Render or repoint?

oneninezeropop

The side of my wall needs repointing in some parts and replaced. So shall I render or repoint? 

There is also an issue with damp in the upstairs bedroom. I’ve removed the chimney, it’s still getting a damp patch even on dry days. 

Inside downstairs I see/find no areas of damp. 

The connecting house to my semi has had their side wall rendered many years ago. 

oneninezeropop

also I don’t normally keep so much stuff down the side of the house. The wood isn’t touching the side of the wall either. 

Also my house floor is quite a bit higher...
maybe where the chemical DPC starts. 

fenwick458

rendering will probably see you out if done properly, but it will need pointed again soon if you do it again.
I'd reccomend K-rend, the thincoat system. just don't pick a really light colour
some areas won't allow face brick houses to just be rendered, so check you can first.
about the damp, most bricks are actually porous, so not surprising. do you have a cavity, & if so how big?

greatcrested

Render is fine when in good condition, but get a crack and water gets behind it, then can't escape/dry out - so ends up penetrating the wall.

Personally I'd keep the existing wall in good condition by re-pointing. Yes, bricks can get get damp, but will then dry out. If the wall is single skin, you might get damp, but a double skin wall, whether with/without cavity, will dry out long before any damp penetrates.

The damp upstairs bedroom - is this where the external wall is in poor condition (brickwork and/or pointing)? Repair will fix that. Or might it be the gutter above is blocked/needs clearing, or is mis-aligned sowater does not run to the downpipe but overflows? Easy to fix.

oneninezeropop

It’s a fable wall so there is nothing wrong with the gutter as there isn’t one in that area. I don’t know if it needs repointing as I can’t see up that far

Why would render get a crack? 

oneninezeropop

fenwick458 said:

rendering will probably see you lout if done properly, but it will need pointed again soon if you do it again.
I'd reccomend K-rend, the thincoat system. just don't pick a really light colour
some areas won't allow face brick houses to just be rendered, so check you can first.
about the damp, most bricks are actually porous, so not surprising. do you have a cavity, & if so how big?

Next door house is rendered so there should be no issue with mine.

Bricks can be porus but having damp inside is an issue. What cavity? 

FreeBear

How old is the property ?

If it is pre-war, quite likely the walls will be solid brick (or stone), in which case, a cement render (and that includes K-Rend) is the last thing you want to slap on the walls.

Ectophile

oneninezeropop said:

Why would render get a crack? 

All sorts of reasons http://buildingdefectanalysis.co.uk/conservation/cementitious-render-failure-part-two/ but frost is a biggie. A little water makes its way into a fissure.  If the water freezes overnight, it expands a little, expanding the fissure.  After a few years, of doing the same thing, the fissure is now a big crack, and the render is falling off.

(There's also a part one: http://buildingdefectanalysis.co.uk/brickwork/cementitious-render-failure/ )

oneninezeropop

FreeBear said:

How old is the property ?

If it is pre-war, quite likely the walls will be solid brick (or stone), in which case, a cement render (and that includes K-Rend) is the last thing you want to slap on the walls.

Which war?

oneninezeropop

Can I ask them just to repoint the areas of the gable wall that need doing, or better to do it all? 

stuart45

oneninezeropop said:

Can I ask them just to repoint the areas of the gable wall that need doing, or better to do it all? 

You can get it patch pointed, or a total repoint. If it's old and has lime mortar then it's better to use a lime mortar.
Salts from the chimney can be a problem for dampness.