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Plastering & Rendering
Lime vs gypsum plaster?
Anonymous user 3 March 2024 - 3.16 PM
Hi, this will sound like a ridiculous question so late in the game but just having a little panic and in need of reassurance. We moved into our Victorian home in January. After stripping walls the plaster was in a sad state and after struggling to find a plasterer that would stick to his word or get back In contact found a local firm who we liked straight away. We asked at the time re:lime plaster and he said it didn’t matter. We’ve now had a good part of the house plaster skimmed with gypsum, and gone on to decorate. Tonight I’ve noticed a horizontal crack across the full width of the chimney breast, had a little google and now panicking we didn’t do enough research and have made a potentially very expensive mistake long term? Will we likely get damp problems further down the line as a result? Please help!!
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
lime plaster allows the building to breathe , gypsum plaster does not. the biggest issue with lime plaster will be getting someone who can use it properly.
having it skimmed relies on the plaster underneath being sound if the plaster beneath is blown skimming it will not work.
really depends on whats behind the plaster it may be structural it may not without looking its impossible to say.
good luck Alex
Hi. Were the walls skimmed over the existing plaster? This consisted of a top white layer with a black mortar background? Those materials were commonly used in victorian properties. After 100 years or so they do 'blow' crack etc and often its the wallpaper thats holding things together. Over-skimming with gypsum plaster often leads to cracks appearing, options are to remove the lot back to brick and stud and re-render/plasterboard/plaster. Or keep things as they are but a suggestion you may want to consider is to paper the affected walls (if the cracks are hairline) with a lining paper that is 're-inforced' its a non-woven type which is stronger and resists cracking where there are cracks. Its easy to apply being paste the wall. Use paste the wall ready mixed paste and size the walls. Ive purchased this under the brand Wallrock, comes in roll widths of 55, 75 and 100 cm but i noticed recently the same product recently under the anaglypta brand in the 55cm width.
