Filling electrical chases

damoC

We have a house re-wire going on at the moment and will need to fill in the chases aferwards.
What's the best way?

I've been looking into the gyproc easi-fill which looks good.
My next option is the thistle undercoat plaster with some ready mix filler on top.
I am not a plasterer but not rubbish at diy either. Which would be the better more cost effective way?
Cheers.

jk0

I did it the latter way, and it turned out okay. I guess it's most cost effective if it looks good and lasts when you've done it.

damoC

Did you layer up the undercoat plaster or do it in one hit?
What sort of depth were your chases?
Thanks

Furts

To an extent it depends how you are approaching matters. If you have plasrtic sheathingover the top then the finish over this may only be scim depth. If you are not bothering with sheathing then more make up is required.

damoC

@Furts if it has the sheathing and only scrim depth would a ready mix be suitable? Obviously I don't want it falling out haha

TheCyclingProgrammer

Our plasterers filled all of ours in (and tidied around back boxes) with bonding, but they were skimming the whole wall afterwards.

I wouldn't use Easifill if its deep, although you could probably fill with bonding almost to the surface then finish with Easifill.

Kiran

Be careful only using ready mix. Its likely to be an Aimes based plaster which is only supposed to go on in thin layers. It will have a tendency to shrink and crack if used for deep fills. If you want to cheapest option, 1 coat plaster and a final skim with aimes over the top. Simplest option is easy fill. Most robust option (probably) is filling the chase with bonding and leaving it a few mm low and coming back with either ready mix or easy fill to finish ready for sanding.

FreeBear

Problem with using bonding coat then a top coat is you have to go and buy a whole bag of each - Not very cost effective if you only need a small quantity. Unless the OP can scrounge a half bucket of each, go with what ever is cheapest. Give the area a good soak with water from a spray bottle . Build it up in thin layers, spraying the area each time - The final coat only needs to a millimetre or two thick.

JohnB47

For years now, I fill holes or tracks or whatever using the cheapest powdered filler I can find. Not the brand names - just whatever the big stores sell as an own brand.

I've found that this goes on easily and is very easy to level - it's soft. Once set, I use a steel rule dragged repeatedly down over the raised parts, with the rule also passing over the adjoining areas, until it's perfectly flat. Sometimes I need to apply two or three layers, if the area is really deep - like when I sink a new mains socket box. This avoids cracking.

This is nothing to do with cost saving. Brand name stuff sets really too hard to level.

Of course this method does need there to be level areas all around the filled area, so that the steel rule has a way to blend in the repaired part.

d0nkeyk0ng

https://www.screwfix.com/p/ronseal-big-hole-ready-mixed-wall-filler-grey-1-2ltr/95289?_requestid=224310


I've used this for deepish holes.

TheCyclingProgrammer

FWIW whilst easifill is pretty good my preferred filler is Touprets and it stands nicely too.