Sealing internal exposed stone wall

[sarahb]

Hi,
Can anyone advise re what's the best product to use to seal an internal exposed stone wall - it's in what's going to be the bedroom and will have our bed up against it, hence I'd prefer not to have all the dust falling off.
It's a property built in 1700s so I need to use something that's breathable and would prefer it wasn't shiny / didn't change the appearance on the stones too much. So far I've had people recommend EVA / linseed oil - but I'm not sure if these are breathable / shiny.
Any advice appreciated!
Thanks
Sarah

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Welcome.

Others will be along with replies you may find more helpful, but the authentic treatment for an exposed stone wall in a domestic interior of the age you describe is a good covering of lime plaster. It does, admittedly, cover the stones up, but underneath it their appearance doesn't change and in 99 cases out of 100 it's how the room would have been originally (assuming it wasn't panelled).

 

[vicky whitworth]

Hello and welcome, I agree with Gareth that the walls should be lime plastered but I have a couple of random rubble walls which were external walls before the extension was built (and had never been plastered just lime washed) and I wanted to keep them that way. So I have painted with white earthborn claypaint which has worked a treat as it's consolidated the wall, stopped the crumbling but you can still see the stones. It's really nice to gloop on too.

 

[JoceAndChris]

That sounds good Vicky - I must do that with my scullery ASAP.

Sarah - you might like the bare stone but I do agree with Gareth. I live with a bare stone and brick kitchen and it isn't nice, from the point of view of authenticity and also hygiene. Brick and stone dust are forever falling down. I'd get it lime plastered and then you can have fun with limewashes, or wallpaper, or pictures.

 

[cotegreen]

i have an exposed stone wall in the bedroom which i stripped the plaster off (combination of gypsum and lime) , hand it sanblasted clean, then repointed it with lime mortar from mike wye. after the pointing was finished i left it a week or so and gave the whole wall a wash down with water and i have never had a problem with any dust or anything falling from it, so i guess if your preparation is good you should not have any problem. I did not seal it with anything and whilst it may not have been what the wall looked like originally, we both like the look of it.

it may be a bit of a fashion fad to have an exposed wall, but they do look good and ultimately it can always be plastered over in years to come if you so wish.

 

[chuckey]

I sandblasted an internal limestone wall, repointed it with a lime mortar then gave it two coats of patio sealer. ONE stone (8" X 6") went shiny out of about 14' X 5". The mortar went a bit darker though. Some people are bowled over by the walls appearance, I'm a bit cool about it - Watneys pub 1960? Certainly no dust and in theory one could wash of the household grime after 10 years or so.
Frank