Bottom half cement top half lime, options for finishing?

[erol_flow]

Hi all, taking back the walls of a victorian cottage back to the bare plaster, after much stripping I've found that the bottom half of one wall is cement, top half lime, and the wall with the window on is 2 3rds cement with a tiny bit of original lime at the top of the wall.

My intention was to bring it all back nice and paint with nice breathable paint, there was some damp in the corner where these 2 walls meet.

There's still a good half days worth of strenuous stripping of the paint from the concrete sections.

Is it even worth carrying on? What are my options regarding lime washing and breathable paints over the whole thing, I'm guessing the two contrasting renders will show through the breathable paint??
Many thanks to all in this invaluable community of generous knowledge passer on'ers

 

[stuart45]

The bottom section is most likely to be an impervious render as part of damp proofing work. A breathable paint should still cover the difference, unless you want to hack off the render and replace with lime.

 

[erol_flow]

The bottom section is most likely to be an impervious render as part of damp proofing work. A breathable paint should still cover the difference, unless you want to hack off the render and replace with lime.

I would like to do that however the top part is a tad crumbly, I'm afraid it might all come down with it...

If I keep it as it is, do you think Its even worth taking the paint from the lower cement part?

 

[stuart45]

Removing the paint won't make the bottom half breathable. It might give you a better finish on the re-dec.

 

[erol_flow]

Removing the paint won't make the bottom half breathable. It might give you a better finish on the re-dec.

Yeah, plus I think the breathable paint which ever I go for would probably want something a bit more porous than shiny normal people wall paint. So scrape on with me it shal be.