Remove the cement and unveil a gem.
Careful removal of inappropriate cement renders to allow the original stone to breathe again — often revealing beautiful, hidden fabric beneath.
A great deal of Phoenix Stone's work begins by undoing the wrong work. Cement render applied to solid stone walls traps moisture behind an impermeable skin, causing condensation, salt damage, blown mortar and internal damp.
We remove failed cement renders carefully, section by section, protecting the underlying stone and pointing. In many cases the wall beneath is far more beautiful than anyone expected — good stonework hidden for decades under a layer of grey.
Seasonal cement render removal ('hack-offs') may be available at advantageous rates during winter scheduling windows — talk to us if you have a project in mind.
- Grey cement render cracking, hollow or blown from an old stone wall.
- Internal damp on the reverse of a cement-rendered elevation.
- Salt bloom or spalling stone visible around damaged render.
- A modern render finish that looks and feels wrong on an old building.
- Removed by hand where the stone requires it — no indiscriminate breaking.
- Stone protected during removal, pointing salvaged wherever sound.
- Full diagnosis of what caused the failure so it is not repeated.
- Followed with correct lime render or exposed stone finish, as appropriate.
Frequently asked.
Will the wall look worse before it looks better?+
Sometimes — but often it looks better immediately. Either way, exposing the stone is the essential first step before a correct, breathable finish can be applied.
Do you offer winter rates?+
Yes. Cement render removal is a good winter task, and we can offer advantageous rates for winter scheduling windows. Ask us for current availability.
Can you re-render straight away?+
Usually the wall needs a period to dry after removal. Timing and sequence are part of the specification we agree with you.