Plastering on a chimney breast

evilgoose

I opened up an old fireplace in the bedroom, as it hadn't been closed up very well. I have bricked the opening up (with a small opening for an airvent).

I also removed the old gaslight fitting from higher up the wall. In the end I decided to knock the whole breast off and replaster.

I've replastered with two coats of hardwall roughly 5mm thick per coat. They haven't completely dried out. When I tap the wall it sounds slightly hollow in places, it certainly doesnt 'ring'.
I dont know if its that my hardwall hasn't adhered well or if its the flue I can hear as the change in tone as I tap the wall.

Any inisight would be usefull. thanks,

southcoastrgi

are you saying you have completely removed the chimney breast ? if so what have you done to support the rest of it above ??

dampdaveski

Goose,
it's probably your plaster that might not have adhered very well.
If the plaster has stayed on the wall, it looks ok and you can decorate it then don't worry about it

How long has the plaster been on? I'm guessing you have some damp patches? if that's the case it could be a bit of sulphate leaching into your new plaster
If this is the case then its either stain block before you decorate or replaster the wall in a sand / cement render with a waterproofer in it

muckybutt

Im reading it that you have knocked off the existing plaster on the chimney breast and not removed the whole chimney breast !

That being the case you should have pva'd the wall before re plastering so as to allow the new plaster to bond with the wall.

evilgoose

Thanks for the replys...

Chimney is still there - only the plaster and the rubbishy cover over the hearth was taken down.

The wall was pva'd - my concern is that either it had dried before I got to that bit (some of the bricks in the house seem to have a very high level of suction) or that one of the bags of hardwall was out of date (they were bought in a batch, and I didnt notice until to late).

I seems to be adhered well to the wall, - I've burrowed a inch square hole back to the brick with a massonary nail - there's no visable gap between the brick and plaster.
I've not applied the finishing plaster yet.
Wondering should I cut out the suspect parts and reapply? or wait for it all to dry fully and see how it sounds?

(the house has been a long uphill struggle!!)