Victorian Cellar - Refurb/Cleanup

[nero44]

Hello Everybody,
I've recently moved into a ca.1900 bayfronted victorian house, which has a small (ex coal) cellar. It is accessed under the staircase and runs below the hallway. It's ca 5.5m x 2m and only half height, so one needs to duck/crouch down there. It also holds the consumer unit so a lot of the wiring starts there. I don't really plan to make this space habitable as it would require digging down and fully tanking everything and the cost/benefit is just not there for us. I've also read somewhere that these old houses need ventilation and breathing to disperse damp, so this might be the reason the previous owners let it remain unfinished/developed.

There is currently not even any flooring, so the earth/clay the house sits on is fully exposed. I've attached a few pictures to give you an idea of what I am dealing with. I've put down some old wardrobe door panels to prevent the soil/mud being spread around the house. This cellar was flooded due to a broken pipe in 2021, but has been fixed since and no further issues. If sometimes feels a little damp, but I believe this is normal for this type of property. There are are a couple of air bricks, so I believe ventilation is there.

I would like to hear if anyone has any recommendations of what I can do down there to make the place a bit more appealing and usable (at least for storage) with not too much capital investment. Can I paint the walls with some breathable paint? If so how and what type of pain? Is there any simple solution for the floor? building some sort of simple sub floor to rest on the ground?

 

[JohnD]

If you scrape away at the earth at the foot of the walls, you will find the point where the brickwork starts to spread wider. Don't remove earth deeper than that. You can shovel it away above.

The soil will be damp. You can lay thick polythene DPM on it and place your boards on top, this will protect them from damp and rot.

If you are going to lay a concrete floor, you can dig deeper, but only in small sections, laying concrete in them before you dig out the next, to avoid destabilising the wall.

If you paint the walls white it will be brighter. Don't try to apply a waterproof coating as the damp will push if off. Don't fix anything directly to the damp walls or floor as it will rust or rot. You can use plastic shelving units which are unaffected by damp.

Make sure your airbricks are clean and unobstructed on at least two sides so there is an airflow to carry away the water vapour.

Use a builders canister vac to clean away the dust.

 

[nero44]

Thanks that helps.

Any specific paint you would recommend? I suppose no standard emulsion paint and masonry paint might not let moisture dispel properly? Do I need to prep the wall somehow other then just brushing off dust/debris? or is that what you referred to using a canister vacuum?

For the floor, after laying some DPM sheets, could I build something more stable to walk on? the boards are just temporary, so I could look putting some plywood with some sort of structure on there?

Many thanks.

 

[JohnD]

A builders canister vac will not be damaged by the grit and brick dust

I don't know about paint

The breathable paints are not very durable.

Masonry paint is very durable but would probably get pushed off if damp is coming through the wall.

The wall will dry out best if it is bare and well ventilated.

You can use garden decking, which is treated and makes a simple sturdy floor, but have plastic under to keep the damp off. Easier to level than just loose ply.

Or paving slabs which damp will not hurt.

 

[nero44]

Thanks John.

I will think I will try with Farrow & Ball Limewash. That might suit the area. I don't mind a bit of paint crumbling/imperfections or if it needs a recoat in a few years. I just want to make sure it can release damp through the paint so it wont stay locked inside.

Do you think the brickwork "comes in" around the entire wall if I dig down a few cm? In a way that I could rest a few timbers around and throw some plywood boards on it after sheeting it with dpm? that could give a decently even flooring.

Thanks,
Christian

 

[JohnD]

It will spread out as "footings" at the base which are a sort of foundation. Don't disturb or undermine them. You will easily see them if you scrape away the earth floor.