My brother-in-law told my mother-in-law that he could easily install an exhaust fan in her shower, but now that it's done, there are some major issues. It turns out the original fan was poorly installed and mudded over, leaving holes in the ceiling. What's the best way to fix this? Should I use some kind of foam to fill the gaps and then cover it with mud? Here's the photo: https://imgur.com/a/IPDnsPg. Any help would be appreciated!
3 Answers
Have you checked out 'Goof Rings'? They're a great solution for situations like this. You can find them in various sizes, though square and rectangular ones might be trickier to locate. The best part? You won't need to do any mudding! Just match the ring to your fan size, and you should be good to go.
Another quick fix could be to just add some trim around the fan. It can cover up a lot of imperfections and still looks nice!
The best fix would be to cut out a larger section of drywall around the fan, then patch in a new piece that fits properly. Just tape, mud, sand, and paint the ceiling after that. It might sound tedious, but it's the most effective solution. I actually recommend using Quickset 20 for the mud since it hardens quickly and then skimming over with a finer compound after sanding. It’ll blend well with the rest of the ceiling.
Totally agree! Plus, if you're feeling adventurous, you could reinforce it by screwing in a piece of wood behind the area before you fill the gap with mud. That’ll give it a strong base for the fan.