Another Success Story with Many Thanks to Chris, NT et al

[Sue Wilkinson]

I posted last week as I started to try to remove cement render from the inside of my rear lobby and loo. It all started out because I needed a sharp corner to practice plastering (as I do soft corners usually) so that I can match up to a sharp corner in a client job I've undertaken.

Well, it went (as usual) from a quick couple of hours to get what I needed, to discovering that the whole lobby and most of the loo were cement rendered. After 3 days of hard work with a lump hammer and chisel it was suggested on this group, that I use an SDS drill with chisel bit. Chris posted many useful links to tool sites etc. It was suggested that a cheap £40 version from B&Q would probably do, but I am wary of cheap tools and certainly couldn't afford the expensive ones Chris was recommending. But I hired one from a local tool hire shop today and its been EXCELLENT! I won't say it was easy, and its been a very dirty job, but I've got all the render off and even better, I've taken up the bitumen floor and revealed the original brick and tile floor!! I'm very excited about that.

My arms are like jelly and my eyes are full of dust still (I got so hot I kept steaming my goggles up so only wore them when actually chiseling) but the nasty stuff has gone into a huge number of rubble sacks and is outside.

The floor is very mucky with the soft bitumen from the bottom of the inch thick layer, but I'm hoping I can find a way of removing that. Any suggestions as to how to clean the bricks and tiles up?

So thanks to everyone for the suggestions and recommendations. You inspired me to do a proper job rather than just doing a practice run. Even better, the client has now started talking about how nice it would be if we got the remaining sharp corner off the doorway and plastered round the shaped stone for a smooth curve! Fingers crossed, she's still thinking about it. The problem of balance with the opposite door jamb is no longer an issue as she is hanging a curtain on that side, so hopefully I'll end up not having to do the sharp edge and I'll get a fully restored lobby into the bargain. The loo is being worked on too, but not as extensively until I can aford major replumbing.

Sue

 

[NT]

gr8 news. You might find the bitumen a bitumen to get off, I gather paraffin dissolves it but I couldnt say whether that will get you where you want to go or not.

NT

 

[biffvernon]

 

[Sue Wilkinson]

Thanks for the kind comments. I've bathed, eaten and rested, but my arms are still holding that drill. Boy will I sleep well tonight.

I'll try various cleaning methods tomorrow and see if I can get anywhere.

Sue

 

[L1zzy]

Sue I so wish you lived in Dorset I'd have you round to do work on my place. I must admit I find you a bit of an inspiration - I'd like to do what you do but here in Dorset - mind you I'm not sure I could do all that chiselling off of render bit .......I'd been thinking more of doing small scale repairs with Lime Mortar for people like myself who aren't of interest to the big guys - I figure theres a living there somewhere.Your client sounds lucky to have someone so dedicated. Hows the bitumen stripping going? I have visions of you knee deep in thick gloop!

 

[Sue Wilkinson]

Thanks Lizzy! I have this fear that people will think me lazy if I sit down for 5 minutes. My husband dispares.

I'm actually in the process of scrubbing the bricks and tiles with hot water laced with a large dollop of soda crystals and some Flash. Most of the muck is lifting, leaving just some hardened bits that may come up with a scraper later. But I've ordered a sample pot of something from Strippers of Sudbury for the really stubborn bits.

I'm pleased. I didn't think it would clean up at all with water. I was out there cleaning up the dust so that we can use the loo again and just decided to give it a go. I'm just changing buckets...

The hand chizeling was very hard work. But the big drill with chisel bit that I hired yesterday was fab. I couldn't have done the floor without it. If only this is what I was supposed to be doing! Meanwhile the collapsed garden wall is very slow progress.

As you know I do lime work for people. Give it a try. All you need do is talk about it down the pub and someone will want you. I find quoting hard still, and I don't actually own a ladder, which is a pain as I have to keep borrowing from neighbours, but the work is there.

Sue

 

[Penners]

"A" for effort, Sue! It would have been very easy to chicken out of such a heavy job, but full marks for sticking at it!

Speaking from my own bitter experience, I would caution you about using a solvent to get the bitumen off the bricks. You can sometimes find that a solvent liquifies the bitumen which then promptly soaks into the surface of the bricks. You then have to decide either (a) to remove the bricks, or (b) that you actually rather like a black brick floor!

I'm sure there are removers that will work, but I thought this cautionary tale was worth mentioning.

Now you've had quite long enough sitting at your computer - get back to work, lazybones!!

 

[Sue Wilkinson]

Thanks for the warning Penners, actually I got down on my hands and knees with a hard scrubbing brush, hot water with soda crystals and Flash and a rinse bucket and I'm amazed at the results. There is only a minor amount of discolouration left. I'll try a tiny bit of this special remover when the floor has had a time to dry out properly.

I'll look to finish it after I've plastered.

Sue

 

[CHRIS]

A Trick with the googles is not to put them on your forehead when you take them off but to put them over your arm as you will make them steam up - take it from an ex RM ski instructor!!!!!!

try using a steam cleaner on the bricks it helped me and also thanks for the kind words as well

 

[Penners]

A Trick with the googles is not to put them on your forehead when you take them off but to put them over your arm

Naaah - just tried that, Chris. My Google stayed firmly on the screen.

 

[Nigel S]

I was going to suggest applying some heat to the bitumen combined with a stiff brush, but that may liquify it too much and allow it into finer cracks.