“Polyfiller”

[Lurker]

We have a small cupboard/room that was the pantry. It houses the gas boiler, consumer unit, internet router etc.
When we moved in this wasn’t redecorated and still has the original pink gloss paint walls with various channels cut into the plaster and the plasterboard ceiling.
He majesty has decreed that we ( meaning me) need to get it tidied up.
I ve made good and now just need some wall filler to finish the walls and ceiling before painting.
It’s a long time since I have done anything like this and I find powder mixed with water seems to be fairly uncommon. Tubs of ready mix look cheap and easily available.
In what way are these different to the old fashioned way?
I’m wondering how quickly the ready mixed stuff goes off.
With the powder you saved it in an air tight container and it lasted for years.

 

[Cabinetman]

The tubs have extremely tight fitting lids from my experience.
Don’t know if it’s arrived in the uk yet but over here it’s bright pink! When it dries it lets you know as it changes colour to white, it’s also very good filler.

 

[Lurker]

Thanks
I had assumed it was good stuff as it seems pretty universal.
Interested to know what is in it

 

[Mike G]

The lightweight stuff is really excellent. It dries quickly, and you can get a really nice finish with a damp sponge, rather than having to sand back afterwards. It lasts forever on the shelf, and it can be revived in the tub with the tiniest droplet of water.

 

[Doug]

If you have a fair bit of filling to do then Gyproc easi-fill is the way to go

Gyproc Easifill 60 Filler

If you're looking to repair interior walls or fill plasterboard joints quickly and easily, you'll love this Gyproc Easifill 60 filler. It has a set time of just one hour, giving you a faster finish and helping you get more done.EasiFill 60 combines setting and air-drying, so can be used for both...

www.toolstation.com

I use it a lot, easy to mix, apply & sand.

 

[Lons]

If you have a fair bit of filling to do then Gyproc easi-fill is the way to go

Gyproc Easifill 60 Filler

If you're looking to repair interior walls or fill plasterboard joints quickly and easily, you'll love this Gyproc Easifill 60 filler. It has a set time of just one hour, giving you a faster finish and helping you get more done.EasiFill 60 combines setting and air-drying, so can be used for both...

www.toolstation.com

I use it a lot, easy to mix, apply & sand.

That's exactly what I use. have had a bag opened for years, just open and tope up when I need it but keep it inside a second small bin beg just in case.
Dries quickly and very easy to sand though a bit messy and if it does start going off in the bag you just mix less as it goes off more quickly.

 

[Lurker]

Thank you chaps.
That griproc would last me forever.
I doubt I need 500ml volume
I notice it’s British gypsum, their underground mine is about 5 miles away.

 

[Lurker]

The tubs have extremely tight fitting lids from my experience.
Don’t know if it’s arrived in the uk yet but over here it’s bright pink! When it dries it lets you know as it changes colour to white, it’s also very good filler.

I remember seeing filler being used in USA about 20 years ago. I believe it’s called spackle out there.

 

[RogerS]

If the holes etc are really old then you might like to think about wuther using some compressed air to get ut all the dust and/or apply some PVA first.

 

[Pete Maddex]

I have had a open box of polyfiller open for about 20 years, still works, well it did last time I used it

Pete

 

[Cabinetman]

Yes Spackle, god only knows why, filler seems a perfectly good name to me

 

[laynainx737]

Ready-mix is just powder premixed with water plus a few thickeners and preservatives to keep it damp in the tub. It’s dead handy for little touch-ups, but it’ll skin over after a couple months once air sneaks in. The old powdered stuff really did last years if you sealed it tight (and didn’t nick it with a dirty knife).

If you’re only doing that boiler cupboard once, grab a tub of ready-mix, slap it on, paint over next day and you’re done. Just press a bit with your finger now and then to check it’s still soft underneath. If you think you’ll need that filler again in six months, go powder and stash in a screw-top jar.