Replastering in Chingford

When the plaster in a Chingford house is blown, crumbling or badly patched over decades, skimming over it will not last. Full replastering takes the walls back to the brick and starts again, which is often the right choice when a house is being renovated or rewired.

The old plaster is hacked off, and the brickwork is checked and treated where needed. Chingford houses built between the wars often have walls that are sound once the old plaster is off, which makes for a durable finish.

The new plaster goes on in layers. A backing coat builds the wall out flat and straight, and a finishing coat is trowelled smooth over it. In rooms with damp history, a suitable plaster system is chosen that will not trap moisture.

Replastering works best when it is planned around other trades. Rewiring, new sockets, pipework and new windows are best done before the plaster goes on, so the walls do not get cut open again afterwards.

Corners are finished with angle beads so they stay crisp and are protected from knocks, and reveals around windows and doors are straightened.

It is messy work, so the room is emptied and sealed, and the waste plaster is bagged and removed.

Chingford homes on the edge of Epping Forest can also have walls that stay cooler and damper than most, especially on north-facing gable ends. For those walls, the plaster is chosen to let the brick breathe, and insulated plasterboard can be fitted on the coldest external walls to cut condensation and make the room noticeably warmer through the winter. Photos of the wall or ceiling, and a note of any cracks, damp patches or hollow-sounding areas, are enough to say what the job involves.