How to repair loose blind mount wall anchor?

[audzzz]

 

 

3-year-old blind purchased and installed by a tradesman seems to be falling apart. 

I managed to dislodge the blinds and took a photo of the mount. It seems quite fragile as though if I use a bit of strength, it might get pulled out. 

I saw on Youtube there was something like a wet n fix patches in the US for wall plugs where you wet it and apply it all around on the anchor and fix it back into the hole.

I would like some advice from the community how I can fix this using products from bunnings. 

[audzzz]

Hi @EricL,

I went in store and purchased everything recommended and also a fiberglass tape. 

We did met with several challenges.

1. while cutting the damaged wall, we discovered there is a stud on the right side of the holes. Therefore we had to shift our incision towards as much as we can on the left, leaving as much space we have for the backing wood. 

2. Initially using the method of tying a string in the middle, when securing the backing wood, the resistance is quite strong so we couldn’t get the screw into the backing wood. We also have very narrow width and cannot grab onto the wood while drilling. We then had to drill a few screws on the wood, a temporary that is in the middle that I took off after secured to call, and another at the top left corner, opposite side of the wood so we can tie the string better(this just stayed at the back of the wood) . This provided us more resistance when we drill through the wall into the backing wood 

3. I then took the blind mount and measured the distance so I can attach the screw of plasterboard to the backing wood. I think maybe because I did not drill the screw in the middle, therefore it was slightly uneven at the top of the plasterboard. Hopefully it will not cause issues when we install the blind mount. 

4. Next step is to seal up the plasterboard, I used the fiberglass tape as per video and applied compound. I am not sure how thick to apply, so I just put enough to cover the tape. 

Can I check what is the next steps?  

- I intend to let it dry out for 2 days, perhaps Saturday will sand it.

- How do I determine whether I need to apply the compound again?

- after sanding, do I pre-drill the blind mount, then paint then install? Or do I paint first, then pre-drill then install?

- there are a few screws that were inserted securing for the backing wood, they look very ugly and how can I cover them up? Do I also use the compound to go over them, sand it and paint? Unfortunately I tried to drill further in, but it is the maximum it can go. 

- for painting, do I need a primer?( if I need one, can you recommend me please)

- I took a small sample of the wall during cutting, will that be sufficient to match my wall color?

thanks so much for your detailed steps and apologies if I asked too much questions!!

 

 

[JacobZ]

Hi @audzzz,

Great work, you've done a fantastic job so far. 

Depending on the plaster you've used, they will usually be dry and ready for sanding after 1 hour, but waiting 2 hours, where possible, is worthwhile. 2 days drying time is more than enough.

The compound you have applied looks good. The main thing you are looking to do is fully encapsulate the tape, so it does not show through the compound. If you give it a sand and can't get it smooth without exposing the tape, then a quick skim coat, then resanding it will be worthwhile.

The screws on the left need to be driven in a bit more. Check out How to install plasterboard. At 2:04, you can see a screw that is sitting perfectly. The head needs to slightly purse the paper on the plasterboard so that it sits ever so slightly below the surface of the plasterboard. It is easiest to do this with a phillips head screwdriver, as you will have more control. You should be able to drive them deeper into the timber. Once they are sitting below the surface of the plasterboard, give them a quick coat of plaster to cover them and give it a sand.

Yes, when there is bare plaster, it is best to use a primer. This Dulux 1Step Prep Primer, Sealer & Undercoat will be fine.

As long as the plasterboard you have kept is larger than a 50-cent piece, this will be fine to colour match. 

You should pre-drill your holes after painting. Any minor imperfections around the pilot holes will be covered by the brackets anyway, so there's no need to overthink this step.

I hope this answers all your questions, but please reach out if you need further clarification.

Jacob

[audzzz]

 

 

Hi @EricL  & @JacobZ 

Thank you so much for all the instructions and I have managed to repair the area and painted it with very minimal paint contrast. The whole process was quite intimidating but I think this gave me more confident for other small repairs in the house

[JacobZ]

Nice work @audzzz!

You can barely tell that the patch is there.

Congratulations on a successful repair.

Jacob

[EricL]

Hello @audzzz 

That's excellent repair work, I can't even see the patch!

Eric