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our kitchen is below ground and one wall still has the dirt to the ceiling level outside, the walls are stone and some 20" thick, water is running on the inside. we can do nothing about the outside as we can not get round to get to it I have painted the inside with kitchen/bathroom paint but it just discolours and smells Any suggestions please.

[quote="susandonald"]our kitchen is below ground and one wall still has the dirt to the ceiling level outside, the walls are stone and some 20" thick, water is running on the inside. we can do nothing about the outside as we can not get round to get to it I have painted the inside with kitchen/bathroom paint but it just discolours and smells Any suggestions please.[/quote]
You will have to TANK the wall,this means waterproof the wall to stop the damp pentitrating.
You need to remove the plaster and start from scratch otherwise it will keep happening.

there are three methods for tanking, which i'm not going into here

as you can only tackle the problem from inside i would not bother with a cementitious solution, or bitumous paint as the build up of water pressure will find a way through.

i suggest one where a plastic sheet is held just off the wall and an internal gutter along the wall/ floor interface channels the water out.

then build a stud wall and plasterboard etc over as normal


there are lots of companies who specialst in this and lots of products available for a diy option

Hi, Andy is absolutely correct, I would advise the same "Cavity drain membrane"
If you do not have access to a drain which is below the level of your kitchen floor you will have to incorporate a sump for the water to collect in and make provision for a 12/240v pump system to evacuate the accumulated water.
Cementitious or bituminous coatings will ultimately fail due to hydraulic pressure within the wall.