Those walls are like granite...

[thomaskennedy]

After buying a Hygrometer from Maplins, i took it down into the W/S and it came out with a reading of 88% :shock:

So i went down to B&Q to get some Damp Proof Membrane and something for cladding the walls with...

I disocvered that the stones themselves are impossible to drill into, so i had to drill into the cement between the stones.

This is OK for holding to membrane on but not to screw plywood onto

Oh, and the floor is also impossible to drill into..

Not wanting to waste the day, i covered all the walls in 1 of the 3 rooms with membrane.

But now i'm faced with the problem of trying to get some Exterior grade plywood covering the membrane...

I'm stuck for ideas completely,

Can anyone think of a solution to this problem??

Many thanks in advance

Tom

 

[DaveL]

Tom,

You need an SDS drill. They will drill your walls no problem. I have burnt normal masonry drills trying to drill concrete lintels, my SDS drill makes very short work putting holes in them.

My one came from Aldi, it cost £32 with an extra box of bits, last year. It would not be up to professional use day after day but for the odd job of putting a 22mm hole in 9" brick work at home it should last a few years. :roll:

 

[woodshavings]

Tom, why not use a building adhesive such as Gripfill to fix battons to the granite.
John

 

[thomaskennedy]

Thanks Dave, I'll have a look at some on Axminster or similar...

John, I'll use that as well. then it won't pulloff the wall :twisted:

Ta, Tom

 

[thomaskennedy]

Right cheapest, Ahem, i mean, "best value" SDS Drill i can find is this one from screwfix..

I'll order it on Thursday, to come Friday then i'll report back to tell if it went well

Thanks for hte help guys! ccasion5:

Ta, Tom

 

[DaveL]

Tom,

You wont forget to wear the tap tap safety glasses will you? [-X

 

[thomaskennedy]

:lol: I'll try to remember

Ta, Tom

 

[devonwoody]

You could have erected an inner stud dry wall either by jamming it in or with your new drill fastening to the flooring area.

Or maybe check your hygrometer against another meter in case yours was giving an incorrect reading :roll:

 

[thomaskennedy]

DW- The moisture meter is probably right, it's very, very damp :shock:

I might do an inner stud wall, that'd be easier than battons 8)

Ta, Tom

 

[sliver]

Well, I got beaten to it, but an SDS drill works wonders on my house. No other drill bit will touch the bricks that my house is built from. SDS goes through like a hot knife through butter. I used to DREAD drilling into my walls until SDS became available.

Cheers, Sliver.

 

[Guest]

Rather than trying to hide the damp it would be better to try to achieve a good air flow through the cellar. I too work underground and although there is an open sump with a pump my wood and tools are all dry as I have made sure all the vents are open and clear. Tanking a cellar is a specialized operation and it is not easy to completely damp proof below ground.

 

[thomaskennedy]

I'm trying to get it down by using the damp proof membrane on the walls, floor and ceiling.

I am also raising the wooden wall around 40mm from the stone and about 60mm from the floor.

I hope this will get it down a bit, along with a dehumidifier!

Ta, Tom