What do you think of the stone wall underneath?

[CalvinHobbes]

Hello,wondering what to do with the front retaining wall without rebuilding it $$$. I like stone walls, there is some peeking through the finish that was put on possibly in the 60's. Or should we just patch it?

 

Edited January 19, 2022 by CalvinHobbes

[Roundtuit]

Render for a reason!  I can't imagine that the stonework underneath is in good nick.  I'd patch it up for now, and put it on my list of things to do when time and money are not a limiting factor...  or maybe hack it all off and re-render with some wire mesh in it.

[markc]

+1

[Marvin]

 

In my humble opinion...

 

Sometimes these walls are rendered over because of the effort involved in repositioning and pointing around each stone. Its unlikely that render will stop any serious structural problems already there, but it will stop the stones from loosening and falling out, causing a serious problem.

 

 

[CalvinHobbes]

Thank you. At the moment dealing with the ivy and overgrown hedge. So if we chip off the render, cover it with mesh and render it - which type of render? Lime? 

[Gus Potter]

If it was my wall.. which of course it's not I would hack off the render and give the stone a wire brush. Then leave it for a year. Provided it's not holding back something that could, if it moves, pose a safety risk or fall on someone.

 

During that time see where water seeps out, if it does. When you have time, investigate behind the wall to see if there is some drainage too.

 

Then once you have worked out what is going on behind the wall you can then decide whether to point or render and where you maybe need to install weep holes.

 

The render at the moment is probably doing more harm than good. Re rendering with mesh or not, lime based mix or cement.. is just kicking the can down the road.. and could be a waste of time and money.

 

Take the render off and let the wall breath and relax!