how do i fix a smallish hole in ceiling

[southeastastra]

there was a small leak a couple of years back which is now fixed but it has left a smallish hole (about the size of a £2 coin, i cover it with tape and paint over it which has worked but obviously doesn't last!

googling appears to be really useless and i am stuck! Homebase suggested expandable foam

Polyfila? Can be sanded and painted afterwards

but what can i put over the hole? a bit of card, would that work?

How old is the house?

Can you get at the ceiling from above?

fill the hole in with polyfilla and smooth it so it is flush with the rest of the ceiling. you dont need card.

don't think i can get to it from above, it's a 60s house.
i could try the polyfilla just didn't think that would work!

stuff with scrunched up newspaper
then cover the hole with scrim tape stuff

then cover that with the powder filler stuff - much better than polyfilla from a tube. make sure you cover quite a long way round the hole so you can sand the edges back nicely to cover the join.

Polyfilla from underneath will fall out. You need to form a mushroom-shaped lump with the big head on top of the plasterboard that you will have. You have no access to the upper surface to it will be dirty and dusty and not stick.

Put a sponge in a plastic bag

Mix up some plaster or filler so it is not stiff, but soft and saggy. I find plaster easier to use, but it sets very fast so mix a bit in a yoghurt pot and apply immediately.

Press it into the hole with a small filling knife. Keep pressing in more so it will spread out on the top of the ceiling.

Press your along in the bag against the ceiling. It will prevent the plaster falling out. Prop the sponge up with a long stick until you have reason to believe it is fully set.

The plastic will peel away without pulling out the plaster.

The patch will be concave due to the sponge. Use a stiff mix and your filling knife to fill it. Use the knife to scrape off any excess while soft so it is flat and smooth.

form a mushroom shape with what? paper?

it sounds involved maybe i should get someone in to do it for me

The filler or plaster, pushed up into the hole, should spread out on top as it sags, thus forming the mushroom head.

oh i see, thank you ! will try out this week, thank you.