rerender or paint?

[kva]

Hi all, this forum site site is great... I need some tips/advice please. Should i re-render or paint with a sealer my existing bluestone rendered walls? The existing cement render has very small bluestone chips through it which is also exposed and very course. The existing render is very poress (spelling) and needs sealing. The house is a mid 1800's blustone cottage which we are renavating / upgrading.

Thanks

Kane Airey:confused:

[johnc]

I would be inclined to patch and repaint. To replaster you would have to remove the old plaster, or at least the old paint. Those old bluestone walls are often solid through to the internal plaster which allows moisturer to seep through the rather pourous bluestone into the house. Render was often applied as a moisture barrier to compensate. It looks as though it has been trowelled off with a wooden float useing a course grade of sand in the plaster, shouldn't be to hard to match reasonably close to the original effort. It really depends on what you want to spend on the exterior, and if the old walls will really benefit from the expense.

John.