Above ground damp proofing: How to improve detailing: Part 1 – Solid plaster frontal masking systems

It's not usually too difficult to spot locations of failure in damp proofing masking plaster. There is commonly staining, salt damage, rusting of embedded beads etc. Such failure is extremely frustrating for clients — usually home owners. It requires additional gears of knowledge and experience to be able to exactly understand the causes of failure — and getting to the bottom of the defect may sometimes require localised opening up. Having understood the cause of failure, the next hurdle is devising a remedial package to put things right. Putting things right is of course more difficult than installing a more reliable system in the first place. The sketch details in this paper show examples of failure and also of good practice. When commissioning damp proofing, the author strongly advises that a client insists on obtaining as much information as possible concerning detailing of the installation — so the sketch details and advice contained in this paper should prove invaluable. You will also come to appreciate when studying the various detailing options, that achieving more reliable damp proofing will require a more skilled approach, closer supervision of the work, and will take longer — and of course be more costly.