Walls and Ceilings - Need help repairing Adobe wall
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stollett
07-31-05, 09:51 AM
We recently purchased a home and decided we did not like the wall paper. I was using joint compound to remove it and descovered that there was paneling behind it. So instead of waisting time stripping the wall paper I decided to take down the paneling. May have been a big mistake!
The adobe wall behind it is crubleing some. Is there a way to repair the adobe, maybe using the joint compound or do I have to use something else.
The adobe wall behind it is crubleing some. Is there a way to repair the adobe, maybe using the joint compound or do I have to use something else.
coops28
08-01-05, 03:58 PM
All depends on what you mean by "adobe" and how bad the damage is. I assume you mean you have plaster walls with a heavy texture. How old is your house?
stollett
08-01-05, 07:55 PM
My home is almost 100 years old .... It has a wood base frame with 18 inch adobe walls. I am asuming that it is not plaster because just passed the paint you can chip away the "dirt". The hole that I am attempting to repair is about 12 X 12 X 1.5inches deep! Joint compound only seems to crack and not smooth neatly :wall:
As you can tell I am novice to the idea of wall repair (and construction) I can send pictures and post more info if needed. any aditional help is greatly appreciated
As you can tell I am novice to the idea of wall repair (and construction) I can send pictures and post more info if needed. any aditional help is greatly appreciated
Concretemasonry
08-01-05, 08:26 PM
where are you located?
This could help pin down the actual construction.
sounds like you are in the Southwest. If you are, you probably have a lot of adobe to go through. Often it was the only way to get any comfort before AC.
I saw a home that was posts at doors and windows with thick adobe filed in between posts. This was over 100 years old and still had a few hundred more left if the outside was protected by plaster.
Dick
This could help pin down the actual construction.
sounds like you are in the Southwest. If you are, you probably have a lot of adobe to go through. Often it was the only way to get any comfort before AC.
I saw a home that was posts at doors and windows with thick adobe filed in between posts. This was over 100 years old and still had a few hundred more left if the outside was protected by plaster.
Dick
Concretemasonry
08-01-05, 08:36 PM
One more item -
If you have adobe and are working on the inside of a wall, it may be too dry to patch. It could be sucking the moisture out of the patching material too fast. You may have to prewet a while.
Regarding the best material for a patch, look for some local experience. If you have an adobe home, there is a good chance that are a few more not far away that you are not aware of.
Dick
If you have adobe and are working on the inside of a wall, it may be too dry to patch. It could be sucking the moisture out of the patching material too fast. You may have to prewet a while.
Regarding the best material for a patch, look for some local experience. If you have an adobe home, there is a good chance that are a few more not far away that you are not aware of.
Dick
tightcoat
08-01-05, 09:08 PM
A number of years ago I helped restore the "Oldest Adobe House on its Original Foundation in the State of Kansas" Actually it was what we now call rammed earth.
The first thing I was required to do was spray the existing walls with Silbond 40 by ProSoCo at about the rate of 300sq ft per gal.
If you do something like this it will kill some of that suction that one of the posts mentions maybe a bit better than water.
To fill and plaster the walls I used something like this: I am paraphrasing the specs. They were a starting point I had to adjust the ratios some but I don't have those records at hand, only the specs.
14 shovels of sieved soil: one shovel sand: 4 gallons of water: one gallon of acrylic emulsion (Superior 200 by El Rey, I suspect Acryl 60 would work
The soil was obtained about three feet below the surface and had a high clay content.
If you live in adobe country there is probabaly an adobe company that will give you the stuff to fill the hole. If you can't get some adobe mud, I would suggest soft plaster rather than concrete which gets too hard or joint compound which shrinks a lot and will take a long time. to fill an inch and a half. Though perhaps some quick setting joint mud would do the trick. The first coat will likely be the hardest to apply because it will want to peel some more adobe off with it.
On my job I had to use metal lath before I plastered with the adobe mud. I used 8' gutter spikes to nail the lath to the wall.
Please let us know what you do and how it works.
The first thing I was required to do was spray the existing walls with Silbond 40 by ProSoCo at about the rate of 300sq ft per gal.
If you do something like this it will kill some of that suction that one of the posts mentions maybe a bit better than water.
To fill and plaster the walls I used something like this: I am paraphrasing the specs. They were a starting point I had to adjust the ratios some but I don't have those records at hand, only the specs.
14 shovels of sieved soil: one shovel sand: 4 gallons of water: one gallon of acrylic emulsion (Superior 200 by El Rey, I suspect Acryl 60 would work
The soil was obtained about three feet below the surface and had a high clay content.
If you live in adobe country there is probabaly an adobe company that will give you the stuff to fill the hole. If you can't get some adobe mud, I would suggest soft plaster rather than concrete which gets too hard or joint compound which shrinks a lot and will take a long time. to fill an inch and a half. Though perhaps some quick setting joint mud would do the trick. The first coat will likely be the hardest to apply because it will want to peel some more adobe off with it.
On my job I had to use metal lath before I plastered with the adobe mud. I used 8' gutter spikes to nail the lath to the wall.
Please let us know what you do and how it works.
stollett
08-01-05, 09:14 PM
Your right about the moisture, it makes sense! I live in West Texas where the temps get up to over 100 daily! And the adobe is VERY DRY!
I was told to try masonry instead with some screening to hold it. What do you think?
The walls that I am working on are interior by the way. The exterior does appear to have some plaster on them and are holding up well.
The homes around us are not as old as ours. They are within the 50 year mark.
I was told to try masonry instead with some screening to hold it. What do you think?
The walls that I am working on are interior by the way. The exterior does appear to have some plaster on them and are holding up well.
The homes around us are not as old as ours. They are within the 50 year mark.
tightcoat
08-02-05, 12:32 PM
Yes, I think masonry cement would do . Make it pretty weak. Use a sealer to kill some fo the suction and yes some mesh or screen or metal lath to hold it in is a good idea. Be careful you don't make things worse. Drive nails if you use them carefully and not too near any edges, If you try to wet the joinings rather than seal them be careful not to erode an even bigger hole.
Once the hole is filled what do you intend to do with the walls?
Once the hole is filled what do you intend to do with the walls?
stollett
08-02-05, 04:50 PM
That is a very good question. My "plan" was to paint it. However your suggestions and assistance I am questioning myself.
So do I need to put a sealer on it first to make sure it does not come down again and then paint or should I give up and put the paneling back up and just deal with stripping the wall paper off the remainder of the kitchen (I am currently dealing with a 8 foot section of wall right now, the rest is still paneled).
So do I need to put a sealer on it first to make sure it does not come down again and then paint or should I give up and put the paneling back up and just deal with stripping the wall paper off the remainder of the kitchen (I am currently dealing with a 8 foot section of wall right now, the rest is still paneled).