Stairgate and crumbling wall

Not sure I'm posting in the right section, but I'm hoping some DIY master can help me out.

I have seriously destoyed my wall because of the stairgate and I am in a rented house. The wall is very crumbly plaster, has the texture of sand. The top of the stairs is so narrow that the only stairgate small enough to fit in that space is the one that you have to screw into the wall.

I have screwed it into the wall, then over a few weeks it gradually popped out and took part of the wall with it. I then filled the hole with polyfiller and sanded that down and after it had dried, I put the stairgate back in. Same thing happened. I then used the polyfiller again and did the same procedure and then used No More Nails as an insurance.

Well, that lasted about a week and now I have a big chunk missing out of the wall and a stairgate that isn't secured to the wall anymore. It's a neccesity to have a stairgate and that is the only place we can put it at.

Is there anyway I can fix the wall and have the stairgate secured safely to the wall.

Help me please 

As you are renting, it is best to have your landlord take care of it before it gets any worse.  If you keep doing patch up jobs, you may end up having to pay for more extensive repair work in the end.  Most landlords will not object to you having screw in stairgates (you can't use the other kind at the top of stairs anyway as they are not secure enough), although it would be wise to get their permission ahead of time.  I'm not an expert on walls but it sounds to me like there may have been a problem there before you screwed the gate in.  Anyway, it's a significant safety issue now and one your landlord should take care of.

We had a similar problem with the door from our kitchen to the utility room (it had to be open so the cats could get to their litter boxes). Every week or so DH had to redo the gate. Is your house very old? That was the problem where we were. Ours wasn't as bad as yours so we just made do since it wasn't on the stairs. I agree with Britwife, you need to speak to your landlord.

I had the same problem.  I'm definitely no DIY master, but what worked was a block of wood fixed to the wall by 3 or 4 screws (drill a hole in the wall and use rawplugs) - then fix the stairgate to the wooden block.  That way the stress is spread and it won't wreck the wall.

As you rent, I would recommend you speak to the landlord before doing this.

Good luck!

Speaking to my landlord! If only it was that simple! It took 2 weeks of phone calls when our oven was broken and then he just told us to organize and pay for the repairs and then he'd send us a check for the cost. Still waiting for the check!Never met him, just some faceless property development company. 

I think I'm not going to attempt anymore diy, I may end up in my neighbours house!

The neighbour next door is the local gardener/handyman. I think I'm going to speak to him and see if he can do the work. Our house is very old, built in 1857. I don't want to destroy it.

Thanks, though!

Plaster in walls can be really crumbly here sometimes...are you using rawl plugs for additional strength to the wall and screws??

It will depend upon the construction of the wall, but for an 1850s house it's likely that most if not all internal walls are brick or stone rather than lath and plaster which became common a little later.  The old brick and mortar can be very crumbly, and there is simply no way that the regular wall plugs which you are probably using will hold. 

The idea of anchoring a wooden batten to the wall first and then bolting the gate frame to that to distribute the forces is a good one.  You'll probably need to resort to using shield anchor bolts or something similar to get a good grip in the old brickwork:

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/18356/Fixings/Shield-Anchors/Shield-Anchor-Bolt-Type-8-x-75mm-Drill-Size-14-Pack-of-5

We had to use a wooden batten but even that came down with the crumbly plaster.  I'd also suggest you get thee to B&Q and buy a bucket of PVA...  It works great on plaster and gluing the crumbly bits. 

I mean the best thing to do is to strip it to the brick and re-plaster the area that is blown, but PVA and Polyfila and a wooden batten anchored in with no nails and screws can hold it.... though taking it out might be a bear.

We actually had WVGirl69's DH fixed it for us because he is wise and wonderful. 

Did you have permission from the landlord to do this in the first place?




Vicky

We had permission to put a stairgate up, not to take the wall out with it though.

Lotuseener, even if he is slow and useless like you say, I would still contact him beforehand and let him know what you intend doing, that way he can't complain later. Best to follow it up in writing as well so you have proof you told him.

i woudl now do nothing without letting him know.  I am concerned that you would be financially liable for any damage, and that if you try a patch job yourself it could make the matters worse, or even invalidate his insurance.

Vicky