Damp Bedroom - Need Quick Fix!

[JohnB]

If the wall is bone dry underneath it could well be condensation alone.

I wouldn't say it's bone dry. I think the mortar is a bit damp. But isolated by nearly 2" of cement would have thought it must be condensation.

I bought some T&G panelling today, but am wondering if I need to strip it back to the stone at the moment.

 

[Moo]

am wondering if I need to strip it back to the stone at the moment.

My inclination would be to get rid of the cement now. It will help the wall, and it's one of those messy, dusty jobs that are really unpleasant once you've painted, floored and furnished the room (not to mention the inevitable 'leakage' of the dust into other areas).

 

[JohnB]

I've been working on the adjoining room, that doesn't have such an obvious problem. I can't remove the plaster yet, so I've just repainted the walls. I put the final coat of emulsion on yesterday, and there's already a small patch next to the fireplace that's blistering. This wall appears to be 3ft thick, as the fireplace is flush with the internal wall, I assume it has 2" of cement plaster as in the other room. It looks like it was painted in the late sixties, then again within the last 7 years. I washed the wall with sugar soap, rinsed in clean water, brushed on some Polycell mould killer, and gave it two coats of emulsion.

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There is obviously more of a problem with this room than I thought. Do I just have to live with it until I can do the job properly, or are they any quick fixes I can do for now? I need to get the room presentable ASAP for either B&B or a lodger, doing it properly will go on a long to-do list.

 

[Moo]

That wall is unlikely to impress a lodger, let alone a B&B guest, is it?
Why not just get rid of the cement in that area and plaster the patch with lime. Then you could attend to the rest of it when time/money permits.



But I still stand by my warning about the greater difficulty of doing it once the rest of the room has been finished and carpeted.

 

[JohnB]

But I still stand by my warning about the greater difficulty of doing it once the rest of the room has been finished and carpeted.

The carpet has been there for decades, and it's staying for now. I'll steam clean it!