Expose Stone...or not???

[Michelle73]

Hi all, I've got an urgent question as the subject in hand is already underway by over eager partner... :roll:
Having just had a leaking roof fixed we were looking at the wall which goes up uur stairway and were thinking about what to do with it. Before I knew what was happening He who won't be cautious had his hammer out and was taking off the plaster to expose the original stone wall underneath. I think this may be lime plaster covering the stone. Its about an inch thick. I do think that the wall will look lovely if taken back to the original stone but am worried about reasons for covering it in the first place and about any damage we may cause.
Should I pin him down and remove the hammer straight away or should we continue and out up some dust sheets before we're a meter deep?
I have a photo of whats been exposed so far but not sure how to post it on here..

Many thanks for any opinions![/img]

 

[Nemesis]

Nooo... stop him.

How old is this plaster?

 

[Michelle73]

I did manage to stop him but not before a not un-noticeable hole had been made into the plaster. There seem to be two layers of plaster and there is some hair in there so I guess this is old?
I've spent the last couple of hours reading everything I can find about this on the internet and realise that this is a terrible mistake.
I think I now need an emergency course on how to repair and replace Lime plaster.

So I've had leaking roofs repaired this week but one step forward and at least two back ... this is not the first hole to be knocked into a wall this week. Our bathroom is downstairs and the walls were wet and mouldy. After fixing the guttering we found the internal walls were lined with cement which is soaking wet. Chipped through this to find an unvented chimney behind the wall. Now have bugs climbing through the hole while we decide best course of action to repair this.

Free accomodation available to anyone willing to come and help me fix my house before t'other half destroys it!!

 

[NT]

Best make him replaster it, that'll teach him not to be a wally.


NT

 

[Moo]

But send him on a Lime course first.

 

[Mark]

Tell him that you expect HIM to provide the hair.

short strong hair. Get your tweezers out and make him repent :twisted:

 

[Gervase]

I recommend the 'back, sack and crack' treatment done with lime putty!
Seriously - if you remove the plaster it will be like taking the clothes off a Victorian china doll and burning them. The people who built the house intended it to be plastered, and their shades would not be entirely gruntled to see it left naked, hacienda-style.
It can be a difficult call, however. My own dear wife was for a while particularly set on exposing the keystones over a fireplace in our sitting room. She has, however, now seen the error of her ways... :wink:

 

[Nemesis]

Indeed, I recall the entire dilemma on national telly...

 

[Michelle73]

Tell him that you expect HIM to provide the hair.

short strong hair. Get your tweezers out and make him repent :twisted:

I only wish he had enough of his own hair left for me to use !!

The hole looks terrible but thank god I got him to stop when he did.
I really will have to find a course now and learn how to fix this myself. It could be a good thing in the long run as this cottage has had a couple of extensions in the past which are just single skin brick - v.cold and damp with condensation. A builder recently recommended applying a sealant & then adding plasterboard but I think now maybe the Lime Plaster could be a better option.

Anyone know of any good courses in Scotland or in Yorkshire?

Men....Grrrrr

 

[worms]

Try the Scottish Lime Centre at Charlestown (beside Rosyth).

http://www.scotlime.org/

 

[Moo]

I don't think Mark was referring to head hair ...

 

[NT]

When you add insulation to single skin walls you need to use a vapour barrier, else the insulation gradually saturates. The VB goes on the room side of the insulation, not onto the brick wall.


NT

 

[Penners]

I don't think Mark was referring to head hair ...

Baldness can be cruel in so many ways.

Is it really necessary for him to go on a lime course, just to patch a hole in lime plaster?

With a bit of reading up, and maybe a few practice runs on a barn wall or some such, it surely shouldn't be too tricky.

Have a look at this useful article.

 

[CK]

I don't think there is any hurry in replastering the wall.
You could expose the whole wall . . and leave it for a while to see if you like it. . .then later on you could plaster it.

I'm saying this because once upon a time I was very overzealous with a hammer and crowbar.

the random stone wall I uncovered I have left exposed. The rest of the house is perfectly plastered and the contrast really highlights the wall as a feature. People always comment on it saying how much they love it. It is a georgain townhouse. People love to see it to see how the house is made as they are marveling at the age of the house.

 

[Penners]

I don't think there is any hurry in replastering the wall.
You could expose the whole wall . . and leave it for a while to see if you like it. . .then later on you could plaster it.

That sounds to me like a very long and labour-intensive solution to the problem!

Get him to patch it now, while the situation is still easy to resolve.

 

[Michelle73]

Very grateful for all of your tips.

The hole we're left with is appx 12" diameter so I'd rather patch this up than uncover the rest. This internal wall is floor to roof height so would need all sorts of scaffolding/ladders and with my past experience of ladders....well, just best not go there!

I'm quite nervous about giving this a go but am ready to order a batch of Limetec moderatley hydraulic mortar....look at me, sounds like I know what I'm doing, ha ha !!

 

[Nemesis]

You certainly don't need anything hydraulic for internal plaster!

 

[Michelle73]

See, I knew I'd get this wrong !
Please could you help me chose the right mix, getting very confused by all the info available :?
Thanks

 

[NT]

Bag of hydrated lime from B&Q (£6.50ish). Mix some in a lidded container with a bit of water to make a gloopy paste, put the lid on and leave it at least a day. Now you've got ime putty. Mix 1 volume of this with 3 volumes sand and you have a coarse plster. Mix it with chalk dust (whiting) for a fine plaster.

There are other ways to do it as well.


NT

 

[Penners]

Bag of hydrated lime from B&Q (£6.50ish). Mix some in a lidded container with a bit of water to make a gloopy paste, put the lid on and leave it at least a day. Now you've got ime putty. Mix 1 volume of this with 3 volumes sand and you have a coarse plster. Mix it with chalk dust (whiting) for a fine plaster.

And shave the goat.