, should be avoided in earth buildings, where major structural damage can result, and treatment is difficult in flint and rubble-cored walls.
Q. What about plaster repairs on a previously damp wall?
A. Lime plaster should normally be used for any repairs. Salt-resistant plasters are favoured instead by many DPC installers but tend to just temporarily disguise continuing damp problems and may require listed building consent. A poultice of whiting and water is an old method of removing patches of residual salts from plasterwork. Decoration with paints such as limewash and soft distemper, where possible, will maximise ‘breathability’.
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Understanding Dampness: Effects, Causes, Diagnosis and Remedies, by P Trotman, C Sanders and H Harrison, BRE, 2004.
Diagnosing Damp, by R Burkinshaw and M Parrett, RICS, 2003.