Is it ok to breech the plinth on a clay lump wall?

[robgil]

On the inside with a soft limecrete floor?

 

[Penners]

When you say "breach", do you mean something modest like:

Or are we talking about:

:?:

Seriously - what do you have in mind?

 

[robgil]

Ah , I see , no not that , I might have to raise the inside floor level above a very basic looking flint plinth.

 

[middi]

Rob, the brown line ( clay lump) ,in you drawing ,should be , ideally, below the brown line ( presumably) the inside of the building otherwise it may end up like the scenario in Penners last picture in the event of heavy,persistent rain.

Middi

 

[robgil]

Thing is Middi the outside ground level will be below the flint plinth , the plinth will be unrendered , this is the way it should be however inside the floor level will be above the plinth and butting up to the clay lump, it will be lime plastered inside.
I am wondering if it would be wise to either make the limecrete very very soft where it butts up to the clay lump wall or provide a barrier, or indeed just do nothing.

 

[Penners]

Rob, just to repeat - what are you planning? Is it a drainage pipe from a toilet, from a sink or what?

 

[MdB]

From my understanding, Rob meant "bridge" rather than "breech". He is thinking about raising the internal floor level which will potentially bridge the plinth allowing damp into the walls.

If it was me, I would want to be doing something about this possibility but I don't know what which is why I haven't commented.

 

[robgil]

Ah sorry , yes I mean bridge not breech, too much scrumpy last night.

 

[Penners]

Actually I think you meant "bridge" rather than "breach", but I won't mention that for fear of appearing pedantic. :wink:

I suppose you could insert a vertical DPC between your new floor and the wall - as I've shown in blue below. It wouldn't interfere with any breathability and it might just help to prevent any damp in the floor bridging across into the clay lump.

I'm assuming that there's no DPC between the flint plinth and the clay lump wall, so there's still a damp route there. But that's existed for the life of the cottage, so unless you have any plans to change the setup, it will remain "as is".

 

[middi]

Actually I think you meant "bridge" rather than "breach", but I won't mention that for fear of appearing pedantic. :wink:

I suppose you could insert a vertical DPC between your new floor and the wall - as I've shown in blue below. It wouldn't interfere with any breathability and it might just help to prevent any damp in the floor bridging across into the clay lump.

I'm assuming that there's no DPC between the flint plinth and the clay lump wall, so there's still a damp route there. But that's existed for the life of the cottage, so unless you have any plans to change the setup, it will remain "as is".

I would go along with that Rob. As a matter of fact I don't think you will have any prolems even without the dpc as long as the external level is well below the plinth.

Middi

 

[robgil]

I was thinking along these lines myself, cheers guys.