Remove any items or objects from the wall so nothing protrudes out from the wall & make sure your wall is clean and dry. By the time you've read all this post, you should have a clear idea which option to go with, I'm not expecting you to decide right away so don't worry, just read on for now.

For me, when I was sorting out both bedrooms, I skim the lot, over the old plaster too. This is because I wanted to make sure I had a flat surface throughout and I'd already had a bit of practice at skim coating. For more advice, see our online guides or leaflets ‘How To Plaster a Wall’ and ‘How To Prepare Walls & Ceilings for Decorating’Once completely dry, sand over the filler gently, ensuring any seams are removed and that the layer of filler is not a raised patch in relation to the wall surface.

For larger holes locate the joists either side of the hole in the ceiling and mark the middle with a straight pencil line and create a rectangle around the hole. Cut out and add two noggins to bridge the gap between the joists. Thorough preparation is key to achieving a high-quality finish, so be sure to remove all traces of old plaster, dust and grease for the area you plan to repairDue to the nature of plasterboard and in a similar way hollow doors, they can become damaged quite easily. Now you need to measure and cut two noggins (horizontal wood that bridges the gap between the studs). Use a bit of 2 x 4 inch – approximately 100mm x 50mm – timber to create the noggins. Nail or screw them into position, between the studs, from the sides. This will create an area to fix your new plasterboard patch to. With Bonding Coat, it contains really large particles. It's no good for a finishing skim, it's just too rough. It does however provide a really good key for a finishing skim coat. Therefore, don't worry too much about getting it smooth, just concentrate on getting the levels right i.e. it shouldn't poke out too far and there shouldn't be a dip.

Another way to fill a hole in plasterboard is to enlarge the hole first to make a square of a suitable size. Then cut two battens (19 x 38mm timber will suffice) and make sure they are 100mm longer than the size of the square you have cut.

If you can get yourself a scraper with a metal plate on the end of a handle, like the one above, this'll help as you can tap the end with a hammer and use it like a bolster. Drive nails into the noggins at an angle to secure them to the joists. Using plasterboard that's slightly thinner than the depth of your ceiling, cut a piece the same size as the hole. Fix it in place with plasterboard nails along the joists and noggins. Step 3

Cut a piece of plasterboard that is slightly narrower than the hole but an inch or so longer top and bottom. Screw in a long screw in the middle of the patch; this will be used to position the patch in place. Some plaster products shouldn’t be applied to a depth of more the 12mm in one go. If this is the case, you may need to make two or more applications Once the patch is dry and firmly in position, gently remove the screw. Use patching plaster, all purpose filler or multi-finish plaster — mix up enough to cover the patch and gently press into the hole and spread with a putty knife that is larger than the hole to help get a smooth finish.Very briefly, whilst I'm on the subject, there is one thing I really want to point out - as per the instructions of the Plasterboard adhesive, there is no need to PVA the masonry before you attach plasterboard, just clean down the masonry. You really do need to make sure it's cleaned down well, otherwise the adhesive will be attaching itself to dust and may separate from the wall in time.