Trevor was in his element today playing with a power chisel on his Pembroke Dock design studios wall. However, this was not a case of wanton destruction!
Over the last few years the designers have noticed that the inside wall in that corner of the building has been getting progressively damper each winter. After consulting PBS Construction & Design Ltd and Trevor’s brother (who works with historic building restoration projects) the problem was identified. The thick layer of cement on the outside of the building was harder for the damp to escape through that the plaster and cement on the inside. So it comes into the building rather than out of it. This is common in old building that were renovated in the 1980’s and 90’s. This is because cement should not have been used on them. Lime render was the correct material to use because this allows moisture to escape a wall much easier that cement.
The solution to this problem was to remove an aria or the offending cement where the damp is at its worst to allow the moisture to escape through the gap. The wind blowing over the surface will then aid the moisture’s evaporation.
Once the wall has dried out Trevor will have the exposed aria re-pointed with lime render so that water can keep escaping the wall through this aria.
At a later date Trevor may take a further section of cement render off to aid the drying out if it dose not show signs of getting better.
