Heritage
Why your old walls are flaking
Modern paint on lime plaster traps damp. Here is how to tell, and what to do.
Written by
Tom Hartley
Most houses in Bath were built with lime plaster and stone that need to breathe. Since the 1970s, they have been covered in vinyl paints that seal the surface. Damp gets trapped behind it, and the paint bubbles and flakes. The fix is to take the walls back and use breathable paints like limewash, distemper or clay paint.
