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What to do with internal stone walls

2 months ago

last modified: 2 months ago

400 year old welsh stone cottage. We have several internal walls made with stone and slate. These are not the external stone work. The morter is crumbling. Very dusty and rough. I'm guessing they need reoointing? Any advice gratefully received 🙏

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Comments (5)

Ruth Foulkes
Original Author
2 months ago
Isla Cherry
2 months ago
If the mortar is crumbling then they definitely do need repointing. I'm sure you will need lime mortar judging by the age of the cottage. I love them for the character they bring but they need to be vacuumed with a soft brush setting on low suction rather often.
Ruth Foulkes thanked Isla Cherry
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PRO
SPEAK
2 months ago
Hi Ruth,

A very good morning

How beautiful, there is nothing quite like accentuating nature within an interior space.

A few guidance points for you, as well as a link to experts Heritage House:

What does the pointing process achieve?

Walls need to breathe – and if the pointing doesn’t allow this, the wall will rapidly deteriorate. Mortar joints are the lungs of a wall. Incorrect pointing causes irreparable damage to older buildings. It is essential to understand what the mortar joints actually do: Mortar in the wall is to act as a bedding between stones and varies from fine joints in ashlar stonework to larger joints in rubble masonry walls. Joints are effectively reduced in size by inserting small stones and ‘snecked’ pieces of stone. It must be flexible to allow movement/settlement of the structure due to thermal responses and settlement within the structure. Many earlier large buildings are not designed with the modern expansion/contraction joints of today. Old Houses: If the house is built using lime mortar, it is most likely that the walls are solid – they won’t have a cavity. These walls need to be treated very differently to ones with a cavity. Old walls need to breathe – the stone and brick from which they are built is usually harder, and less absorbent than the lime mortar.

Heritage House:

Heritage House are experts in their field on on all types of internal and external masonry work, they break down the entire process with images to illustrate the types of mortars to be used depending on the age of the home and if it has a cavity within the existing structure.

If you look to the left after clicking on the link (see attached image): you will see the categories to select which are most relevant to you and for ease of use: https://www.heritage-house.org/stuff-about-old-buildings/raking-and-re-pointing/methods-for-repointing-brick-and-stone-walls.html

Please keep us posted, these types of projects we adore

Warm and best wishes, have a great day

Team SPEAK
Ruth Foulkes thanked SPEAK
Sonia
2 months ago
I usually love stone walls but they do need a thorough tidy up. Please don’t shoot me but I would be tempted to plaster over it. You could use a traditional lime mortar. If that is sacrilege (I’m sure it is!) then getting the mortar repointed would be good.
Isla Cherry
2 months ago
Please don't plaster over it. You will strip all the character and it will look like another boring plasterboarded dull room. The character is incredible.
Ruth Foulkes thanked Isla Cherry

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