Exposing stonework to the elements

torontoboy45

My sister has just bought herself a cottage dating back 200yrs as a renovation project. It's stone/rubble build which was clad in cement and pebbledash and she's been advised to remove and lime plaster.

The question is: once I've stripped all the render ( I'm a good brother) how long can I leave the stonework exposed to the elements? From what I've been told the cottage isn't suffering any serious damp problems but is there any possibility of damage from frosts, etc?

Asking as an absolute beginner.

FreeBear

Depending on the condition of the mortar between the stones, months, if not years. If the mortar is in poor condition, it will need raking out and repointing - As long as you don't get any early frosts, now is as good a time to do that type of work.

G_M

torontoboy45 wrote: »

My sister has just bought herself a cottage dating back 200yrs as a renovation project. It's stone/rubble build which was clad in cement and pebbledash and she's been advised to remove and lime plaster.

The question is: once I've stripped all the render ( I'm a good brother) how long can I leave the stonework exposed to the elements? From what I've been told the cottage isn't suffering any serious damp problems but is there any possibility of damage from frosts, etc?

I'm confused. I live in a stone house. No cladding; no pebbledash; no cement. Just stone with lime mortar (not cement mortar which can't breathe or move).

Mine has been exposed to the elements since (so far as I know) 1851!


'Rubble' of course may be different........

stuart45

Most solid stone walls are fine without the need for render. Only the ones exposed to long periods of driving rain and a lot of freeze/thaw conditions seem to suffer.