GB2407613A

GB2407613A - Repairing drywall damage, with reinstatement of lost anchor as required

Info

Publication number: GB2407613A
Application number: GB0422853A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Stephenson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-10-15
Filing date: 2004-10-14
Publication date: 2005-05-04
Also published as: GB0324199D0; GB0422853D0

Abstract

A method of repairing a damaged plasterboard panel 10 comprises the steps of: a) providing a flexible back-plate 18, sized to overlap the edges of a hole 16, b) removing a temporary cover sheet from adhesive 24 on the edge of the back-plate, c) flexing the back-plate and inserting it through the hole, using a handle 30 to pull and adhere it against the rear of the damaged panel, d) filling the hole, e) removing or trimming the handle 30. A cover-plate 26 may be provided before or after step d. The handle may be flexible and may be tied around the cover-plate 26. The filler may comprises pieces of fabric 38 laid one on another, or randomly orientated within a powdered filler material such as plaster of paris. The back-plate may have a thicker central portion, its flexibility may arise from cuts, holes, slots or undulations. An anchor plug for a fixing screw may be formed integrally with, or secured to, the back-plate. Apparatus for performing the method are also claimed.

Description

24076 1 3 REPAIRING DRYWALL DAMAGE, WITH REINSTATEMENT OF ANCHOR

AS REQUIRED

This invention relates to a method and means for repairing damaged drywall panels, that is panels made of plaster-board, with reinstatement of a lost anchor as required.

Plastcr-board (referred to hereafter for convenience as 'drywall') is constituted by two layers of a thin card material spaced apart by a thick filling of plaster. It is a very popular building material, and is used extensively in the building industry, especially in the USA.

It is commonly available in two thicknesses - 8mm and 12mm. Drywall panels are found in most homes and offices, being used for partitions and stud-walling. Although it is cheap to buy and easy to fit, it does have the serious disadvantage of low mechanical strength, and is prone to easy damage by impact, for example, by door handles. The greater the impact, the greater the dimple produced in the panel. Heavy impacts can result in rupture ofthe panel and formation of a ragged hole. Furthermore, overloading a support or appliance fixed to a drywall by a screw secured in a plug anchored in the drywall can pull or tear away the material constituting the drywall, again producing a ragged hole.

Fixtures and supports are attached to drywalls by means of specially designed anchors (plugs) which are arranged to contact and press on the remote (enclosed) surface of the drywall. Thus, when overloaded, such anchors tend to make large holes in the drywall, which are difficult to repair. Moreover, it is difficult to satisfactorily reinstate an anchor once it has been torn out of the panel.

The present invention seeks to provide a method and a means for effecting repair of such a damaged panel, and preferably also an effective reinstatement of a displaced anchor when required.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a method of repairing a damaged drywall panel comprises the following steps:- (a) cutting away the damaged area of the panel to form a hole of predetermined shape and size, thereby eliminating the damaged material from the panel; (b) providing a back plate of a flexible, semi-rigid plastics material of a shape and size sufficient to cover the hole and also overlap peripheral areas which border the hole and are disposed at least on opposite sides of the hole, the back plate having engaged therewith handle means extending from one surface thereof (hereafter the 'anterior surface') for S holding and manipulating the back plate, and the back plate being provided on the said anterior surface with an adhesive positioned for engaging with said peripheral areas around the hole, said adhesive being protected temporarily by a removable cover sheet; (c) removing the cover sheet to expose the adhesive on the back plate; (d) whilst holding the back plate by means of the handle means, flexing the back plate temporarily and threading it through the hole to position it adjacent the remote posterior surface of the panel and centrally relative to the hole; (e) drawing the back plate towards and into engagement with the posterior surface of the panel, thereby to secure the back plate adhesively to the panel; (f) filling the hole with an activated quick-setting filler material; and (g) after the elapse of time sufficient for the filler material to harden, disengaging the handle means from the back plate or trimming it flush with the surface ofthe panel.

One preferred method according to the present invention includes after step (f) the additional steps of: (h) placing over the filled hole a cover plate of a size sufficient to cover the hole and overlap peripheral areas bordering the hole; and (i) engaging the handle means with the cover plate thereby to securely enclose the hole and compress the filler material; and after the hardening of the filler material the additional step of: (j) disengaging the handle means and the cover plate and removing the cover plate from the filled hole thereby to enable the handle means to be disengaged from the back plate or trimmed flush with the panel surface.

An alternative method according to the present invention includes before step (f) the additional steps of: (h) placing over the hole a cover plate of a size sufficient to cover the hole and overlap peripheral areas bordering the hole, the cover plate having at least one hole through which the filler material may be injected; and - 3 (i) engaging the handle means and the cover plate, thereby to securely enclose the hole; and after step (I) and the hardening ofthe filler material the additional step of:- (j) disengaging the handle means and the cover plate and removing the cover plate from the filled hole thereby to enabic the handle means to be disengaged Erom the back plate or trimmed flush with the panel surface.

The handle means may be formed integrally with the back plate, and be trimmed back flush with the panel surface after removing the cover plate. Alternatively, the handle means may be formed separately and linked temporarily with the back plate, the handle means being withdrawn from engagement with the back plate and filler material after removal of the cover plate.

Preferably, the handle means is constituted by a flexible tie which is linked temporarily with the back plate by engagement in holes formed in the back plate, the tie being withdrawn from the back plate and filler material by pulling one end ofthe tie.

One preferred method according to the present invention comprises the following steps:- (a) cutting away the damaged area of the panel to form a hole of predetermined shape and size, thereby eliminating the damaged material from the panel; (b) providing a back plate of a flexible, semi-rigid plastics material of a shape and size sufficient to cover the hole and also overlap peripheral areas which border the periphery ofthe hole and which are disposed at least on opposite sides ofthe hole; (c) providing on one surface (the anterior surface) of the back plate an adhesive positioned to engage with said peripheral areas around the hole, said adhesive being protected temporarily by a removable cover sheet; (d) providing a flexible tie for engagement with the back plate, the back plate being formed with two holes through which the tie may be passed to form a loop on one side (the posterior side) thereof; (e) providing a cover plate of a size sufficient to cover the hole and overlap peripheral areas bounding the hole, the cover plate being formed with two slots in which the tie may be received; (f) threading the tie through the two holes in the back plate to form the said loop; (g) removing the cover sheet to expose the adhesive on the back plate; - 4 (h) whilst flexing the back plate temporarily in a concave manner, threading it through the hole to position it adjacent the remote posterior surface of the panel and central Iy relative to the hole; (i) whilst gripping the free ends of the tie, drawing the tie forwards to bring the adhesive and back plate towards and into engagement with the remote posterior surface of the panel, thereby to secure the back plate adhesively to the panel; (I) filling the hole with an activated quick-setting filler material; (k) placing the cover plate over the filled hole to enclose the filler material, with the two free ends of the tie engaged in the respective slots in the cover plate; (1) drawing the free ends of the tie together around the cover plate and securing them tightly together, thereby to secure the cover plate in place over the filled hole and compressing the filler material; (m) after the elapse of time sufficient for the filler material to harden, separating the free ends of the tie thereby to release the cover plate, and removing the cover plate; and (n) pulling one free end ofthe tie thereby to withdraw the tie from engagement with the back plate, the hardened filler material and the cover plate.

If desired, the cover plate may be rendered more uniformly secure against the panel whilst the filler material hardens by placing a block of hard material (wood, for example) on the cover plate and securing the ends of the tie around it, thereby to hold both the block and the cover plate in place over the hole and applying an even pressure to the hardening filler material.

According to a preferred feature ofthe present invention, the filler material comprises pieces of a loosely woven fabric, each impregnated with a powdered filler material. Such pieces may be shaped to the shape of hole being filled and laid one upon another, holes being provided in those pieces to accommodate the handle means.

The loosely woven fabric may comprise fibres of cotton, carbon, glass, or a synthetic plastics material. Moreover, the filler material may comprise a material as disclosed in my British Patent No. GB 2,351,135, to which the reader is referred to for further information concerning it. - 5

Alternatively, such pieces of loosely woven fabric may be randomly, sized, shaped and/or distributed in a powdered filler material. Such a filler material is disclosed in my co pending British patent application No. (filed together with this new application), to which the reader's attention is hereby directed for further information concerning it Activation ofthe filler material may be achieved either before placing it in the hole, or when it is in the hole. Preferably, the powdered filler material comprises Plaster of Paris.

Where damage to the panel has caused the loss of an anchor, that loss can be overcome by incorporating in the back plate an anchor plug for receiving a fixing screw. Such an anchor plug may be formed integrally with the back plate, or it may comprise a separate anchor plug secured in the back plate against withdrawal under load. The anchor plug may extend from one side or the other of the back plate; or it may extend through the back plate on both sides thereof. Furthermore, the anchor plug may have any convenient transverse cross sectional shape, e.g. square or any other polygonal shape.

The back plate may be rendered suitably flexible by cuts, holes, flutes, undulations and/or slots formed therein. The back plate may also be formed with its central portion thicker than its peripheral parts, even to the extent that it may itself suffice as an anchor plug for receiving a screw.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there are provided the means for carrying out the methods according to the present invention, which means comprise the said back plate with adhesive layer and cover sheet, the said cover plate as required, the said handle means, and the said filler material, all as specified above. - 6

Other features of the present invention will appear from the description that follows hereafter, and from the claims appended at the end of the description.

One preferred method according to the present invention, and the means for carrying out that method, and various modifications and alternatives thereof, will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure I shows a transverse cross section of a badly damaged drywall panel, the cross section being taken through the damaged portion and revealing a rupture in the panel; Figure 2 shows a similar transverse cross section of the damaged panel, but with the damaged area removed by cutting out a circular hole of predetermined diameter in the panel; Figure 3 shows a section similar to that of Figure 2, but with various components used in repairing the rupture being shown in their respective operative positions as at an intermediate stage in the repair; Figure 4 shows a section similar to that of Figure 3, but showing an additional item (a block of wood) used in a modification of the method; Figure 5 shows a section similar to that of Figure 3, but showing the condition of the repaired panel on completion of the method; Figure 6, 7 and X show modified forms of the back plate shown in the Figures 3 and 4; Figure 9 shows a section similar to that of Figure 4, but showing in position the modified form of back plate shown in Figure 6; and Figure 10 shows a section similar to that of Figure 5, but showing in position the modified form of back plate shown in the Figure 6. - 7

Referring now to the drawings, Figure I shows a drywall panel 10 having a central part 12 which has been badly damaged and ruptured by a heavy impact (such as by a door handle), leaving a hole at 14.

To repair the damaged area of the panel the following method is employed. Firstly, the damaged area is cleaned up by cutting out a circular hole 16 of predetermined size in the panel. The components necessary for the repair are shown in the Figure 3, and comprise:- (a) a flexible circular back plate 18 comprising a flexible, semi-rigid plastics material e.g. low density Polyethylene, which plate is rendered more flexible, if necessary, by holes 20 punched in the plate. Alternatively, cuts, flutes or corrugations, or other forms of local weakening may be used to provide the desired flexibility, (without impairing its ability to return to its original shape). The back plate carries on its front face 22 a layer of a contact adhesive 24 which covers at least a peripheral annular band of that face. The free surface of that adhesive layer is protected temporarily by an annular cover sheet which is not shown in the Figure 3; (b) a rigid circular cover plate 26 of a plastics material e.g. Polythene, and having two narrow slots 28 formed at diametrically opposite positions; (c) a self-locking ratchet tie 30 of a plastics material (such as a tie that is used for securing bundles of electric cables together) having ratchet teeth 32 formed along its length and at one end of the tie an apertured head 34 containing a pawl 36; (d) a number of woven cotton fabric filler discs 38 impregnated with powdered Plaster of Paris, each disc being sized to fill the hole 16 and having two apertures to accommodate the tie.

The method is carried out in the following manner:- The tie 30 is inserted through two holes 40 provided in the back plate to form a loop 42 on the back (i.e. remote) side of the back plate 18 in the manner shown. The cover sheet is then removed from the adhesive layer 24. Next, whilst holding the free ends of the tie, the back plate is flexed and inserted through the hole 16. By means of the tie, the back plate is carefully positioned on the remote side of the panel 10 to centralize it relative to the hole 16, and then drawn by means of the tie towards and into contact with the remote surface 44 of the panel, thus causing it to become adhesively secured to the panel. - 8

The filler discs 38 are then inserted into the holel6, care being taken to prevent loss ofthc tie inside the panel as the discs are threaded onto the free ends of the tie 30. The discs are then moistened to activate the Plaster of Paris, and the cover plate 26 is then placed in position over the holel6 and filler discs 38, thereby to enclose and so ensure filling ofthe hole and consolidation ofthe discs. The free ends ofthe tie are accommodated in the slots 28 formed in the cover plate.

To secure the cover plate 26 in position, the free ends of the tie 30 are brought together, either directly as shown in dotted form in Figure 3, or around a block of wood 46 as shown in Figure 4. The toothed free end 32 of the tie is then inserted in the apertured head 34 of the tie, and drawn through it to tighten the tie and secure the cover plate, as indicated in Figure 3 in dotted form.

After the elapse of time sufficient to allow the Plaster of Paris to set and harden, the tie 30 is carefully cut, thereby releasing the cover plate 26 which is then removed, to reveal the filled hole 16. By gripping the tie by its head 34, the tie can be completely withdrawn from the filled hole, it being sufficiently free to slide through the filler material and the back plate. The repaired hole is shown at this stage in Figure 5. If necessary, any further decorative surface preparation can now be carried out.

In the above described method the panel has been restored to its former state.

In the alternative situation where the damage has resulted in the destruction and loss of a anchor plug for fixing an appliance, by a modification of the method described above, such an anchor plug can be replaced. To achieve that, an alternative form of back plate which carries centrally a fixing anchor plug is used. Such a back plate is shown in Figure 6. The anchor plug 48 there shown can be formed integrally with the back plate 50, or otherwise a proprietary anchor plug may be secured in the back plate in such a manner as to resist separation from the back plate under load. Figure 8 shows an alternative proprietary anchor plug 52 united in a back plate 54, the back plate being shown partly in section, whilst the anchor plug is shown in outline.

Figure 9 shows, in a view similar to that of Figure 4, the use of the modified back plate of Figure 6; whilst Figure 10 shows a repaired panel using that back plate, and providing. a restored fixing plug.

Figures 4 and 9 both show the use of a block of wood 46 to help more evenly support the cover plate 26 when the tie is tightened to compress the filler material.

If desired, the back plate may be made thicker at its centre to provide additional strength, as indicated in dotted form at 56 in Figure 6; or it may be thick enough to act itself as an anchor plug for receiving a screw. Furthermore, the anchor plug 48 of Figure 6 may alternatively be provided on the opposite side (the remote posterior side) of the back plate 50, as shown in the Figure 7, and in dotted form in Figure 9.

Whilst it is generally convenient to make a repair using a circular hole and circular back I S and cover plates, other shapes of such plates may be used, in which cases the holes to be cut in a damaged panel will have a shape suited to those of the components to be used.

For example, the back plate may be square, or rectangular, or in the form of a cross.

Otherwise, it may comprise a central portion from which at least two flexible arms radiate.

The time for the filler material to truly harden may be around two hours, depending on which filler material is used. This is particularly important where a new fixing is being created.

The adhesive layer applied to the back plate may be formed from a doublesided adhesive tape.

Whilst it is preferable to employ as filler material, powdered fillerimpregnated discs of a woven fabric material, other forms of filler material may be used instead, e.g. a moistened proprietary filler powder used in the manner of a putty.

The loosely woven fabric used for the filler discs may comprise fibres of cotton, a synthetic plastics material (e.g. epoxy resin), carbon or glass, all as mentioned in the - 10 aforementioned patent. The powdered filler material may comprise any suitable quick setting material derived from gypsum.

If desired, the tie may be formed integrally with the back plate, and be trimmed back flush with the panel surface on removal ofthe cover plate from the filled hole. It will be appreciated that the tie provides the handle means by which the back plate can be held and manipulated during the repair of the damaged panel; and that the tie may be replaced by other forms of handle, which may be likewise integral with or separate from the back plate.

In a variation of the methods described above, after securing the back plate I X to the remote surface 44 of the damaged wall panel I O in the manner described, a cover plate 28 is applied to the front side of the wall panel and secured in position over the hole 16 by means of the tic 30. In this case, however, the cover plate 28 is provided with at least one aperture through which a filler material in suitable plastic form may be injected so as to fill the hole 16. After the injected filler materiel has hardened the tie is undone, end the cover plate removed to permit the ends of the tie to be trimmed back flush with the outer surface ofthepancl 10.

An alternative filler material suitable for injection through the holes in the cover plate 28 may comprise sawdust (preferably of the coarser variety) suitably mixed with a quick- setting powder comprising Plaster of Paris or a Surgical Plaster and moistened. If desired, finely crushed 'Thermolite' blocks may be substituted for the sawdust. - 1 1

Claims

I. A method of repairing a damaged drywall panel comprising the following steps: (a) cutting away the damaged area of the panel to form a hole of predetermined shape and size, thereby eliminating the damaged material from the panel; (b) providing a back plate of a flexible, semi-rigid plastics material of a shape and size sufficient to cover the hole and also overlap peripheral areas which border the hole and are disposed at least on opposite sides of the hole, the back plate having engaged therewith handle means extending from one surface thereof (hereafter the 'anterior surface') for holding and manipulating the back plate, and the back plate being provided on the said anterior surface with an adhesive positioned for engaging with said peripheral areas around the hole, said adhesive being protected temporarily by a removable cover sheet; (c) removing the cover sheet to expose the adhesive on the back plate; (d) whilst holding the back plate by means ofthe handle means, flexing the back plate temporarily and threading it through the hole to position it adjacent the remote posterior surface of the panel and centrally relative to the hole; (e) drawing the back plate towards and into engagement with the posterior surface of the panel, thereby to secure the back plate adhesively to the panel; (f) filling the hole with an activated quick-setting filler material; and (g) after the elapse of time sufficient for the filler material to harden, disengaging the handle means from the back plate or trimming it flush with the surface of the panel.

2. A method according to claim I, including after step (f) the additional steps of: (h) placing over the filled hole a cover plate of a size sufficient to cover the hole and overlap peripheral areas bordering the hole; and (i) engaging the handle means with the cover plate thereby to securely enclose the hole and compress the filler material; and after the hardening of the filler material the additional step of: (j) disengaging the handle means and the cover plate and removing the cover plate from the filled hole thereby to enable the handle means to be disengaged from the back plate or trimmed flush with the panel surface.

3. A method according to claim 1, including before step (I) the additional steps of: - 12 (h) placing over the hole a cover plate of a size sufficient to cover the hole and overlap peripheral areas bordering the hole, the cover plate having at least one hole through which the filler material may be injected; and (i) engaging the handle means and the cover plate, thereby to securely enclose the hole; and after step (f) and the hardening of the filler material the additional step of:- (j) disengaging the handle means and the cover plate and removing the cover plate from the filled hole thereby to enable the handle means to be disengaged from the back plate or trimmed flush with the panel surface.

4. A method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the handle means is formed integrally with the back plate, and is trimmed back flush with the panel surface after removing the cover plate.

5. A method according to claim 2 or 3, the handle means is formed separately and is linked temporarily with the back plate, the handle means being withdrawn from engagement with the back plate and filler material after removal of the cover plate.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the handle means is constituted by a flexible tie which is linked temporarily with the back plate by engagement in holes formed 2() in the back plate, the tie being withdrawn from the back plate and filler material by pulling one end of the tie.

7. A method according to claim 5 as dependent on claim 2, wherein the method comprises the following steps: (a) cutting away the damaged area of the panel to form a hole of predetermined shape and size, thereby eliminating the damaged material from the panel; (b) providing a back plate of a flexible, semi-rigid plastics material of a shape and size sufficient to cover the hole and also overlap peripheral areas which border the periphery of the hole and which are disposed at least on opposite sides of the hole; (c) providing on one surface (the anterior surface) of the back plate an adhesive positioned to engage with said peripheral areas around the hole, said adhesive being protected temporarily by a removable cover sheet; - 13 (d) providing a flexible tie for engagement with the back plate, the back plate being formed with two holes through which the tie may be passed to form a loop on one side (the posterior side) thereof; (e) providing a cover plate of a size sufficient to cover the hole and overlap peripheral areas bounding the hole, the cover plate being formed with two slots in which the tie may be received; (f) threading the tie through the two holes in the back plate to form the said loop; (g) removing the cover sheet to expose the adhesive on the back plate; (h) whilst flexing the back plate temporarily in a concave manner, threading it through the hole to position it adjacent the remote posterior surface of the panel and centrally relative to the hole; (i) whilst gripping the free ends of the tic, drawing the tie forwards to bring the adhesive and back plate towards and into engagement with the remote posterior surface of the panel, thereby to secure the back plate adhesively to the panel; (j) filling the hole with an activated quick-setting filler material; (k) placing the cover plate over the filled hole to enclose the filler material, with the two tree ends of the tie engaged in the respective slots in the cover plate; (1) drawing the free ends of the tie together around the cover plate and securing them tightly together, thereby to secure the cover plate in place over the filled hole and compressing the filler material; (m) after the elapse of time sufficient for the filler material to harden, separating the free ends of the tie thereby to release the cover plate, and removing the cover plate; and (n) pulling one free end ofthe tie thereby to withdraw the tie from engagement with the back plate, the hardened filler material and the cover plate.

X. A method according to claim 7, wherein the cover plate is rendered more uniformly secure against the panel whilst the filler material hardens by placing a block of hard material on the cover plate and securing the ends of the tie around it, thereby to hold both the block and the cover plate in place over the hole and applying an even pressure to the hardening filler material.

9. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the filler material comprises pieces of a loosely woven fabric, each impregnated with a powdered filler material, - 14 ] 0. A method according to claim 9, wherein the pieces of woven fabric are shaped to the shape of hole being filled and laid one upon another, holes being provided in those pieces to accommodate the handle means.

1 1. A method according to claim 9, wherein the pieces of loosely woven fabric are randomly, sized, shaped and/or distributed in a powdered filler material.

12. A method according to any one of the claims 9 to I I, wherein the loosely woven fabric comprises fibres of cotton, carbon, glass, or a synthetic plastics material.

13. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the back plate incorporates an anchor plug for receiving a fixing screw.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the anchor plug is formed integrally with the back plate.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the anchor plug comprises a separate anchor plug secured in the back plate against withdrawal under load.

16. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the back plate is rendered flexible by cuts, holes, flutes, undulations and/or slots formed therein.

17. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the back plate is formed with its central portion thicker than its peripheral parts.

18. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein said powdered filler material comprises Plaster of Paris.

19. Means for carrying out a method according to any preceding claim, which means comprise the said back plate with adhesive layer and cover sheet, the said cover plate as required, the said handle means, and the said filler material, all as specified in that preceding claim. -

20. A method according to any one of the claims I to I X, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

21. Means according to claim 19, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.