Damp problem - TilersForums.com

[colin178]

Hi all

Just wanted to pick your brains, totally off tiling topic i know but i need some advice.

I have damp patches on my bedroom wall, i've had my roof tiles, chimney stack and pots and gutters checked and they are ok. My builder friend took one look at my gable end and said the whole wall needs re-pointing or rendering as the pointing is just dropping out. I got him to re-point the worst bits as unfortunately i cant afford the whole job to be done.

The problem is i need to put the house on the market next year due to needing another bedroom. I cant really afford to have the re-pointing or rendering done so i was wondering wether i could do anything to the internal wall instead (it is plasterboard dot and dabbed onto cavity wall)?

Perhaps remove plasterboard, screw some aqua panel to the brick instead then screw some new plasterboard to that and paper over?

Sorry but i really need help on this as i am totally clueless when it comes to damp!

Hope you can help

Cheers

Col

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

why don't you just get a ladder and rake out morter on brick work were the patches of damp corispond outside and re point with morte that has a integral weterproofer in the mix this is cheaper than what you are surgesting

 

[Rob Z]

Hi Colin, What Gooner said makes the most sense-stop the water from getting in as much as can be done. By putting something on the inside to stop the water from getting to the plasterboard, it will just push the moisture through the masonry to another part of the house where there is no Aqua panel to stop it.

 

[colin178]

Thanks for the replies guys!

My builder friend did exactly what gooner said and re-pointed the affected areas but the damp patches remain and dont seem to be drying out.

He said whoever had re-pointed it previous to me buying the house had no where near used enough cement in the mixture as it was just like dried sand (crumbling away from the joints).

So i suppose i'll have to pay for the big job then.

Just thought there would be a way to sort it out cheaply before we move house.

Col

 

[jay]

hi you could source an external sealer for brickwork (natural sealer by construction chemicals) that drys leaving a natural look but if mortar is missing leaving gaps and holes this wont work you need to re point :8:

 

[Ajax123]

Cheapest way would be to get a ladder or hir a scaffold tower and re point it your self. It is not a difficult job to do. and does not require super specialist skills, tools or materials. A pointing trowel £2.99. A plasterers hawk. I usually make these as I need them from bits of wood i usually have lying around, but you can buy one for about £10. A decent sized soft bristled brush, usually use a wallpaper paste brush £1.99. Some bags of mortar sand or soft sand some bags of cement (calculate howmany you need and it will probably be very few), some mortar plasticiser - £4.99, and a mixing bucket £1.99. The ladder you can hire on a weekly basis for only a few pounds a week. No point spending loads of dosh on tools for a one off job and you just throw them away if you don't want them any more at the end.

 

[White Room]

How old is your property

 

[colin178]

1930's semi mate, couldnt tell which year exactly!

 

[lucius]

If the pointing is deteriated and you are getting penetrating damp it needs to be repointed or the gable end will eventualy become unstable and dangerous it is your duty as a houseowner to maintain the outside of the house. If it is 1930s built it is a good chance that it is built of lime morter it is a soft material which allows for some seasonal movement and allows the house to breathe, much softer than cement.If you repoint with sand and cement any slight movement in the house will cause the harder cement pointing to crack and allow water in eventualy loosening the pointing or worse on softer bricks cause them to spall.Unfortunately most tradesman you call in will use S&C as they dont know any better and most house owners dont know or dont care.Get a specialist in who knows what they are doing.
Lucius

 

[Ajax123]

If the pointing is deteriated and you are getting penetrating damp it needs to be repointed or the gable end will eventualy become unstable and dangerous it is your duty as a houseowner to maintain the outside of the house. If it is 1930s built it is a good chance that it is built of lime morter it is a soft material which allows for some seasonal movement and allows the house to breathe, much softer than cement.If you repoint with sand and cement any slight movement in the house will cause the harder cement pointing to crack and allow water in eventualy loosening the pointing or worse on softer bricks cause them to spall.Unfortunately most tradesman you call in will use S&C as they dont know any better and most house owners dont know or dont care.Get a specialist in who knows what they are doing.
Lucius

Does anyone still use Lime Mortar for this type of application. Sonuds expensive (Not that I disagree with you) I only ever come across lime mortar with natural stone building and high spec (english heritage type) refurbs nowadays.