DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hi

I bought an old house and due to damp and plaster issues I took the walls back to brick and removed all of the old plaster exposing the bricks. A builder friend has advised that I should render the wall with a mix of (1part cement + 1part lime + 4 parts sand) to strengthen the wall.

Could I have some opinions on this if it’s better to do? Or any issues with this?

Also is the mix ratio correct?

I also wanted to damp proof some of the walls.

Thanks for your input.

Hi Ryanbb,
Depends what you mean by an old house - walls in old houses pre ww2 were generally built using lime based mortar and they tend to move. Rendering with the strong mix may give cracking issues and damp ingress.
Perhaps lining with a breathable membrane and dry lining with insulation may be a better long term solution.
Both methods will work but how well will depend on the structure.
Regards S.