use sheetrock, and drywall the area.
Install wood to attach the sheetrock to. Then install the sheetrock itself. Tape, coat, sand per standard hole patching practice (as you would for a normal drywall patch)
If the holes are in exterior walls, make sure you install insulation first.
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