Breathable Fillers - Stone Walls

[1830sGeorgian]

Hello

Looking for suggestions for breathable fillers for stone walls.

For context I’ve removed some large fixings put in by the previous owners and they have left behind holes that are about 1cm wide by 15cm deep.

The walls are rendered rubble with lime plaster. I’d like to fully fill the holes but worried about putting the wrong product that deep into the wall. It may be best to just cover the holes?

Advice on best approach and products greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Kearn]

Something of that size I wouldn’t worry too much, polyfilla is an often used product to touch up tiny holes in lime. It’s won’t have a material impact.

If you have some fine top coat lime ready mixed or putty, then go for it, but there’s more chance of that cracking/shrinking and needing some post care to be a neat finish.

I wouldn’t worry about filling the full depth - see if you can find something to plug it with, an off cut of timber or some very small stones to push in.

 

[1830sGeorgian]

Something of that size I wouldn’t worry too much, polyfilla is an often used product to touch up tiny holes in lime. It’s won’t have a material impact.

If you have some fine top coat lime ready mixed or putty, then go for it, but there’s more chance of that cracking/shrinking and needing some post care to be a neat finish.

I wouldn’t worry about filling the full depth - see if you can find something to plug it with, an off cut of timber or some very small stones to push in.

Thanks. The hole locations will eventually be covered with liner paper and painted, so i may use something lime based just to be safe.

I’d found Earthborn Casein Filler, do you think this would be any good?

Regarding fully filling my only concern is that the holes were from a curtain rail which we will be replacing (so I will be fixing again in roughly the same area). Alternatively I could take a picture and avoid those points when re-fixing!

 

[fernicarry]

If you need a fixing in the same spot then hammer a wooden wedge firmly into the gap. Maybe partly fill with mortar or plaster first to avoid any voids. Trim off just below the surface with a multi-tool and skim over.

That said 1cm wide isn't much to work with so I might be trying to make the hole bigger first to accommodate a wider wedge. Or attach a board to the wedge burying it just below the surface to give you a larger attachment area.

 

[1830sGeorgian]

If you need a fixing in the same spot then hammer a wooden wedge firmly into the gap. Maybe partly fill with mortar or plaster first to avoid any voids. Trim off just below the surface with a multi-tool and skim over.

That said 1cm wide isn't much to work with so I might be trying to make the hole bigger first to accommodate a wider wedge. Or attach a board to the wedge burying it just below the surface to give you a larger attachment area.

Useful advice. Has made me think, the existing fixings had rawlplugs in them which seemed to be working ok. Could possibly re-insert new ones if the exact location is required? My worry was if a new hole needed to be say 1cm away from the existing void it might collapse into it.

 

[fernicarry]

if a new hole needed to be say 1cm away from the existing void it might collapse into it

That's where a board sunk into the wall helps you. Drilling into plaster or masonry for plugs without the drill wandering around is difficult. Fix it with plugs if that gives you enough purchase but curtain rails do get a bit of a hammering. All the woodwork here is joined to the masonry with wedges hammered into gaps.