My first room!

[james19000]

Hi,

I'm tackling my first renovation and need some advise regarding the walls/ Plastering.

The flat/ Maisonette is the top floor of a 2 storey victorian 1900 semi detached house (London).

Having removed the wall paper in one of the rooms, I've discovered numerous cracks, and different attempts at patching up the walls.

It looks like a combination of old & modern plasters.

I've included some pictures...

Untitled

• james19000
• 15 Dec 2013
• 1

Untitled

• james19000
• 15 Dec 2013
• 1

Untitled

• james19000
• 15 Dec 2013
• 1

Untitled

• james19000
• 15 Dec 2013
• 1

On one area I've removed the plaster back to the wall (Picture 2), where modern plaster was put over the top of what appeared to be a older plaster (Picture 3)
This grey plaster (Pic3) is really crumbly and dry. In fact you only have to touch it for the plaster to turn to dust and fall away from the wall.

I would like some advise on how to tackle this room. My Goal is to achieve a finish allowing me to paint the room.

Do I strip most of the plaster back to the brick and replace with Thistle Hardwall? where the plaster has separated from the brick? I'm thinking this because if I patch up with modern Gypsum Plaster, it's only going to dry out the base lime plaster and eventually detach from the wall.



I suspect the original plaster work is Lime based, hence the reason it's all dried out now..

The internal walls are Lath & Plaster and these walls seem to have held up better than the external walls in the pictures.

Am I right in thinking the black paint at the top of Pic 1 is some kind of damp proofing paint.

appreciate your thoughts on how to tackle this.

Thank you...

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Looks like the plaster has had it's day, and I would recommend knocking back to bare walls. Then easier route would be to dot'n'dab plasterboards, then skim over.

 

[Bedrock9]

Hi Prenticeboyofderry. Any particular reason you think it has had it's day?

Just to be clear I am not claiming to know otherwise, however I have just done my first bit of amatuer plastering on something looking very similar. A couple of different plasterers including a friend recommended bonding over bare brickwork up to level of old plaster and then skimming.

I think in my house I was being well too eager to rip off something that sounded hollow when I first moved in, but I get the impression a lot of the old lime plaster can be like that but otherwise still bonded quite well.

Is there a way you can tell it is knackered?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

If the plaster is dusty in appearance and condition, it is knackered my friend!
If you are getting hollow knocks, the plaster is not bonded to the wall at that point!
What you have described and photo evidence would suggest, back to bare walls and start again.
An alternative would be to basecoat and skim

 

[roy c]

I totally agree with PBD....

 

[Skimmers]

yep plaster is shagged so to speak
hack of with small kango brush off the walls then dampen down with a little water to help the board addy stick and not suck to quick.
then scrim joints then skim or tape and joint it

 

[Skimmers]

You could re soild plaster the walls if your skills are upto it
IE float and set with hardwall then muilti finish

 

[Happyplumber]

Everything Prentice has said is correct and worth doing it properly

 

[Skimmers]

same as what iv said !!!!!!