We have uncovered an original flagstone floor which was previously covered by concrete and which is laid directly onto the earth. Having lived with it for a few months we have found that we do not have a damp problem where areas are ventilated i.e furniture is on legs but where things touch the floor damp patches occur and this has caused mould on some furniture. We are currently renovating this room and stripping all the 'modern' plaster back to stone and replacing with lime plaster/ limewash and were going to also lift the flags and put a damp proof membrane down. Having read some discussions it seems that this is not a good idea. Does anyone have any alternative ideas or have experienced and resolved the same problams? We are wondering whether sorting the walls out and allowing them to breathe will stop the damp patches occuring on the floor.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Flagstones & Damp Patches
- Thread starter MariaR
- Start date
I'm no expert, and hope that someone who really knows will comment on this tentative theory -
We all talk gaily about flagstones/pamments laid directly on to earth as though all earth is the same. But some earth is clay, and some is so sandy that it runs through your fingers (and the rain runs straight through it in the garden).
Could this affect the dampness or otherwise of a flagstone floor?
If you're on clay, would it help to remove an inch or so and replace with sand?
We all talk gaily about flagstones/pamments laid directly on to earth as though all earth is the same. But some earth is clay, and some is so sandy that it runs through your fingers (and the rain runs straight through it in the garden).
Could this affect the dampness or otherwise of a flagstone floor?
If you're on clay, would it help to remove an inch or so and replace with sand?
Hi, it was about nine months ago so we thought we had left them long enough but maybe they are not fully dryed out yet. Having read some old discussions last night we have noticed that they have some sort of hard pointing material both betwen them and where the edges meet the stone walls which may have not helped with the drying out and we are now thinking that if this was replaced with lime mortar it may help our problem.
andrew gayton
Member
- Messages
- 527
furniture or other surfaces placed directly onto a breathing floor can result in isolated damp patches; i always place furniture such as trunks etc on timber battens to allow airflow. do not take up and lay a d.p.m! rejoint with non hydraulic lime and soft/silver sand and replaster walling with lime plaster. if you do not wish to use limewash, use a cheap watered down emulsion low in polymer/s.
Penners
Member
- Messages
- 17,294
- Location
- Suffolk, England
Maria - if the only problem caused by your floor is damp getting through to the feet of your furniture, why not fit the legs with pin glides?
http://www.tryrelics.co.uk/search.thtml?spos=1&search=pin+glide&sall=Search (the plastic head ones are what you need)
These are like slim nails with large nylon heads. You just hammer them into the ends of the legs of the furniture, which is then lifted clear of the floor by about 3 or 4mm. Since the head is nylon, damp can't reach the furniture. It also slids more easily on the floor.
http://www.tryrelics.co.uk/search.thtml?spos=1&search=pin+glide&sall=Search (the plastic head ones are what you need)
These are like slim nails with large nylon heads. You just hammer them into the ends of the legs of the furniture, which is then lifted clear of the floor by about 3 or 4mm. Since the head is nylon, damp can't reach the furniture. It also slids more easily on the floor.
Many thanks for all the advice. My husband is mush happier with the idea of using planks or nailing legs onto the furniture than lifting the flags!!
We have now removed the hard mortar/ concrete type material which was pointing up the flags and created a gap around the flags at the base of the walls and started the job of filling all of these with lime mortar.
We have now removed the hard mortar/ concrete type material which was pointing up the flags and created a gap around the flags at the base of the walls and started the job of filling all of these with lime mortar.