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I want to replace a ceiling light fitting, but the previous fitting is attached to the ceiling to very old plasterboard with no ceiling beams near. The plasterboard is flaking badly (up to the point where the ceiling is artexted). I am not convinced that I will be able to drill holes that will support the screws for the new fitting.

Is there a way of somehow patching a fairly small piece of plasterboard (about the size of a fist)? Is there another way I can secure the new light fitting to something that can fill the whole (still allowing the electrical cable through to power the light)?

Ideas welcome.

Hi ernie29,
A few solutions. Can you easily gain access from above? i.e. loft/attic.
If so you place a lengh of wood across joists and fix it to them across the hole. Return to ceiling below, you can now screw plasterboard patch acroos hole, fill and make good, drill hole for cable put cable throw hole, use the length of wood to securely fix light to.
If you can't gain access from above and the hole is the size of a fist, here's what to do;
Again cut length of wood that you can easily put in to hole so it spans and overlaps edges of hole in ceiling enough to screw in either side and more if you can, drill out hole for cable in middle of wood. Now screw a screw in to middle wood near the hole for cable do not screw it all the way in, leave enough so you can get good grip with fingers. but the cable through hole, screw head facing down, slide wood through hole. Now you have the wood resting on ceiling above, cable for light hanging through and screw head sticking down.
Put a screws in ceiling either side of hole so it will go through ceiling and in the wood you have just put in. The screws sticking down is there to hold will you screw in the screws through ceiling to wood, otherwise it will not screw right/tight. So do that.
Now you can take that screw out, place pasterboard in the hole again screw that up fill and make good and now you can also fix light fitting to ceiling securely too.
You can tie a bit of string around wood to grip instead of using screw then when done cut it off. If that's easier.
Hope this was useful and not too long winded, best of luck
KB

Thanks. Option B sounds like a great idea. I will give it a go.