Hi all,
I’ve taken out some musty woodchip cupboards from the end of a ground floor utility/kitchen space that I am going to redo in a more open frame type construction to allow better airflow. I found some quite unpleasant mouldy material behind - I suspect historically this area wasn’t all that well heated and ventilated, which I’ve taken some steps to improve.
The mouldy white material was light/whiteish, very light weight wise, very brittle and completely loose from the wall - at the slightest touch, big chunks of it fell down. I was advised to take out all the super loose mouldy stuff, which I have now done. The later photos attached are after doing so.
I have a few questions:
1. Is this lime? I tried the vinegar test and it fizzed slightly, though I’m not sure how conclusively.
2. Is the grey surface on the back wall just cement or some kind of damp proofing?
3. What’s the best way to fix this without replastering the whole room, or is that really the only option to move forward?
4. If it’s lime plaster, what does it mean that there’s a layer of cement, then lime plaster, then a skim layer of pink, then presumably non breathable paint? The room is generally quite dry, around 60% humidity. Just that far end would get a little cold and musty.
It doesn’t have to look perfect, I don’t mind a bit of lumpiness and I’m happy to DIY if it’s not too daunting. Most of it will be out of sight anyway!
Thank you
After removing crumbling areas:
I’ve taken out some musty woodchip cupboards from the end of a ground floor utility/kitchen space that I am going to redo in a more open frame type construction to allow better airflow. I found some quite unpleasant mouldy material behind - I suspect historically this area wasn’t all that well heated and ventilated, which I’ve taken some steps to improve.
The mouldy white material was light/whiteish, very light weight wise, very brittle and completely loose from the wall - at the slightest touch, big chunks of it fell down. I was advised to take out all the super loose mouldy stuff, which I have now done. The later photos attached are after doing so.
I have a few questions:
1. Is this lime? I tried the vinegar test and it fizzed slightly, though I’m not sure how conclusively.
2. Is the grey surface on the back wall just cement or some kind of damp proofing?
3. What’s the best way to fix this without replastering the whole room, or is that really the only option to move forward?
4. If it’s lime plaster, what does it mean that there’s a layer of cement, then lime plaster, then a skim layer of pink, then presumably non breathable paint? The room is generally quite dry, around 60% humidity. Just that far end would get a little cold and musty.
It doesn’t have to look perfect, I don’t mind a bit of lumpiness and I’m happy to DIY if it’s not too daunting. Most of it will be out of sight anyway!
Thank you
After removing crumbling areas: