When I leave my current apartment, I will have quite some holes in the walls to fill due to numerous shelves and such.
I know how to remove wall plugs, but I was wondering whether you should do it in the first place. I'm guessing it depends on the type of wall and the type of plug.
Walls – Should I remove wall plugs before filling a hole
walls
Related Solutions
Are you sure you are not drilling between the mortar? That is the weakest point to drill.
There are a couple different things you can do. I assume you are using concrete anchors so you can apply a generous coating of Loctite Metal and Concrete Epoxy onto the anchor before you insert it into the hole.
The other option is to take furring strips (pressure treated 1x4's) and attach them to the wall with blue concrete anchor screws, at least 2 and 1/2 inches long. These should make a good thread and the furring strips will add to the support structure. Space your anchors 2-4 inches apart vertically and on-center.
I wouldn't try removing the frame. It appears to extend in both directions and may damage a larger section of wall.
You are right to be concerned about taping compound or spackle sticking to a metal edge. I would recommend making a patch that is larger than the opening by about an inch on each side. Then trim away the back paper and the core of the patch so that the part being put into the wall is the exact size of the hole. That will leave you with a "flange" of paper facing on hte room side that will be easier to tape and compound to blend it in.
Your general approach to support is right, but you may not need a brace between the studs. To support the patch, cut three pieces of 1x2 wood that are about 6 inches longer than the height of the opening. Position each piece of wood vertically in the cavity, one near the left side of the hole, one in the middle, and one near the right. To attach each strip pull it forward against the back of the plaster or plasterboard. Hold it in place by screwing through the face of the wall into the top and bottom sections of the wood strip. You can screw the plasterboard patch to these strips for support.
Finish the attachment with tape and taping compound. I would probably use mesh tape on a patch of this size and support.
Best Answer
As the owner of a drywall repair company, I have fixed thousands of holes like this, and I prefer to slightly tap them in, or drive them in until just slightly recessed. Then coat them like usual. The reason is if you fill an open hole the mud tends to droop back out as there's no backing. And if it's all slightly recessed it fills better and tapers out better. But you can fix it just by filling it, then tapping it in slightly, when it starts setting up, or just sand it down, then coat it some more.
If you want to see an actual video of this being done, contact me in private. I post this because it's often easier to figure out how to do these things when you can see it happen, as verbal only goes so far.