Hello,

I think the "professional" advice you've been given is highly
questionable. Plaster and wallboard are essentially alkaline, ie,
basically chalk. Wallboard is merely plaster sandwiched between two
sheets of construction-type paper.

Next in the equation, two considerations: Elderly exterior brick
walls here in AU Park can be porous and water can and will seep
through. Additionally, if you have a slate roof it may be a bear to
locate where water may be coming through. Next consideration, rain
these days is acidic.

So when acidic rain water mixes with alkaline plaster what you have
is a mixture of vinegar and baking soda which will produce a familiar
product. What's occurring in your plaster wall, and what you see,
is "efflorescence". Your plaster wall is literally "dissolving"
leaving behind the puffy flowering you will find.

There is absolutely no point in merely replastering - the problem
will never end. First major consideration above all else is to keep
the acidic rainwater from encountering your alkaline plaster. If it
is a roof leak, it has to be located and the leakage stopped. If
there is exterior brick wall seepage, I believe professional exterior
brick wall waterproofing is available. You will need accurate
professional help to realistically solve your problem.

The only solution is to keep the vinegar away from the baking
soda! Hope this helps.

JAM

Could the replies to the question of who can repair
plaster be forwarded to me too?

As for plaster just crumbling on its own. I have
plaster walls throughout and none of it has crumbled
since before time began -- except the section i am
needing to fix due to water damage.

A repair person also has to look down too. it could be
foundation issues.

Anji

Hi,

We've had similar plaster problems. We found that
waterproofing the brick on the outside of the house
seemed to help, but after a few years that wears off
and it needs to be done again or else the bubbling
plaster returns. I really think the ultimate fix is
repointing the bricks on that portion of your house
where that is happending. You might even find little
holes that you can caulk up that might solve it. I've
done that with other places and that has worked. We,
like you, have a trouble spot though ours is "stable"
for now. The reason I vote for the repointing is that
our neighbors did it and that solved their wet plaster
problem at their house, so I think that's the ultimate
solution.

connie kurihara