Plastering and Tanking: Basement and Cellar Conversions:

Plastering Services:

Please call me for free advice and to arrange an estimate concerning your plastering requirements on 07751 738 843.

• Sand and Cement rendering.
• Lath and plaster repairs.
• Repairs to cracked plaster.
• Repairs to blistering plaster.
• Skimming over of artex.
• Removal of artex.
• Skimming of single walls.
• Skimming of complete room's.
• Tanking of Basements and Cellars.

Are you are thinking about stripping your wallpaper but concerned about the condition of the plaster underneath the wallpaper. Do you have damp patches or blistering and cracked plaster. Would you like a skim coat over your walls to provide a smooth finish for decoration.

My plastering services range from the repairing of small holes and cracks to sand and cement rendering, to damp proofing and tanking for basements and cellars to the skimming of single walls or a complete room.

Painting new plaster:

When the plaster is dry it should be primed with two mist or ghost coats; of 50% matt emulsion mixed with 50% water.

Why do you have to prime new plaster:

A primer paint increase the adhesion of paints painted onto the plaster, because the addition of water allows the primer coats to soak into the plaster. Undiluted water based paints simply stick to the surface of the plaster and will have a tendency to blister as moisture evaporates from the wall.

Allow the new plaster to breath:

The time taken for a newly plastered wall to dry is dependant on many factors, such as temperature and ventilation, however until such times; up to six months if damp proofing works were undertaken, only water based emulsion paints should be used. Because they allow the wall to breath.

Use of PVA, Vinyl Silk and oil based paints on new plaster:

Do not use pva, vinyl silk or oil based paints, because they will not allow the wall to breath. If you do you may observe paint or even plaster blistering as the moisture in the plaster evaporates. If you have had damp proofing works done please wait at least 6 months before using vinyl silk paints. Avoid using pva or oil based paints, altogether.

Use of wallpaper on new plaster:

If you have just had a skim / finish coat it will generally be dry within a few weeks to wallpaper, remembering to size, however if you have had damp proofing works, wait at least 6 months even a year before wallpapering.

Plastering in Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian properties:

Internal plaster in pre 1920's properties; Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian, generally consists of a 2 coat undercoat plaster which is applied to the brickwork or wooden lathes, followed by a 2 coat skim coat to leave a smooth surface for decoration.

Evaluate the age of your property.

The undercoat plaster:

Today there are 3 main types of undercoat plaster:

• Sand and Cement.
• Renovating Plaster.
• Bonding Plaster.

The undercoat plaster in Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian properties was generally a sand and lime mix with horse hair, used as a binding agent to give the plaster strength. When this plaster is removed, the undercoat plaster should always be a 2 coat, 3:1 / 4:1, sand and cement mixture or a renovating plaster; when plastering onto brickwork.

Bonding Undercoat Plaster:

Bonding undercoat plaster contains cork which gives the plaster mix a light and airy texture. The cork within the mix absorbs moisture from the mortar beds and brickwork of a solid walled Georgian, Victorian or Edwardian property, where damp course provisions are subjective, and acts like a sponge holding the absorbed moisture within the plaster, causing very high unexplained damp readings, excessive black mould and very visible isolated damp patches, in some cases within only a few weeks of re plastering been undertaken.

You can see from the images above, of the devastation in poor Joe's kitchen Waldergrave Road, Teddington caused by plasterers using bonding plaster as an undercoat plaster.

I have observed many plasterers cause considerable damp problems by using bonding plaster as an undercoat plaster in pre 1920's properties. Whenever I meet a plasterer, I try to explain why as a plasterer they should not be using bonding plaster, it is one of my quests in life to educate plasterers.

History of plastering:

Plastering has been around since we; as primitives, sought habitation. Evidence of mud plastered onto sticks can been found in the dwellings of primitive man and since Egyptian times: horse, ox, cow or goat hair has been used as a binding medium to strengthen the mix. The use of horse hair, being found in most Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian properties, in the Richmond, Twickenham, St Margarets, Teddington and Hampton areas.

Damp Proofing Treatments:

Trying to evaluate and receive an honest opinion about the cause and treatment of your damp issues can be a very confusing subject to homeowners. Simply call David on 07562 887 808. I will evaluate and explain your problems, and give you a guide about the associated costs.

• Damp patches on walls.
• Black Mould on walls.
• Rising Damp Treatments.
• Damp Proofing Treatments.
• Flood & Water Damage.
• Insurance Reports.

Further reading about your Damp problems:

To evaluate what is causing your damp issues have a look at my Home Page where I have made a little table to guide your evaluation.

You can also visit my ancillary pages concerning the cause of dampness in buildings: Rising Damp, Penetrating Damp, Condensation and Black mould.

Also have a look at my article about Damp Proof Courses and Treatments. And an excellent unbiased article from Wikipedia. about the cause of structural dampness in buildings.

Basement and Cellar Conversions: Tanking Services:

Tanking is simply plastering with a waterproof plaster, or applying a waterproof membrane to the wall and floor, which can then be plastered over.

• Cement Tanking.
• Slurry Tanking.
• Cellar Conversions.
• Basement Conversions.

A tanking system is used in areas of a building where the retaining walls of that area are below ground level, such as cellars and basements. Or the underneath area of concrete or stone steps which usually have a tiled or asphalted covering. The underneath area being where the basement area door is and or where the electric and gas meters are. Such properties may now be converted into flats. It can also refer to a tanking membrane for wet rooms and shower areas.