how do i sort this wall out?

[plasteredric]

Can anyone tell me what is on this wall?
and how I can sort it out? can I just skim over it or would browning then skim be best? also its a bathroom wall if that makes a difference.

thanks guys

Untitled

• plasteredric
• 3 Apr 2012
• 1

Untitled

• plasteredric
• 3 Apr 2012
• 1

 

[plasteredric]

Do i need to use a waterproofer? or would multi-finish and a good coat of paint be enough. the bathroom has an extractor so shouldn't get too damp.

I've attached a close up pic of the dodgy wall, it seems well stuck to the brick/blockwork but has a loose surface and sandy bits drop off when i run my hand over it.

Untitled

• plasteredric
• 4 Apr 2012
• 1

 

[1john]

That looks like lime to me but hard to be certain, could be a really sandy or failed render. Have you any plans to tile the wall at all?

 

[plasteredric]

That looks like lime to me but hard to be certain, could be a really sandy or failed render. Have you any plans to tile the wall at all?

I don't think it'll get tiled, its a rental property and the landlords not going to spend money on stuff like that.

 

[dmplastering]

That looks like lime to me but hard to be certain, could be a really sandy or failed render. Have you any plans to tile the wall at all?

thats what i was thinking, was leaving this one for peaps to see what he suggests

 

[plasteredric]

do i have to do anything different if it's lime? will it react with finish plaster?

 

[dmplastering]

Yeah lime plase ter needs to be able to breath. Im no expert on this so cant possibly give advice. Peaps is the lime expert on here. He will probably be along tomorrow if hes not busy

 

[1john]

If its a rental and the landlord isn't gonna want the expense and hassle of having lime put on then just glue it up and skim it, if you don't then someone else will.

 

[peaps]

do i have to do anything different if it's lime? will it react with finish plaster?

It looks like lime and you would be best to replace it with lime. You would be ill advised to use any gypsum based plasters in the bathroom but you could dry line it out and skim, this would be the quickest and cheapest alternative...

You can skim over lime but you need to use thistle board finish with a touch of lime in it. Make it into a slip like you would clay and put in half a coffee cup of lime slip per bag. This will allow the skim to breath

You can get away with a 5-1-1 mix with a 4-1-1 scratch coat then skim. This would work better if the wall is a cavity brick wall.

 

[peaps]

If its a rental and the landlord isn't gonna want the expense and hassle of having lime put on then just glue it up and skim it, if you don't then someone else will.

I would try save what was good and skim it but I personally wouldn't glue a bathroom wall for obvious reasons. I did notice the left side is block work, I would either S and C it and skim or board it.

 

[plasteredric]

So from what i've gathered on the bare wall, i should use a sand/cement/lime mix of 5:1:1 then 4:1:1, then skim with board finish with lime.

For the existing lime wall do i still need to do the two coats before skimming or can i just go ahead and skim with board finish and lime?

what do you mean when you say slip?

thanks

 

[peaps]

So from what i've gathered on the bare wall, i should use a sand/cement/lime mix of 5:1:1 then 4:1:1, then skim with board finish with lime.

yes do the bare wall as above but you are adding lime just as a plasticiser, you don't need to add lime to the skim. Usually lime walls are finished off with lime then lime washed, no skim but if you want to skim lime you can get away with adding lime to the thistle plaster, it will allow it to breath and allow movement.

For the existing lime wall do i still need to do the two coats before skimming or can i just go ahead and skim with board finish and lime?

If you are going to skim the lime wall then you don't want to use a bonding agent. You need to make sure nothing is on the wall, paint wallpaper etc You then need to give the wall a really good wetting down. If you wet the wall you will notice the water soaks into the wall very quickly, you don't want this so you keep wetting down the wall until it can run down the wall. Now the wall has low suction and you will be able to skim it.

what do you mean when you say slip?

thanks

Slip is a thick mix like soft ice cream