Non Plasterer Post About Lyme Render

theFlash

New Member
I'm not a plasterer, so please be gentle. Just wanting some advice from those in the know...

About to possibly buy a place in Herefordshire. It is Grade II listed, partly timber framed has ben cement rendered on the outside, and has damp issues (tide marks on inner walls on ground floor around 3 feet up).

I've had confliciting advice - from a surveyor with interest in historic buildings to remove internal plaster and external render, let dry out them recover with Lyme based. From a builder - inject damp proof get heating on (property has been empty for over a year) and save yourself some money.

I know there will be strong oppinions on the above, but looking at the expensive option (lyme) - are there any lyme render/plaster experts out there (preferably in Herefordshire), or anyone else here that can give me an idea of the work involved and ballpark costs?

I guess we're talking about removing all the current external render on a detached 4 bedroom property, replacing with lyme (if that's what you guys think) and removing (some?) of the internal plaster on ground floor and replacing with appropriate breathable plaster?

Is this something that's cheaper to do myself (diy-er, but with time)? Rather no but thought I'd ask.
 
Several of the builders around Malvern and Herefordshire that I used to do plastering and rendering for use dampcure Hereford,
get a price of them for doing the internal work and Steve from WP plastering and rendering, knows his stuff for the external render he works with lime, just Google the both of them
 
Several of the builders around Malvern and Herefordshire that I used to do plastering and rendering for use dampcure Hereford,
get a price of them for doing the internal work and Steve from WP plastering and rendering, knows his stuff for the external render he works with lime, just Google the both of them
Ask them to price for work and you do all hacking off of render and plaster save yourself a few quid
 
Are you by a river thats prone to flooding?
I'm not a plasterer, so please be gentle. Just wanting some advice from those in the know...

About to possibly buy a place in Herefordshire. It is Grade II listed, partly timber framed has ben cement rendered on the outside, and has damp issues (tide marks on inner walls on ground floor around 3 feet up).

I've had confliciting advice - from a surveyor with interest in historic buildings to remove internal plaster and external render, let dry out them recover with Lyme based. From a builder - inject damp proof get heating on (property has been empty for over a year) and save yourself some money.

I know there will be strong oppinions on the above, but looking at the expensive option (lyme) - are there any lyme render/plaster experts out there (preferably in Herefordshire), or anyone else here that can give me an idea of the work involved and ballpark costs?

I guess we're talking about removing all the current external render on a detached 4 bedroom property, replacing with lyme (if that's what you guys think) and removing (some?) of the internal plaster on ground floor and replacing with appropriate breathable plaster?

Is this something that's cheaper to do myself (diy-er, but with time)? Rather no but thought I'd ask.
If your going for lime thers many options used corck lime plaster that insulate and breathes. You can get insulated breathable boards. If your going down the lime way much more expensive than injection and modern way of plastering becouse it more time consuming. My self if it a stone house and your starting from scratch I'd go for the lime system injection stoe wall waste of time and money.
 
If your going for lime thers many options used corck lime plaster that insulate and breathes. You can get insulated breathable boards. If your going down the lime way much more expensive than injection and modern way of plastering becouse it more time consuming. My self if it a stone house and your starting from scratch I'd go for the lime system injection stoe wall waste of time and money.

Its a brick and timber house. Interestingly the areas of the house which are now just brick is where the damp is. The outside is covered with a white cement render and the inside presumably normal plaster.
 
Its a brick and timber house. Interestingly the areas of the house which are now just brick is where the damp is. The outside is covered with a white cement render and the inside presumably normal plaster.
If it brick I'd maybe go down the road of modern plastering lime does not work as well on brick especially if you got cement between joints
 
Steve has a strong reputation, definitely Hereford and Worcesters best choice now I've moved.
 

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Surveyor said Remove cement render .....from exterior
Remove internal plaster and Replaster with lime

Why would it being brick be an issue ,If it's got no cavity then I would go with the lime
 
Surveyor said Remove cement render .....from exterior
Remove internal plaster and Replaster with lime

Why would it being brick be an issue ,If it's got no cavity then I would go with the lime
In stone wall you have got a similar cavity so when you get days of rain penatrating in to the wall it goes down to the ground and in to French drain don't understand how it going to work as well on brick. If you get days of rain on to lime that on 9inbrick. Don't think it can handle the amount of water penetrating in to the wall
 
In stone wall you have got a similar cavity so when you get days of rain penatrating in to the wall it goes down to the ground and in to French drain don't understand how it going to work as well on brick. If you get days of rain on to lime that on 9inbrick. Don't think it can handle the amount of water penetrating in to the wall
I believe lime really works on stone buildings. Y did they stop using lime on brick walls and starting using modern waterproof render becouse they can't cope whith water pentreastion
 
That's a good point...

To be honest the buildings I work on are all mostly stone with the odd exception

So in that case maybe the exterior of the brick wall would have to be rendered or a bagging type finish ,And or lime washed to add a further layer to protect brick...

Just throwing some ideas around and not disagreeing with your point...
 
That's a good point...

To be honest the buildings I work on are all mostly stone with the odd exception

So in that case maybe the exterior of the brick wall would have to be rendered or a bagging type finish ,And or lime washed to add a further layer to protect brick...

Just throwing some ideas around and not disagreeing with your point...
That's a good point...

To be honest the buildings I work on are all mostly stone with the odd exception

So in that case maybe the exterior of the brick wall would have to be rendered or a bagging type finish ,And or lime washed to add a further layer to protect brick...

Just throwing some ideas around and not disagreeing with your point...
Yes you can use lime wash and protect the render. But all depends on the climate wher you are if a gable of 9in brick facing wheather side might be a good idea to clad it if possible so then it going to be 100% dry and breathable. But on a shelterd side don't see any problem at all. I think it just using common sense more than anything
 
It's good practice to try removing a small area of the cement render to see how much damage is done to the wall. If the stuff comes of well, lime rendering is a good move. But you need to paint the wall with a suitable material. Lime wash is traditional but it need re-doing often. Silicate masonry paint is an alternative, which is expensive, but it lasts for many years.

In my home, I have left the external cement render in place and put lime up on the external interior walls as a DIY job. It's not ideal, but lime walls can handle damp better than gypsum. For paint, look at clay paint, which is very breathable. That fixed the problem well enough for me.

I have used NHL 3.5 on some of my walls below ground level. That's set rock hard and there is a move away from NHL, because it's not as breathable as putty based materials and too hard. I used putty at the ground level and above, because it set. Below ground, it stayed wet on the wall too long (weeks to months).


Don't inject the wall! Go yo youtube, search for "damp wally" and look at Peter Ward's video on the subject.

Do look at improving ventilation. The modern trend is try to make houses air tight and that's especially bad on old houses.
 
I believe lime really works on stone buildings. Y did they stop using lime on brick walls and starting using modern waterproof render becouse they can't cope whith water pentreastion
Because no one wanted to wait weeks in between coats. Lyme render can't be beaten if a functional, breathable system is required.

Sand and cement is a relatively new way of doing things, makes me laugh when people say good old fashoined sand and cement.

I have just hacked off a 6 year old sand and cement from a 9inch wall, completed saturated all the way through and blown.

Since replace with a lyme 3 coat system and surprise surprise the internal damp patches are drying out.
 
Because no one wanted to wait weeks in between coats. Lyme render can't be beaten if a functional, breathable system is required.

Sand and cement is a relatively new way of doing things, makes me laugh when people say good old fashoined sand and cement.

I have just hacked off a 6 year old sand and cement from a 9inch wall, completed saturated all the way through and blown.

Since replace with a lyme 3 coat system and surprise surprise the internal damp patches are drying out.
Because no one wanted to wait weeks in between coats. Lyme render can't be beaten if a functional, breathable system is required.

Sand and cement is a relatively new way of doing things, makes me laugh when people say good old fashoined sand and cement.

I have just hacked off a 6 year old sand and cement from a 9inch wall, completed saturated all the way through and blown.

Since replace with a lyme 3 coat system and surprise surprise the internal damp patches are drying out.
Must be sheltered place then. If it was on 9in wall whith driving rain like you get here in snowdonia it wouldn't be dry for long.
 
Go yo youtube, search for "damp wally" and look at Peter Ward's video on the subject.

I just found the video that I had in mind. It shows a lot of problems caused in old houses through the use of sand and cement render, gypsum plaster and modern damp "specialists" who do not use methods and materials appropriate for old buildings.

 
Here is one more video, which adds a bit of extra detail on the "appearance" of rising damp, when modern materials are used on an old property.

 
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