uneven drying

[Fid0]

I had 2 internal walls plastered 24 days ago, one was skim over artex (with block wall behind) and the other a stone wall, on which the artex had been mechanically removed in places and had some areas patched then skimmed. Over the first week most of the plaster dried pale pink, leaving some darker patches on both walls, all in the top half of the wall and predominantly above 6'. Since then the darker patches have got a bit lighter but still remain on both walls. There has been no discernible change in the last 10 days. Windows have been open on dry days and a log burner lit on wet days. We have high humidity living next to a reservoir (plus recent wet weather).

Do I just need to give it more time before painting and wait until the finish is evenly coloured?

 

[KenGMac]

Fid0, good evening.

As this appears to be your first post welcome to the board.

Uneven drying is not at all uncommon.

Do you have access to, or can borrow, a fan? if so suggest you start to move the air at the upper levels of the room, there is a possibility that air movement will occur at the lower levels, below door opening and window opening heights, but not much air movement above ?

It may be worth a thought?

I would be wary of introducing too much heat, this can at times cause cracking in the new plaster skim.

Another cause could be differing thicknesses of the skim.

Is the lack of drying predominantly on the "stone" wall?

Ken

 

[darrington]

Any chance of a photo please Fid0?

 

[Fid0]

IMG_20180924_112159036

• Fid0
• 24 Sep 2018

uneven plaster drying

IMG_20180924_112159036

• Fid0
• 24 Sep 2018

uneven plaster drying

Sorry, thought I had included the photo, here it is, this is the stone wall. Formerly an outside wall, but an extension was built on the other side about 2 years ago, I should add that the new plaster is not directly on the stone, but to an existing plaster, the stone is only exposed on the other side of the wall. There has been no sign of dampness prior to this, nor any report from a building survey 2 years ago when a damp meter was used.

I do have a floor standing fan, I will try that.

My thinking (which may be incorrect for new plaster), was that any moisture would be nearer the bottom than the top due to gravity and warm air rising. The thickness of the plaster does vary due to the uneven surface which it was applied to

I'm assuming that the whole wall needs to be a fairly consistent colour/dryness before painting.

 

[Fid0]

p.s. both walls are similar, no significant difference between the stone and the blockwork walls.