Re-plastering and penetrative damp

[hongkongwolf]

I bought a 1930s house recently and the previous owners had allowed the pointing on the exposed South facing wall to fall in to dis-repair causing penetrative damp to come through into the dining room. I've raked out and repointed on the outside. On the inside, I've removed all the plaster back to the bare brick (well the plaster pretty much fell off with a bit of prompting) and can see that the pointing is also in poor condition on the inside.

I assumed I would have to rake out and repoint on the inside of the wall as well and then replaster. However, my plasterer says there's no point in doing ANY of this as he will simply lay boards and then plaster over the boards.

This approach will obviously be a lot cheaper and a lot less messy and (I'm assured) will result in a smoother finish. But it worries be slightly. Is it a sound thing to do?

Any advice much appreciated

hkw

[TheScullster]

Dry lining

This is the modern build method for plastering. Rare to find new build housing still using undercoat and finish plaster coats. Basically stick plasterboard to wall with blobs or areas of adhesive and skim over with finish plaster.

Advantages

Easier job. Dries quicker than browning and skim. If it's done well with enough adhesive, particularly towards edges/joints in boards, should be OK. Shouldn't move/crack much on an established stable property like yours. If you're lucky you can sometimes run cabling between board and wall without much chasing at a later date.

Disadvantages

Fastening shelves etc to the wall is a bit more awkward as there can be a void between plasterboard and brick (where the adhesive isn't). Doesn't "feel" quite as good a job to the traditionalist.

HTH

Phil

[Andrew Gabriel]

The only reason to repoint the inside would be if it's so bad the wall structure was compromised, but then that's not really repointing. The inside would not have been pointed originally -- the uneven gaps between the bricks provides additional key for the plaster.

It's become quite common. I would doubt it's a lot cheaper or less messy. Personally I prefer solid walls, particularly when it comes to fixing something heavier than a paper Christmas decoration up. Do you know how he intends to fix up the plasterboard? I would be concerned about using wooden battens against a wall which has been damp, but I suspect he's more likely to use dot'n'dab (I've no idea how that stands up to any moisture in the wall). How long ago did you do the repointing and is the wall dry now?

[bigcat]

dis-repair

If youre PBing it I would definitely repoint. Even if its not structural trouble now, it will be sooner or later if you dont fix it. Repoint and that problems gone for a long long time.

Time: repointing a wall that will be covered is very fast indeed. Forget brickie tools, just get a thick glove on and wipe it in place, get the entire wall done, messily, in 5 minutes. Doesnt matter a damn what a mess it looks. silly not to.

NT

[Bob Mannix]

Quite. Had my new bedroom dry-lined and then had to fit fitted wardrobes to it. Hell :o((.

It's also sounds hollow and, somehow, cheap when you knock it.

If I did an extension again I would insist on wet-lining. They wet lined downstairs but didn't want to tramp up the stairs with all the sand and cement - I did agree, so it was my fault.

-- Bob Mannix (anti-spam is as easy as 123 - not).

[hongkongwolf]

Thanks for everyone's help - its put my mind at rest. I repointed the outside 6 months ago, the wall feels dry.

hkw