Rendering and Plastering During Winter

[shammyk]

I have recently started the renovation of my new house, it’s a 4 storey, 5 bedroom house, built in the 1890’s. I have removed all the plaster and had the chimneys removed so I am left with bare bricks. I am planning to render the walls and then plaster finish as I don’t like plasterboards. I have been told by a friend that I shouldn’t render and plaster the walls till late March early April depending on how harsh a winter we have as the cold weather will lead to the plaster not drying out.

I am unsure of this and would appreciate any input

Thank you for your time

 

[theoldun]

Shammy, What does your friend think we all do in the winter months. Go to Spain or the Riviera for 4 months? You work with the weather or round the weather with a few simple precautions.
By the way, technically if you have stripped all walls back to brickwork you should be insulating to current U values.
Regards oldun

 

[shammyk]

Thanks for your reply Theoldun

Im pleased i can crack on with the project without having to put it on hold

could you please clarify what you mean by 'insulating to current u values'

also is there any specific recomendation you would make to better insulate the house before i render. i am working to a tight budget so the cheapest option would be the best

thanks for your time

 

[rjm2k]

If you are on a tight budget you are probably better off drylining (why don't you like plasterboards?) as you can do most of the work yourself and then get someone to skim it to finish. I would have thought that dot and dab or battened boards would provide more insulation than plastering directly onto brick and also make running cables easier in future.

By current U values above he means you need to take into account current building regs regarding the materials used, insulation values etc etc.

 

[theoldun]

Building Regulations.
Where 25 per cent or more of an external wall is re-rendered, re-clad, re-plastered or re-lined internally or where 25 per cent or more of the external leaf of a wall is rebuilt, the regulations would normally apply and the thermal insulation would normally have to be improved.

If it was our house we would not plaster. As much as we hate dot and dab, we would dot and dab with Celotex PL4000 to thickness required with mechanical fixings as required. Afraid there is no such thing as cheap insulation to meet current U values. If you want to know more then come back.
Regards oldun

 

[noseall]

technically if you have stripped all walls back to brickwork you should be insulating to current U values.
Regards oldun

"technically"...?

Surely you meant to post..."crazy not to".

Good post though Old Codge.

@ the o.p.
Regardless of your dislike for plasterboarded walls it seems like the only practical solution other than insulating the outside. As said fixing insulated plasterboards seems the most practical solution.