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Plastering & Rendering

Can you apply lime plaster internally while the walls are still damp?

Anonymous user 16/03/2024 - 2.37 PM

We’re looking at buying a Victorian semi detached in south london. Our surveyor has told us that the pebble dash needs to come off ASAP (so the house can breathe). He has said that thermal imaging cameras have shown that the inside walls are cold (and therefore damp). He has said that we’ll want to give the house something like 9 months to dry out after removing the pebbledash (roughly a month per inch of external wall) before applying any lime plaster on the inside. I just wanted to get a second opinion on this from a lime plasterer. Would it really be best for us not to do any internal plastering works on the house for nearly a year after removing the pebble dash? Are there no ways to expedite the drying of the inside? It doesn’t feel like it’s worth buying if it means having to put our plans on hold for almost a year.

Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?

4 Answers

H H plastering

No reviews yet

Portsmouth

To speed up the time inside try and get some dehumidifier to help draw out the water

Answered31 October 2020

Davey plastering and Lime

Rating: 5 out of 5

Doncaster

Don’t use dehumidifiers on new work. The walls are cold because they vacant breathe. Yes allow the walls to dry out but line can be used as a poultice and a used to draw moisture out. Once the render is off leave it to dry and every lime plasterer will tell you the same you can’t start line rendering until spring. Why hack off all the walls? If they are still lime let them dry out. It’s what lime does. Although if it’s been painted with modern paints that don’t allow them to breathe that may need addressing but maybe not all needs replacing. Get a lime lad you trust to take a look. Read op on the internet there is plenty to attract your interest and the more you know the less worried you will be. Always here if you need advice.

Answered5 November 2020

Anonymous user

Yeah the answer is good but also he could have said that you need to remove ASAP as advised and get heaters in during the day and dehumidifiers during the night

Answered16 November 2020

J hyland

Rating: 5 out of 5

Sale

Yes to other reply dehumidifier but I would suggest warmth inside and sheilding the external skin with a ventilated tarp, but this isn’t necessary if you can wait untill spring when we hopefully have a week of dry days . You should see The masonry external drying anyhow unless lots of rising damp ?

Answered18 November 2020