Mike, is there any reason you can't open the back side of the wall, insert a couple of 2x4's that are long enough to reach from stud to stud, place them flat against the drywall, secure with a couple of 3" screws at each end, and then lag-bold into the 2x4's through the wallpaper?

Closing the hole using the original piece cut out would be easy enough, and you wouldn't have to touch the drywall. I've done this even through outside walls when necessary; vinyll siding, of course. It's amazing how much you can do under siding when you learn how to R&R it.

Edit:
Another option that I just thought of: one or two retro-fit ceiling-fan support braces; the kind that reach from stud to stud, up to 24" apart, all through a 4" hole. The bracket should certainly cover a hole or patch that small.

[Link: doityourself.com]
[Link: westinghouseceilingfans.com]


You could try using the bar and bracket alone, or with the box, using the fan-support studs/bolts. Rated for 50-pound fixtures/35-pound fans should be strong enough, I would think; some are even150-fixture/75 fan.

This message was edited by Larry Fine on 11/12/04 17:53 ET.