Plaster ‘n’ lats in the bathroom, which I never replaced (a man can only handle puling down so many ceilings). Instead it had a reasonable thick ‘skim’.

Understandably though, the sparkies drilling out for the LEDs has borked the surrounding plaster.

I’m thinking that it’s best fixed by building up layers of generic filler.

Is there a better way or any tips? (I really don’t want to reboard)

Ta.

This is the worst example:

7

In better news, main bedroom is coming along. Progress – sweet, lovely, endorphin-releasing progress!

That’ll be £50.

That’ll be £50.

each light I hope

Toupret Interior filler.

Sticks like poo to a blanket, easy to shape and sand, takes any paint.

Nice work as ever, Jamie 🙂

Thanks for that Neil, bloody expensive in shops though! (can only find at screwfix)

Pricey

Gyproc Easifill – the peach tub.

Decorators flexible caulk, 99p a 310ml tube from Screwfix. I’ve filled much bigger gaps with it. Does shrink a bit, so might need two applications, but very easy to work with, consistency of toothpaste.

Ps it lathe

It’s lath, unless you are turning a new ceiling.

Thanks for that Neil, bloody expensive in shops though! (can only find at screwfix)

Leyland SDM stock it at better prices if there’s one near you, I buy online where it’s cheaper than that for 5Kg but minimum £50 order for free shipping.
LINK

Whatever the magic ingredient is, it’s worth it.

use 6mm ply or metal plate to create a painted collar 25mm wider than the light fitting, just snap on with the light fitting.

Thats the badger neil.

Dti that would just lead to being reminded of that time you bodged the lights every time you looked up at the shit circle round your lights 🙂

Decorators flexible caulk, 99p a 310ml tube from Screwfix. I’ve filled much bigger gaps with it. Does shrink a bit, so might need two applications, but very easy to work with, consistency of toothpaste.

The problem with caulk is you can’t sand it and if you are filling a flat / plastered surface (rather than a corner or something like the gap between wall and architrave) then it has a different absorbancy to the rest of the plasterwork and that can show through matt paint as glossy patches

Plaster filler in tubes can be applied like caulk, especially handy for working overhead. Its very light (the tube feels empty when you buy it) so doesn’t sag or fall back out of the hole you’re filling, but unlike caulk you can sand it easily and its absorbant so takes paint well.

Its also cheaper in Toolstation

You can buy similar filler in tubs, usually referred to as ‘One strike’ or ‘One Shot’ meaning it will dry/cure in reasonably deep applications rather than have to be built up in thin layers

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Painting+Decorating/Fillers+Putty/Red+Devil+Onetime+Filler+1L/d150/sd3169/p88654

each light I hope

3 for 2. I’m not a monster.

Brilliant stuff, thank you all. Got to say Mr maccruiskeen’s soution has me sold.

(..and I’ll consider myself educated on another terminology faux pas!)

Lathe and plaster ceilings are held up by surface tension (more or less!). Make holes in it and you are asking for trouble. I’ve rarely met a Sparky prepared to fit downlighters in them; most insist on a lowered ceilings.
Why fit downlighters anyway. They reflect no light off your ceilings meaning you need much more energy for the same amount of light.
Modern plaster has glue in it and sticks perfectly to plasterboard. Back then the challenge was to get plaster to stick to wood (it doesn’t)so the thin lathes were nailed (via Branders) to the ceiling joists and the plaster squidged through the gaps. It is the blobs of plaster (keys)above the lathes that hold the whole weight of 25mm thick plaster. Really not a great system as any water leaks from above or mechanical damage to the keys and the whole lot can come down,

Get the sparky to it..sparks don’t give a shit.