Damp on cement garden wall

Brego888

Hi

I've recently had our garden wall plastered which I'm really happy with compared to the bare blocks that were there before.

However the bottom of the wall is now constantly wet. Rising damp I assume from the garden. It was never noticeable with the blocks previously.

How do I stop this/cover it?

Is there some sort of waterproof coating I can put on it?

Would a couple of coats of paint hide it?

Had hoped not to paint it as I like the brushed grey cement look but can't look at the damp constantly there.

jack of all

Looks like moisture is being drawn up the render from the ground. One possible solution might be to remove the lawn turf immediately next to the wall, say a 300mm strip, dig down another 100mm or so, remove the soil, put in a treated timber edging and backfill with decorative chippings or pea gravel on a weed barrier. This creates a free draining area and a would make it easier to cut the grass edge, with no piers to worry about etc.

Brego888

Hi, thanks for response.

Thats synthetic grass in the garden so cutting it or taking it up wouldn't be an option.

Need a fix that I can apply to the wall.

listermint

That is permanent whenever there is wet in the ground. There is no DPC in the wall so nothing to stop moisture being obsorbed upwards.

It should be less noticeable if you paint the wall. Colour choice being important.

Brego888

Thought so.

Darker colour paint more likely to hide it? Had thought we might put a pale green on it if we eventually painted it but that might be no help.

listermint

I would have said lighter tbh. Try a few testers in out of the way spot. Like side of pillars

rje66

Artificial grass is like a sponge, it really holds a lot of water compared to actual lawn.

Brego888

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117725761#Comment_117725761

Yeah I agree with that but we also had the same damp patches with the real lawn prior to the artificial grass going down.

Wall was plastered a few weeks prior to the new grass going in.

Brego888

Any advice on priming the wall prior to painting it?

Put a bit of tester masonry paint on and the wall sucks it up. I'd imagine it'll take a lot of paint. Would priming it/sealing it first help with the amount of paint needed?