Crumbling plaster behind banister

[chrissy_a]

I want to fix this bit of wall but it's going to be hard to get behind the banister. The banister is pretty horrible and will probably be getting replaced eventually but the wall is more of a priority. Is there a neat way to temporarily dismantle the banister to work on the wall or would it be better to wait and get it all done in one go?

 

[opps]

I would wait until you remove the handrail and then remove the woodchip paper at the same time to work out what the rest of the plaster is like..

 

[chrissy_a]

Ahh woodchip, that's what that stuff is called... it's so horrendous thank you!

 

[opps]

Ahh woodchip, that's what that stuff is called... it's so horrendous thank you!

It is a pain to remove. I seldom come across it my customers' homes but when I do, I knock the chips off and use a steam stripper.

It was often used as a cheap way of hiding badly plastered walls.

 

[chrissy_a]

What do you mean by knock them off? Like with a chisel or something?

 

[blup]

Get rid of the woodchio first and the flaking plaster that will come off with it. Then skim/replaster as necessary. The hallway/staircase is a key feature of a house so spending a bit on a professional finish is worth it. A pro plasterer should be able to accommodate the stair case in place. It looks like a nice feature to me !

 

[opps]

What do you mean by knock them off? Like with a chisel or something?

I use a scraper. The type that uses sharp (replaceable) blades.

(Olfa XSR-300) £28.86 - Olfa Scraper XSR-300 X-Grip Heavy Duty Scraper 300mm Long

Olfa Scraper XSR-300 Top professional quality Olfa XSR 200 scraper works just as great as it looks! OLFA X-Grip Heavy Duty Scraper, Olfa Scraper XSR-300 X-Grip,

olfacutters.co.uk

There are much cheaper versions from other manufacturers though. Most allow you to flip the blade from sharp to blunt for general scraping. Be advised that it can be quite dusty.

I like the Olfa because they also sell extra deep flexible blades.

 

[chrissy_a]

Thank you

 

[JohnD]

Because woodchip is painted, paint stops water getting in so you can strip it. I use a big scraper to knock the scabs off, them a garden sprayer with hot water and washing up liquid.

If you start at the top, once you have stripped a bit, the water can run down behind it. You have to spray multiple times to get it wet.

I reckon you have loose bricks due to vibration and people yanking on the post.

I think you will need to scrape out the loose mortar and repack before replastering. If you plaster loose bricks they will move again.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The wall/stonework behind the plaster, doesn't look as if it is tied at all to the vertical component on the left, nor doen't it look all that stable - the movement between the two, might explain the plaster's failure.