I am converting a barn to a house. In a few places the outside ground level is higher than the inside floor level by up to 1metre. The walls are mixed stone around 600mm thick I will be framing and boarding all walls.
Is there a solution or combination of tasks which will keep the damp on the outside of the building pref. that I can do myself. Bitumen was suggested to me ie coating the inside of the walls and perhaps digging out the exterior to floor level and filling with chips ( stone gravel not american crisps!).
Jim, I am doing a similar project, my rear wall was 600mm thick stone rubble. its 1.8 m from finished floor to ground level.
We made the decision to rebild the wall, a huge job. Now thats done, the BCO and the architech can't agree on how to tank it.
If you put the waterproofer on the inside the wall is always wet, and the water will push the waterproofer off.
If you waterproof the outside, and lay a french drain, the wall is dry, and thew water will push the waterproofer ont the wall, however you can not make the waterproofer continious with the foor membrane.
I tanked under the wall when it was built, to keep the BCO happy I am tanking the inside (continious with the DPM/DPC), and to keep me happy, the outside as well (the BCO won't inspect this) and laying the franch drain. The tanking (proofex 3000) has to be applied to a smooth wall, so you will need to render it. Rendering a lime mortar wall is not recomended so there is the reason I rebuilt.
On the other side of the building the floor is a little under ground level, say 2 inches. I am simply running the DPC (visqueen zedex 1.45m wide) under the bottom on the inner wall we are building up the outside (in the cavity) 3 blocks and then back in.
On a third wall, where the ground is 1 m hugh, I will build a block wall oustide the house, and tank this + franch drain, as its easier than rendering the stone wall. The BCO is not inspecting this, as its orignal, so he has no worries, but it keeps me happy.
I have found pickquick service in leeds sell the products you need very cheepy, I do a 150 mile round trip to buy my stuff.
You can of course simply apply a membrane to the stone wall, which the plaster sticks too, no idea what its called but its in the shop.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.