Plastering - professional against DIY. Cracks.

Nine_Lives

DVardysShadow wrote: »

Yes, a photo would help.

Here you go...


The first photos are cement work when he rendered an extension of ours.
This wall is direct onto the kitchen wall. There's no cavity, he just cemented over the exterior wall so it was all smooth (i say smooth, i mean even). The walls on this house are incredibly thick, but still, there's no cavity.

And a close up..



As for plastering - on the stairs inside the house...






It's actually only that corner that has cracked on the stairs it turns out. I thought there were other patches on the stairs.

** The close ups are where the crack is at its thickest.

And if mother used a dehumidifier with the intention of drying the plaster, that was a big mistake. Plaster does not dry, it sets and the water is chemically bonded in.

As i say, i can't quite remember whether it was put there at this time, but i'm sure it would've been.
The walls get quite wet - you can see the water forming on there. It's strange though because it doesn't come from above (well, it seems to in a certain patch), or below, it just forms in the middle of the wall.

Also i don't know how key this is, but i think the wall may be below road level. This wall backs direct onto the road. It actually backs direct onto pavement, but it's road side. Our downstairs is most certainly below road level & obviously sections of the stairs will be below road level too. I'm not sure whether the wet patch areas will be below road level or not.

DVardysShadow

I might be wrong, this looks like it could be blown rendering. If you tap it with your fingers, does it sound loose?

Leif

Those are quite big cracks, not the barely preceptible hairline ones I mostly have. One photo shows what looks like a shadow suggesting movement away from the wall. Do as DVardysShadow suggests!

Nine_Lives

Just to get back to you guys...

I was tapping away at the points (on the plaster) that had the biggest gap (where the crack is at its widest). Anyway it sounded sort of hollow. Not hollow as it can't be, but I tapped in an area that was 'good' and it sounded solid. The bit around the crack sounded like if I was tapping with any considerable force then bits would come loose.

Does that help with cause & solution?

I'm guessing it's likely not down to my uncles workmanship then?

Nine_Lives

K_P83 wrote: »

Does that help with cause & solution?

I'm guessing it's likely not down to my uncles workmanship then?

as above really.