Exposed internal stone wall

[DaisyDaisy]

Hello - I’m new to the forum, but have been reading the discussion topics for a while. So helpful!
We’ve bought an old school (built 1880s) and are renovating it to become our home..... well it is our home as we are living onsite during renovations. A challenge and a joy in equal measure.
Currently working on inside jobs during the cold weather and hence my question:
Internal wall (5m x 2.6m) - have removed a couple of test patches of old plaster and the stone work looks good enough to expose. The lime mortar is very dry and crumbling. The aim is to remove all plaster and repoint to have an exposed wall. We are confident enough with the act of repointing itself (having completed about 1/3 of the outside before winter set in), but are wondering if it’s ok to remove all the plaster at once or if we should do it in sections? Would it be ok to strip off the whole wall then repoint? What should we be looking at to inform our decision?
Looking forward to words of wisdom.
Thanks.

[LadyArowana]

Is the building listed? Because if it is then removing the original plaster permanently would probably require a listed building application, and depending on your case officer they might not consent. Just something to be aware of.

[RBailey]

I'd suggest to do the whole wall in one go or by section would depend on the condition of the pointing. (Apart from practicalities of staging, work rates, clean up, etc..)

If the pointing is very bad (I had daylight and weeds growing through on one section in our living room fireplace) then I would do section by section.
But if you are only talking an inch deep on a thick stone wall, the whole thing should be okay.

I did our kitchen wall in one go, about 4 m run, not as high but still a supporting wall, the pointing / motar was only gone about an inch with only a few bits more but no black holes.

[DaisyDaisy]

Thanks folks - useful pointers, much appreciated. We aren’t listed, but are in a conservation area.

[MatthewC]

Hi Daisy

You say it's an internal wall so are you intending to have both sides bare to the stone? You say you have removed some of the plaster, but beware that you won't know that the wall surface is good until you have removed all of it. I found that the old plaster covered up a number of surprises (like, bricks or bits of timber in the stone) but it didn't affect me as the whole lot was getting re-plastered.

I expect that you have already discovered that removing lime plaster is a VERY messy business so I would recommend doing all the removal at the same time. Then brush the wall and let it dry - then decide to re-plaster!

If you have the time, have a look at my blog (Click Contact on the right and select the blue (world?) circle for the link). My house is half 1830 ish and half 1860.

Matthew

[DaisyDaisy]

Thanks Matthew - your blog is great, lots to read and lots to learn there.

Yes - certainly dusty.... very dusty. We went for removing all the plaster and, from what you say, have clearly been lucky with the stone. Happy with what we see.... now for the pointing.

[MatthewC]

Thanks Matthew - your blog is great, lots to read and lots to learn there.

Yes - certainly dusty.... very dusty. We went for removing all the plaster and, from what you say, have clearly been lucky with the stone. Happy with what we see.... now for the pointing.

I forgot to say that we also removed the lime plaster from a couple of ceilings, retaining most of the lath. To do that we went up to the loft and broke the nibs, letting the plaster fall and explode! That was REALLY dirty, dusty and horrible - somewhere in my blog I wrote about walking back up the road to our car, hoping not to be noticed as we felt like the dinner party at the end of "Carry On Up The Khyber"! (Joan Sims: "I feel I'm getting a little plastered")

[DaisyDaisy]

You paint a vivid picture, Matthew..... I’d like to have seen that!
We’ll not be needing your idea of dropping ceilings from above - as an old school room we go up to the rafters and while it’s plastered between them, you’d need to be braver than me to take your approach - and be happy skipping about on the tiles .
In the meantime, the re-pointing of the wall we stripped is coming on well and we like what we see. Did have to make an trip to local quarry for the sand we wanted - car looks like we’ve been driving on the moon. Covered in chalky mud. It will have to stay that way as at the moment there’s not time or energy in my life for car washing.