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Restoration & Refurbishment

Lower half of lime pointed wall painted with Weathersheild. Paint top half?

Anonymous user 28/02/2024 - 3.39 PM

Hi. Ive moved into an old 1880s terrace with lots of damp issues which Im gradually addressing. I can't find a damp course and all the interior walls have modern paint or wallpaper and the original lime plaster behind has turned to powder. Outside, the ground floor wall has been painted with modern masonry paint which has bubbled and split. The brick edges have worn and the mortar recessed but not repaired before painting over. I assume the second floor wall is getting wet, soaking down through the brick and not being let back out lower down. Should I clean up loose bits and paint entire wall to at least protect it from rain, put in some air bricks into cavity help dry any ground water soak up? I can't see stripping all the masonry paint off and white washing being an option. Any advice very much appreciated. Thanks. Matt Thanks GFR Roofing, can't see how to respond to your answer, but, if I use weather seal or sandtex should I use a water based brick sealer (is this also called stabiliser?) or oil based given masonry paint is water based? Thanks

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2 Answers

ADR Property Maintenance

Rating: 5 out of 5

Boston

basically everything that should not be done to this type of property has been done, as your not suffering from rising damp an injected damp proof course is a total waste of money, most modern damp proof courses are designed to cover up and seal in the dampness rather than find the cause and cure it do not paint with a modern missionary paint, you will have a slate damp proof course installed at the time the building was built. your answer to this issue is grind the along the old mortar lines back to the lime mortar, re-point with N.H.L.. there is no cement or additives in lime mortar, unfortunately todays tradesmen do not understand how all the materials used in the construction of your building work to prevent dampness and allow your building to breathe so create more harm than good through lack of knowledge rather than bloody mindedness. if you wish to paint it after you've re pointed in N.H.L. mortar you can using a lime wash in three coats it is the perfect time of the year to re point using lime mortar. good luck alex

Answered17 July 2018

Anonymous user

Sounds like it would be beneficial to have the building damp proof injected to form a damp course to eliminate rising damp. Also yes scrape/wire brush all loose paint work off and use a brick work sealer coat first then apply a good exterior masony paint. Hope this helps Yes use the sandtex stabilising solution first I think it's a water based solution which will be fine as this is what we use before all exterior masonry painting we undertake, so this will be fine. All the best Drew.

Answered17 July 2018