Trouble stopping damp

[uk89camaro]

I have a downstairs interior wall with a damp problem.

The wall is solid 9" brick. The house is 1850, and is all solid brick, and was damproofed 25 years ago. All of that treatment has been fine, except this one short run of wall that supports the stairs.

I've had it re-treated once, that failed.

Then I had it tanked, after a couple of years that started to get wet, and crumbled off.

Then I had it tanked again, and it's crumbling off again.

The wall is only about 7 feet across, and the damp is up to 3 1/2 feet.

It's an inside wall, and I don't understand why no other wall in the house has issues.

Any ideas?

Cheers.

[Cogcog]

uk89camaro said:

I have a downstairs interior wall with a damp problem.

The wall is solid 9" brick. The house is 1850, and is all solid brick, and was damproofed 25 years ago. All of that treatment has been fine, except this one short run of wall that supports the stairs.

I've had it re-treated once, that failed.

Then I had it tanked, after a couple of years that started to get wet, and crumbled off.

Then I had it tanked again, and it's crumbling off again.

The wall is only about 7 feet across, and the damp is up to 3 1/2 feet.

It's an inside wall, and I don't understand why no other wall in the house has issues.

Any ideas?

Cheers.

Do you know if it is coming up the wall or in from outside? I had both problems in one room (oddly under the stairs too) but I am surpised the tanking didn't hold it back if properly applied, unless the brick is crumbling? Did you get a warranty? Is there an old cellar as the satirs were the usual point of entry.

The first problem (rising damp) was solved with a new chemical dampcourse injected from both inside and outside. I have also seen a DPC inserted section by section inside and out. Tedious and messy but cheap.

The later problem (penetrating external damp) meant digging a 2 foot trench outside, covering the wall with some old slates stuck on with a damp proofed mortar and back filling the trench with gravel. Cheap and cheerful but it worked a treat.

[jet_noise]

Dear uk89camaro,

only a sympathetic ear here, no magic bullets.

Do you have concrete floors?
This could explain why an internal wall is suffering whereas externals are OK.

How bad is it?
Could you live with limewash or other breathable finish, brushing off any salts regularly?
Or leave bare brick?
Or dry-line?

regards,
Jet

[TooLateForAName]

Plaster it with a traditional breathable material. Lime plaster or render will allow the moisture out.

Or as suggested leave bricks bare or limewash them.

[uk89camaro]

jet_noise said:

Dear uk89camaro,

only a sympathetic ear here, no magic bullets.

Do you have concrete floors?
This could explain why an internal wall is suffering whereas externals are OK.

How bad is it?
Could you live with limewash or other breathable finish, brushing off any salts regularly?
Or leave bare brick?
Or dry-line?

regards,
Jet

Yes I have concrete floors, hadn't considered that.

The bricks 'aint that good underneath, otherwise I'd be quite happy for a bit of a "farmhouse barebrick" look.

I will probably go for some sort of breathable finish next, probably followed by an inevitable dry line. I'd rather avoid this, as it will end up with odd angles going into the stairs door, unless I bring that forward at the same time.

[painterhombre]

hi.

It def sounds like RISING damp and not PENETRATING damp.

If the ground level outside is lower than where the damp is happening, i would suggest the cheapest and most effective way maybe to have someone inject damp proofing solution into that part of the wall. I heard something called dryzone is good, but i've never used it myself, so...?

Hope u get it sorted, damp can be awful to have around, i assure you LOL!