Help needed with plastering hole

Diy76

New Member
Hello.

Quick summary of my problem and hope you can help.

My flats front door is within a block of flats so although it's technically an external door it's still inside and hence not exposed to the elements.

The front door frame was kicked in from the inside, on the handle side, resulting in the whole right side of the frame moving out by around half an inch cracking the plaster wall to the side. Not sure if lime or gypsum plaster wall. The door then wouldn't close properly slightly catching the jamb, at the lock section, when closed each time. Over the weeks this slight catch pushed the frame further out mm after mm and is now at just over 2 inches out at the top.

The only way to push frame back in was to knock out a large section of the wall next to the frame to clear debris etc. The frame has a few wooden wedges(2-3inches long) inside(wall side) nailed on to act as a grip.

Overall it looks like a quick and easy construction maybe even a hack job and hence why the frame popped out in the first place. But then I am no expert maybe this is standard.

So I pushed frame back in but it wasn't fully flush and still caught the jamb, just. I used regular cement to patch the hole however over the time the frame just started moving out mm after mm each time I closed the door and is back to around 2 inches out at top, the cement just cracked. A real mess.

In hindsight I should have planed the side of the door at the lock and maybe could have avoided all this but I think the cement may have cracked anyway.

I now know about PVA, plaster, types of plaster, mesh, layering and finishing.

So could you recommend a plaster and give me some tips on how to secure the frame. The wall is essentially keeping the frame in place, or at least should be if done right.

I will need to hammer out all the cement leaving a hole around 0.4 x 0.5 with varyingly depths up to 0.2cm I think.

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Thanks.
 
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The door wasn't being held in place by the plaster. What makes you think throwing a bit of cement on the wall will make a blind bit of difference?

Ideally, you should deconstruct the doorframe and fix it back into the brick.

You *might* get away with fixing through the frame (though you won't be able to adjust it) Adjust the door so it closes properly, ffs. (edit...actually, I meant adjust the frame, really. The wedges are perfectly normal, then there are BFO screws holding the door frame into the opening. Or at least, there were. You've been unable to push the screws back in full because they are now bent, narrowing the opening, which is why your door doesn't close any more.)

Chip that abortion of a plastering job you did away.

Then either tape up any cracks or, depending on the depth, bond out the hole and skim it.

Paint door and it'll be good as new.

But really, seriously, given the job you've made of it so far, get a property maintenance guy out. It's exactly the kind of job that these fellas do.
 
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You not intrigued? Could see if someone had kicked it in, lost keys or robbery but kicking it out the way means someone’s been trapped in the inside and obviously doesn’t know door opens in. Male prostitue or something that’s been tied up and is trying to make a break for freedom after the op’s back is turned lol

Hoofed the whole frame out of the wall as well. Must have been desperate - you reckon there's a bit of the ole Jeffery Dalmer going on there? And that's why he won't get a workman in?

Can I use your bog mate?

Erm, there isn't one. And don't look in the waste disposal either. Or under the floorboards.
 
Thanks for you’re help mate. But I still can’t do it! Lol
Hope this helps better! Go on YouTube, get the video up you want to watch and then hold down your finger on the bar where the arrow is. The option to copy should then come up. Then come back on here and hold down your finger again and the option to paste comes up
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Thanks for the serious replies, I don't even know the story I was outside at the time, it would be nothing very dramatic though.

You say bond out the hole so I assume you mean using bonding plaster, I've also been told hardwall plaster may be a better option which is what I'm trying to work out.

I did assume there would be screws securing the door although I can't see any and have a good viewpoint of the insides, only the wooden wedges. I think maybe just a piece of debris or a wedge was preventing the frame sitting flush, I'll do it properly the next time.

Regarding layering the plaster, at what wetness should you start the next layer, I believe if too dry then there's a risk of cracking?
 
Thanks for the serious replies, I don't even know the story I was outside at the time, it would be nothing very dramatic though.

You say bond out the hole so I assume you mean using bonding plaster, I've also been told hardwall plaster may be a better option which is what I'm trying to work out.

I did assume there would be screws securing the door although I can't see any and have a good viewpoint of the insides, only the wooden wedges. I think maybe just a piece of debris or a wedge was preventing the frame sitting flush, I'll do it properly the next time.

Regarding layering the plaster, at what wetness should you start the next layer, I believe if too dry then there's a risk of cracking?
Hi There, layering the layers of plaster is something that comes with experience and is very difficult to describe. You develop a touch and feel for it. Good luck with your project my friend...
......good luck is what we're hoping for in our charity fundraiser on the the forum right now. If you have a minute please have a quick read. All Donations greatly appreciated and you could win an amazing prize
https://www.plasterersforum.com/threads/you-can-now-donate.73684/
 
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Hope this helps better! Go on YouTube, get the video up you want to watch and then hold down your finger on the bar where the arrow is. The option to copy should then come up. Then come back on here and hold down your finger again and the option to paste comes up
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Thanks so much for you’re help @JessThePlasterer but I’ve tried and I just can’t get it to work! :tonto:
 
Thanks for the serious replies, I don't even know the story I was outside at the time, it would be nothing very dramatic though.

You say bond out the hole so I assume you mean using bonding plaster, I've also been told hardwall plaster may be a better option which is what I'm trying to work out.

I did assume there would be screws securing the door although I can't see any and have a good viewpoint of the insides, only the wooden wedges. I think maybe just a piece of debris or a wedge was preventing the frame sitting flush, I'll do it properly the next time.

Regarding layering the plaster, at what wetness should you start the next layer, I believe if too dry then there's a risk of cracking?

Really. Honestly. Stop before you make it any worse.

This is obviously far, far above the level of DIY that you are capable of. You need to fix the doorframe back into the wall. That means that to get the screws that are currently holding it in, out, you'll probably have to go some way to dismantling it and your chances of putting it back together in any kind of operable condition are pretty much zero.

And that's before you've plastered... a few words of advice here aren't going to save you either.

It's only a small job for someone who knows what they're doing but if you keep going, it's likely that your house will fall down.
 
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Its not even funny!

1) Dont know how to get summet side of name avatar malarky!

2) Dont know how to do do smiley faces stuff!

3) Dont know how your all doing them giphy things!

T.O.S.S.E.R.S
Lol.

You click on the giffy symbol for a giffy old man

You click on the smiley face for emojis but have to make sure the cog symbol is black. If it’s orange then you click on it and it goes black... oh ancient one

Avatars are probably beyond you.... you walking Jurassic!!
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