[b]New render on an Victrn wall in a terraced house what mix

[WillG]

Hi everyone, wondered if anybody could help as Im presently lost for an answer...

I'm refurbishing a small Victorian house in London, it is terraced, however during the works it was found most of the internal plaster and render was original and knackered.

We decided to hack it all off back to the original bricks.
This has been done on all the internal walls that adjoin each of my neighbours, and also on the internal back wall of the house and internal front wall of the house where the bay windows are.

Building control have asked what render mix I'm going to use on the walls but have been quite unhelpfull in suggesting what alternatives there are, merely saying it should be appropriate for the wall type.

There are no damp problems.

Can I use a cement render or does it need a lime mix ?
Could a cement render be too strong for the bricks and result in cracking if there was any movement in the old victorian walls ?

Would appreciate any help that can be offered as Im tearing my hair out with building control..

cheers

Will

 

[Leftie]

I am no expet but it doesn't NEED lime mix. If it is listed the conservation officer may insist on it but not that many Victlorian terraces are listed and therefore obliged to play the conservation game.

I rennovated an old victorian cottage a few years ago (or rather I knocked plaster off and professionals put it back on again). After a new damp course we used a cement render with a waterproofer in on the outside walls and a simple base and then skim coat on the other walls. Render was used only to help with dampproofing. It is heavy to get on and hard to get off.

I am thinking that the victorian terrace has done its 'settling' and won't have problems with a cement render cracking due to movemnet and it might even help strengthen the walls (which is a suggestion one contractor made to me recently in favour of using a harder plaster (I have one quite thin internal wall).

I have looked at using lime mix recently on the current place (17th century course rubble walls) after the conservation officer suggested that it allows the house to 'breath' and dry naturally but have come down on the side of render and plaster again as not all plasterers are familiar with using lime mix and I needed a warranted fix for the damp not a promise that the house could 'breath' by using lime mix.

I wanted to use Lime mix (and have half a ton in the garage) but just don't have the confidence to use it. The suggstion was that the lime mix is best with a lime based paint (like a caseline distemper) but the finish on that I am told by Farrow and Ball is more 'faded tuscany' and my wife demands something with a better finish!