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Restoration & Refurbishment

victorian terrace had damp proof course 20 years ago damp is rife want to use lime...

Anonymous user 03/03/2024 - 3.08 PM

Hi there, ive literally scoured the internet and books but have found no answer to my conundrum. My house was built in 1905, red brick through terrace 4 storey, split level (basements to front of property underground while kitchen on same level opens onto back garden) . I don't believe it has ever been repointed and the gable end needs doing so I'm going to use lime mortar HOWEVER - previous owner has had an injection damp proof course and ripped the kitchen floor up inserted a membrane and CONCTETE/tiled over top. This was done 20 years ago and now the whole basement/kitchen is damp. Plaster crumbling and like black paint showing on kitchen walls and stone floor/whitewash walls in front basements smelly and salty. Woodwork is all rotten and plaster falling off in the central hallway. Ive removed the laminate floor and exposed the old concrete floor in hall which is now drying. Sorry the description took so long but what should I do now the damage has been done? Take plaster back to brick and redo with lime mortar? I cant dig up the kitchen floor so any suggestions for next steps GLADLy appreciated. I'm at my whits end. I'm going to rake out and repoint the front basement walls with lime but the back half of house where the damp is ruining my woodwork & walls im clueless about. Thanks!! JEN :)

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1 Answer

Anonymous user

Hi Jen, These sorts of questions are very hard to answer without a good inspection of the property and the problem areas. -Are the problem walls facing the incoming weather [south-westerly's]. Re pointing is fine, but this wont necessarily stop the damp although it will help if the existing brick joints are crumbling away and non-existent. You suggest a lime mortar, but this should only be used if the existing is a lime mortar. -is there adequate ventilation of the problem rooms? Inadequate ventilation can cause surface damp to rain soaked solid walls which will result in black staining and salty residue internally. -are there any leaking/overflowing gutters causing excessive water spillage externally? Check all your rainwater goods near the problem areas and fix/clean out if necessary. -large areas of defective plaster internally? A good solution would be to totally remove the defective plaster back to the brick and dry-line the walls, however a lime plaster would be acceptable as well. We hope this response has given you a little bit of further information and good luck with the project! The Look. design + build team...

Answered12 August 2014