Limewashing crumbling inglenook bricks

[tobydog]

Hi. Would appreciate some views. We recently had some work carried out on our inglenook to remove the dreaded cement render, repair the substantial hidden damage (including letting the considerable damp dry out) and rendering in lime. We also had some of the non-rendered crumbling bricks replaced with originals and lime mortared in. This is now looking great, however, we still have 4 or 5 bricks inside the inglenook that back onto the old damp areas where the bricks are simply turning to dust infront of our eyes.

When the CO first came round to look at the inglenook and some other work we were having done (house is Grade II), she recommended painting the brick faces with several coats of the water you find at the top of a tin of lime wash. We happen to have a full tin of Farrow & Ball white limewash that we hope will be perfect. Has anyone done this recently, does it work, and how many coats do I need to apply? Apparently the water absorbs into the brick and the residual lime in the very diluted water reacts with the carbondioxode in the air and forms a breathable seal with enough coats.

Thanks

 

[Lime]

I'd follow the CO's advice.

 

[MdB]

The technique has been mentioned here in the past with mixed reviews (I would suggest searching using "lime water" on the forum but it doesn't work). The problem is that it can do too good a job and make consolidated skin on the surface. This is nominally what you want but if the skin falls off, it can take more material off and cause more damage than if you had done nothing.

From here: http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/ppuk_discovering_agony_uncle_200704.shtml

My stone mullion widows are crumbling away.

My house was built in the sixteenth century. It has stone mullion windows which have started to crumble in places. Do you know what the correct mixture is that we should use to repair them?
Elaine Davies

There are various repair methods that can be used on stone - including what is commonly referred to as 'plastic repair' which involves a lime mortar being used. However, it may be that piecing in new sections of stone would be more appropriate. On the other hand it may be best to leave it alone for the time being. Sometimes the application of lime water is thought helpful, but this is not something that is commonly agreed by the experts.

The best advice I can give you is to seek advice from a local stone mason.

Others will hopefully be able to comment further.

 

[tobydog]

Lime / MdB,

Thanks for your responses. I suppose that given I'm losing the bricks to dust anyway, I might not have much more to lose by trying the lime water treatment. I can see how the faces could fall off once a skin is formed because the brick deterioration could be deeper than it first appears and not just surface level. I will, however, do some more Googling and thanks for the link.

 

[robgil]

Mike wye sells a product for this job , on their site look at the kitchen renovation , they used it for bricks above a cooker to stop the dust falling into food.

 

[tobydog]

Rob - Mike Wye looks to be an excellent company. Their website is great. Input Input Input!!!

I emailed them and they confirmed the product was Biofa Stabilising Primer. Currently out of stock so it's popular.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[robgil]

Here is the spec sheet thingy for it.

http://www.biofa.com/objekte/tms/1420_e.pdf?PHPSESSID=6938e67cdacdfebdd36ef6d609ea69d5

These guys might have some.

http://www.naturaldecoratingcentre.co.uk/#/walls-and-ceilings/4543785997

 

[tobydog]

Rob - thanks for the extra info.