Hi,
I'm after some advice regarding the replastering of damp areas due to hygroscopic salts.
Background:
About a year ago my girlfriend's house (Victorian - 1900ish) started showing damp patches on the internal walls. We contacted the council, who (after a number of builder's visiting us) advised us that we had raising damp in ALL of our walls and the walls needed to be injected and replastered.
A few weeks ago, we decided not to wait for the council any more (we were applying for a grant to get the job done) and got a damp proof specialist in. He walked in the front door, smiled and told us instantly that we didn't have rising damp. He examined the walls and told us that damp proofing had already been done on the walls (not by him) and it was the hygroscopic salts penetrating the "new" plaster which was causing the damp.
He advised us the best thing to do would be to remove the plaster at the damp places and re-plaster with a sand/cement/waterproofer mix. He did not charge for the visit!
Advice needed:
Ok, due to our relief (the cost wasn't going to be thousands!) and our anger (the council allowing contractors to rip them, and us, off) I never actually asked some simple questions: Simply put:
1. What type of sand? (Building sand, sharp sand, etc?)
2. Should we allow the wall to dry once the old plaster is removed before replastering?
3. How long do we need to wait before putting paper on the wall again? (he said we could paint after a month)
Also, any other advice would be helpful, thanks.
I'm after some advice regarding the replastering of damp areas due to hygroscopic salts.
Background:
About a year ago my girlfriend's house (Victorian - 1900ish) started showing damp patches on the internal walls. We contacted the council, who (after a number of builder's visiting us) advised us that we had raising damp in ALL of our walls and the walls needed to be injected and replastered.
A few weeks ago, we decided not to wait for the council any more (we were applying for a grant to get the job done) and got a damp proof specialist in. He walked in the front door, smiled and told us instantly that we didn't have rising damp. He examined the walls and told us that damp proofing had already been done on the walls (not by him) and it was the hygroscopic salts penetrating the "new" plaster which was causing the damp.
He advised us the best thing to do would be to remove the plaster at the damp places and re-plaster with a sand/cement/waterproofer mix. He did not charge for the visit!
Advice needed:
Ok, due to our relief (the cost wasn't going to be thousands!) and our anger (the council allowing contractors to rip them, and us, off) I never actually asked some simple questions: Simply put:
1. What type of sand? (Building sand, sharp sand, etc?)
2. Should we allow the wall to dry once the old plaster is removed before replastering?
3. How long do we need to wait before putting paper on the wall again? (he said we could paint after a month)
Also, any other advice would be helpful, thanks.