Hi I'm new to the site and just moved into my first house, looking for some advice on cellar walls...
I've never had a cellar before so have no knowledge of this kind. Ultimately, I want to use the cellar as somewhere I can store stuff without it getting too damp or covered in brick dust, i.e. not too bothered about how it looks, don't want to spend a fortune on it etc. The previous owner obviously didn't really use it so needs a bit of attention and the house is fairly old (c1890's).
Currently, half the cellar walls are stone and half are brick. The walls are covered in what I think is limewash but it's very crumbly and can be scraped off with minimal effort. I started to get the loose stuff off with a wire brush and scraper but found that the mortar underneath between the stone is also very crumbly and sandy and I'm able to remove it with minimal effort (see pictures).
A couple of questions...
1. Should I be worried about how crumbly the mortar is/is this normal for a building of this age?
2. Should I just leave the crumbly mortar or do something about it?
3. Assuming I leave the mortar be, I've been suggested to use a coat of PVA to help bind the loose stuff and stop the creation of brick dust. Is this a good idea for a cellar (I gather it's preferable to allow cellar walls to "breathe").
4. What kind of paint should I use to finish the job off (standard masonry paint or more expensive damp-seal stuff).
The cellar is a little on the damp side but it should be well above the water table and I'm not trying to get it to a perfect standard, basically just to a state where I can store metal tins without them going rusty. Thinking of getting a de-humidifier for sporadic use when the winters get really bad.
Any advice much appreciated!
Cheers!
I've never had a cellar before so have no knowledge of this kind. Ultimately, I want to use the cellar as somewhere I can store stuff without it getting too damp or covered in brick dust, i.e. not too bothered about how it looks, don't want to spend a fortune on it etc. The previous owner obviously didn't really use it so needs a bit of attention and the house is fairly old (c1890's).
Currently, half the cellar walls are stone and half are brick. The walls are covered in what I think is limewash but it's very crumbly and can be scraped off with minimal effort. I started to get the loose stuff off with a wire brush and scraper but found that the mortar underneath between the stone is also very crumbly and sandy and I'm able to remove it with minimal effort (see pictures).
A couple of questions...
1. Should I be worried about how crumbly the mortar is/is this normal for a building of this age?
2. Should I just leave the crumbly mortar or do something about it?
3. Assuming I leave the mortar be, I've been suggested to use a coat of PVA to help bind the loose stuff and stop the creation of brick dust. Is this a good idea for a cellar (I gather it's preferable to allow cellar walls to "breathe").
4. What kind of paint should I use to finish the job off (standard masonry paint or more expensive damp-seal stuff).
The cellar is a little on the damp side but it should be well above the water table and I'm not trying to get it to a perfect standard, basically just to a state where I can store metal tins without them going rusty. Thinking of getting a de-humidifier for sporadic use when the winters get really bad.
Any advice much appreciated!
Cheers!
