House made of gravel!

[rocker]

Right I did a couple of chases today in a kitchen and underneath the plaster was what I would describe as loose shingle. Grey stones, around two inches in diameter, held together with something that wasn't obviously visible to the naked eye, no visible mortar or anything, and no signs of any other section of the wall keeping all this up. This was on outer and party walls, and from the look of the outer wall, it didn't look thick enough to e an inner skin of a cavity wall.

I did take pics, I'll try and upload them tomorrow (only just got in after trying to get a fixing in these damn thigs).

Has anyone seen this before? What's it called, and how the hell can you work with it? Post war house, probably mid-50s maybe even 60s. Internal walls are a mix of cinder and brick.

 

[DurhamSparky]

poured concrete walls!!!!!!! common around that time yo describe!! total pain to work with lol

 

[GStueyXR]

Hope you quoted high !!

 

[daniel hill]

nofine houses we call them
always put it surface as it alters the structure of the building

 

[Lucas]

Yep, worked on a house similar to this once. Its easy too chase into but a nightmare trying to get a fixing on, couple of house's in my town where built this way. Did it have a plastic bubble type material behind it?

And in the end we just bonded the boxes in

 

[kw1980]

Came across this a few times. Expanding foam works well or maybe a fastafix box depending on the depth.

 

[SirKit Breaker]

I have come across it as well in an ex council house in Barnsley area. Proper horrible stuff.

 

[chopper]

we also work with these housesw they like those concrete sheet garages pain in arse to fix to just had to go vey steady and slow with drill and bond some boxs in, would rather surface mount with these any day

 

[lukeallen88]

hey my house is of same build its called wimpy no find and i just bought it and rewired it. after spending the best part of an hour doing one chase i decided to surface mount all back boxes and clip cable direct and then proceeded to dot and dab the walls worked for me hope it helps.

 

[mogga]

What you describe is Poured concrete or Nofine done after the war as a "Quick fix" an absolute barsteward to get a fixing ,Originaly wired using a Loom like a big spider put in place then spread out and concrete poured Only real way to do stuff is surface even then fixing is hit n miss GOOD LUCK M8

Im glad Im doing commercial lol

 

[rocker]

Hope you quoted high !!

No I didn't and I wish I had now! h well, at least I didn't quote low, and it was a challenge.

Hope I haven't compromised the structure..... only a few chases though, I wouldn't imagine so. Found the stuff undrillable, every time I tried I was showered with pebbles! I found the only way to get a fix was literally screw directly inbetween the stones using a variety of screw sizes, got it so the boxes have about 6 screws in each and are pretty stable, and the accessories can go on level when tight. Told them to get the plasterer is sharpish and don't go wiggling it until he's filled the gaps. Hopefully that will sort it Bloody nightmare, hope I never see it again.

 

[eskimo39]

Just get some Pinkgrip on it, most builders/joiners I meet nowadays seem to use it for everything!!!!

Seriously though, good luck with it mate!

 

[shagg]

I'v just rewired a house like this, and might have another two to do . thank god they want everything surface mounting

 

[Guest123]

If you do have to chop boxes in then forget trying to screw them inplace, bonding will be your new best friend.

 

[Richard]

Expanding foam is your friend. As said. A pain to work with.