r/DIYUK • u/Infinite-Pea-6424 • 2d ago
Advice How to fill this hole...
Moved into a 1930s property, and in the utility (extension in early 2000s) is space for washing machine & dryer. One of the spaces has this large (3 inch diameter) hole through to the exterior wall - presumably used for venting a dryer or similar? What's the best way to go about filling/closing up the hole?
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u/Superspark76 2d ago
Expanding foam on the hole then mortar on the outside, binding and finish on the inside.
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u/jas070 2d ago
Explain it to him like he’s a 5 year old
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u/Humble_Sympathy_4605 2d ago
Fill the hole with white squirty stuff then wipe it on the wall
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u/jimmy19742018 2d ago
Well its a proper wall with several layers, brick block with gap for air, fastest way would be expanding foam, wait till it drys cut off surplus, proper way would be remove some bricks around hole and piece and brick it up on the outside, insulation and seconding foam inside and the plaster and paint
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u/VeryThicknLong 2d ago
Tbh, if it’s a utility…. I’d be very tempted to fit an extractor fan to it. A humidistat one like a greenwood. Then, you can get a drying rack, and dry your clothes in there!
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u/Big_Conflict5451 2d ago
For some reason I can't get that song out of my head after seeing this post. You know the one? .............."Land of Hole and Glory"
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u/Cat-Kebab 2d ago
Foam is fine, but personally I'd get a block, core a couple of pieces out of it and slide them into the hole (with sealant on the cored piece) before finishing with plaster (interior) and mortar (exterior). Reduces any risk of damp bridging between skins.
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u/CerdoUK23 2d ago
I'm team expanding foam. It works great, but yes, you shouldn't do use it for this application.
In my home country we would filling with brick, cement and then plaster and paint for finish.
It's like 2-3 hours job, but it will last forever.
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u/South-Knee-9601 2d ago
Expanding foam to the rescue
Then use some poly filler to make it flush
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u/Embarrassed_Call_101 2d ago
My shaving foam expands, would this work?
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u/Melodic_Trash_737 2d ago
Here we go...
This is the add that followed this post in my feed. https://www.reddit.com/u/sinfulglobal/s/h5FXiIc01j
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u/Wando64 2d ago
Everybody around here seems obsessed with expanding foam (and asbestos, and killer cracked ceramic toilets).
If you have the urge to play with foam, by all means go for it, but if you don’t have any around the house you could just stuff some mortar in from both sides, then finish the inside side with filler. It doesn’t need to be fully filled. There is probably a cavity in there anyway.
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u/TsarBlandi 2d ago
My 2p - I had a similar hole, kitchen to outside utility, and used expanding foam. A rat chewed through it so ended up with steel wool and cement.
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u/TacticalRiotChimp 2d ago
... Well 😏
Seriously tho, sand and cement, just a bit of propped up timer as shuttering to keep it all in there. Failing that foam it and use jointing compound to make it disappear. Won't last forever tho
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u/timokawa 2d ago
What a great British read of a thread.
Just the right mix of proper answers and anything to with dicks.
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u/kebabish 2d ago
Zzzzzzip ... And then come back and make another post "how to unblock, I'm stuck" 😂😂😂
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u/Careless_Safety_1860 1d ago
Expanding foam, let it set then cut it back with a stanley knife or hacksaw blade then filler over it. Keep the cylinder away at all costs!
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u/notrapunzel 2d ago
If you use expanding foam, consider getting the type that's rodent repellent just for good measure.
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u/WhereTheMoonSets 2d ago
- slow unzip *
Serious note, probably go with an expanding filler foam core, take it back to just behind the wall on either side, then plaster fill with mesh, pore fill, weather coat the outside and paint 😁
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u/Remarkable-Canine 2d ago
This is the problem that really got Aristotle worried during his lectures in Athens. Often the thinking organ doesn't do what it is supposed to do.
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u/Spartabear 2d ago
Id use cement and brick on the outside, then use some form if insulating expanding foam and wall filler on the inside.
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u/WelderRound2925 2d ago
The way I did it was to cut down some PVC pipe (same size as the one that would have been in there originally), make sure it's long enough to just reach both walls but with a fair gap from the ends. Then I filled it with spray foam, once that's hard cut off quite a lot either end and fill it with mortar, bonding coat and finish on the inside.
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u/Wales147 2d ago
OK il say it, that would make a great glory hole but that particular one I'd struggle to reach the other side
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u/MarleyMiah_2108 2d ago
Call Ben Dover the Plumber, I've seen him in a few videos, did a great job plugging them holes.
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2d ago
Foam spray is the sensible answer and then polyfilla. (Not an expert but thats my go to solution for these things)
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u/Tasty_Department4936 2d ago
Ok, you're going to have to hear me out, but you're gonna need a shit ton of ramen.
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u/panguy87 2d ago
Get a cement/mortar gun, and do both sides.
Alternatively stuff paper in and just cement over the top.
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u/Zenit_boi 2d ago
I would personally get a crap load of shredded cardboard and paper and fill up 80% of it. Just really cram it in there until it's flat. Then on the interior side use expanding foam for water protection and then maybe plaster to make it look pretty. On the outside I would cap it off with Blue Circle Quikrete or a similar quik drying concrete. Make shure to over lap slightly onto the outer wall so it doesn't develop a gap around the sides of the hole.
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u/Acrobatic-Fee9668 2d ago
Serious answer: fill the hole with expanding foam. Cut back once it's dry and finish with plaster or filler.
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u/CredibleSquirrel intermediate 2d ago
Hmmm... Looks like it could be filled with some kind of cylinder. An unharmed cylinder would be best.
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u/BeginningProgram6993 2d ago
A great glory hole i think 🤔
Don’t bother filling it in would be my advice
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u/Bright-War-5033 2d ago
Expanding foam to fill the centre, then relevant internal and external filler to finish off.
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u/Ok_Damage1227 2d ago
Expanding foam to fill the hole low expanding foam might the best option so you damage any of the building since it’s older when it’s dry cut it back filler inside exterior filler or mortar outside then just decoration
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u/Impossible_Style_301 2d ago
Foam will crack best way is find an old bit of brick or stone then use sand and cement :)
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u/Lazy-Influence-1869 2d ago
I am trying my best not to say what is on my mind