What is this plaster/render/mortar/filler?

[Firsttimediy93]

Hi all,
My partner and I recently bought our first house, est 1900 or pre mid terrace. We’re total novices but the house definitely needs a lot of work.

We’ve been stripping the hallway of endless woodchip wallpaper and discovered around the electrics there’s this brown, hard, grainy sort of material that has obviously been used to fill the cavity created when retrofitting the house with electrics. Any idea what this is? If we can just cover with Toupret and paint? And if it’s something we should be concerned about (i.e. does it indicate our electrics are so old they’re not up to snuff or something?)

Thanks for any help you can offer!

 

[opps]

It looks like sand and cement plus plaster.

I cannot comment on the integrity of the electrics, but as a decorator, I would just use Toupret TX110 filler over the top.

 

[opps]

BTW, depending on the quality of finishing that you are after, you may want to use lining paper.

 

[Justin Passing]

Yeah. Lining paper, the heavyweight stuff, 1600 or more. And let it soak for 15- 20 mins before you put it on the wall which you would want to "size" first because of the different soakinabilities. Otherwise it'll bubble up permanently and you'll cry.

So many things to learn about and not get caught out by when you start playing with houses. I feel for you!!