# recommendations needed for damproofing single brick wall



## Bucks (15 Dec 2009)

Over the summer my beloved timber workshop was demolished & replaced with a single skin brick garage/workshop.
I am looking for some advice on how I can finish the inside face of the single wall to tidy it up & hopefully keep the damp from coming through the wall.
I have a plasterer coming on Thursday to skim the ceiling he says he could render the wall using a waterproofer in the render to stop any moisture coming through from the outside, then if wanted skin the render with finish plaster.

Any advice would be much appreciated.


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## 9fingers (15 Dec 2009)

That approach would work OK. 
If you were going to insulate the wall you could coat it with aquaprufe or similar first - a bitumen emulsion which would be a diy solution and maybe a bit cheaper?
However you can't paint on top of bitumen.

Bob


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## Bucks (15 Dec 2009)

I wasn't planing on insulating it as the garage is very narrow, so insulating it would make it even narrower, that's why I went for a single skin wall rather than insulated cavity wall.


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## bignomis (16 Dec 2009)

Waterproof render externally is a sound idea however it's not ideal to have a "cold" surface to your workshop walls.

I would suggest fixing tanalised battens vertically and to all edges (you can use standard roof battens from your local builders merchant say 19 x 38 ) packing where necessary so that they line up (i.e. in a flat plane) and then fixing Gyproc Thermaline wallboard. This is basically standard plasterboard bonded to expanded polystyrene and they are available in thicknesses from 22mm to 50mm. Obviously the thicker the better but on the basis you are tight for space using the 22mm would give an overall reduction from the face of your wall of just over 40mm (19 +22) which is a small price to pay for the long term benefits you would gain such as lower heating costs, tools not rusting, comfort etc.

The advantage of this is not only insulating and achieving a pleasing finish to your wall but you have a physical separation between the outside wall which is good if there is any damp around and also the added insulation provided by the airgap.

I think this board is only supplied taper edge so you would need to joint it but this is quite easy.

You won,t have any problems if you want to fix shelves or tools to the wall as you can either fix to the battens or go directly through to the brickwork behind.

Aslo the space provided by the battens is handy if you want to conceal any wiring for power sockets etc. although I suggest any cabling is fitted
so that it's location can be identified at a later date.

Good luck


Simon


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## Benchwayze (18 Dec 2009)

Bucks":oiwt4s6y said:


> I wasn't planing on insulating it as the garage is very narrow, so insulating it would make it even narrower, that's why I went for a single skin wall rather than insulated cavity wall.



I was thinking of giving in and having my house walls insulated. 

Then I saw the results on someone else's house. 
The insulation on the North side of the house just soaked up the damp, that the cavity is supposed to disperse. The stuff was wet to the point where it could be wrung out in the hand! :shock: 

No thanks.. I'll stay with the cavity and a coating of Aqua-seal on the outside walls. :? 

John


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## cambournepete (18 Dec 2009)

Benchwayze":3hjrzlsu said:


> The insulation on the North side of the house just soaked up the damp, that the cavity is supposed to disperse. The stuff was wet to the point where it could be wrung out in the hand! :shock:


I'm glad ours have a poly foam style insulation in them now 

Back on topic, I painted the outside of my garage walls with a damp proofer to keep the wet out of them and that has worked well so far...


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## MikeG. (18 Dec 2009)

Out of sheer pedantry, I have to point out that a brick wall that is 4 inches thick isn't a single brick wall, as per the thread title.......it is correctly referred to as half-brick thick. Which although correct is also curious, as half a brick would be 4-1/2" in actuality.

Mike


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## Mike.C (18 Dec 2009)

Mike Garnham":2sfnpyav said:


> Out of sheer pedantry, I have to point out that a brick wall that is 4 inches thick isn't a single brick wall, as per the thread title.......it is correctly referred to as half-brick thick. Which although correct is also curious, as half a brick would be 4-1/2" in actuality.
> 
> Mike



I am sorry Mike, but even through I KNOW that I am going to make myself look an silly person by asking this question, I cannot help myself and have to ask. _"If the building is built out of single bricks, eg a single brick thickness"_ then why the hell is it called a half-brick wall. Is it because (and this is a guess  ) a brick is roughly 8" long and 4" wide, and so the thickness of the wall being 4" inches makes it _"half a brick wall"_     

I did not bother taking my coat off. :roll: 

Cheers

Mike


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## MikeG. (18 Dec 2009)

A single brick wall is 215mm deep (thick). Traditional brick buildings built with solid walls were laid with a bond which consisted of some headers and some stretchers (ie some bricks laid lengthways, and some laid "end on", so they appear to be half-bricks). This produced a strong enough wall, but also, incidentally, a much more attractive wall than the boring "stretcher bond" you see on modern houses..........one of the reasons current estate-type buildings look so unattractive. The headers in a single brick wall (215mm thick) tiie the inner and outer leaves together.

Mike


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## Benchwayze (18 Dec 2009)

For anyone who is interested and in case you want something different for your workshop: 

A few brickwork bonds illustrated here...

I've seen most of them used in various parts of the country; even in the Midlands alone! 


http://www.brickwork.net.au/Brickwork_Bonds.html

Regards
John


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## 9fingers (18 Dec 2009)

Into bondage are you John? :lol: :lol: 

Bob


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## Benchwayze (18 Dec 2009)

Did I make a Freudian slip-knot then? :lol: 

John


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## Bucks (2 Jan 2010)

Thanks for your replies guys, I have only just seen the replies as for some reason I didn't get a topic reply notification.

What I did in the end was fixed a damp proof membrane to the wall latted it with 1" x 2" roofing laths, filled with 1" kingspan then boarded it with foil backed plasterboard, which gives me a finished width now of 6' 11", apart from where there is a pillar in the centre of the outside wall.
I know 1" of kingspan isn't much but it must be better than nothing, hopefully this will keep any damp out which was my main concern.


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## 9fingers (2 Jan 2010)

I've only got 1" of polystyrene covered with ply on my blockwork workshop walls but it is very economical to heat.
Provided you can keep all the draughts out, I think you will find it adequate.

Bob


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## EdK (2 Jan 2010)

A nice warm damp-free environment would be a good thing to aim for. Draught proof first and that will make any insulation that you do put in work efficiently.

As for damp - presumably you have a DPM / DPC to stop water migrating up the walls ? If that's the case then you need to stop water entering from outside. I think that this should be the focus as I doubt that there would be much internal moisture (unlike a domestic dwelling - ie bath / cooking moisture)

If you are short of internal space you can insulate externally but I guess a suitable external render then painted will stop most moisture coming in.

Depending on budget there are things like aerogel ... I've used internal Kingspan Thermaline Super 60mm (phenolic : http://www.british-gypsum.com/products/ ... super.aspx )and it is easy to fix and quick too.


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## Bucks (2 Jan 2010)

It is pretty much a damp free & draft free environment with DPM & DPC, it has all gone through building regs as there is now a bedroom & bathroom above the garage.
My main concern for the damp was moisture absorbing through the brickwork.
I am not planning on heating the workshop, that said maybe on the odd occasion during a very cold spell if I'm working in there just to make it a bit more comfortable.


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