One prevalent issue in older homes is differential settlement, where the foundation settles unevenly into the ground. This phenomenon occurs due to variations in soil composition and the construction standards of the past. Left unchecked, it can lead to significant structural damage over time.
Many factors can contribute to a structure being out of plumb, level or square. Age, settling of a building, human error and inaccurate measuring tools can all contribute to this type of Old House Charm, as we like to call it.
In summary, while some older houses may have been built with minor imperfections, the effects of time, environmental factors, and material aging are the primary reasons for their crooked appearance.
Cavity walls started being used in the UK in the early 20th century, around the 1920s and 1930s. They replaced solid walls as a way to improve protection against dampness. By the 1950s, cavity walls became the standard for most new homes.
Uneven walls are often a result of natural wear and tear that happens as homes age. Over time, walls can shift or develop small imperfections due to settling, making surfaces less than perfect.
Traditionally, an uneven wall can be corrected by either plastering the wall or, if the wall is particularly irregular, installing plaster boards. Both of these methods will require the skills of an expert, especially if you want a guaranteed professional finish. An alternative method is to install PVC wall panels.
A cavity wall usually has a regular brick pattern. If your wall has been covered by render, you can also tell by measuring the width of the wall. Use a door or a window to measure the distance between the outside wall and the inside wall. If this is more than 260mm thick, it's probably a cavity wall.
Homes built before 1950 probably have plaster. Homes built between 1950 – 1969 might be plaster or drywall. Homes built after 1970 are probably drywall.
Although cavity walls themselves became a thing in the late 1800's, and prominent from the 1920's onwards, cavity wall insulation only properly came into being in 1970 and became mandatory in the 1990's. If you're not sure whether your house has it or not - have a look at the brick pattern on the exterior wall.
Sometimes a wall is uneven not because of anything on the surface but because of the framing behind it. This happens when one of the wall studs is out of alignment or warped.
Historically, and especially here in New England, there's a true evolution of ceiling height. In antique homes of the 1700s, ceilings were typically just 7′ tall. Low ceilings and small rooms in these homes were designed so they could be easily heated by a central fireplace.
Angles in a floor plan are not inherently bad. Angles, however, should be there for a reason. They should solve a problem creatively and should make sense as to why there are there. They should be beautiful, functional, and helpful.
It's common for older houses to have some degree of unevenness in their floors. Over time, various factors like settling, wear and tear, and environmental conditions can cause floors to shift slightly.
Houses without maintenance will eventually deteriorate due to natural forces like weather, biological decay and structural failure over decades or even centuries.
As it turns out, not only were paint colors limited in early America, but many houses were left unpainted. The wood became a dark, weathered brown. Of course, there is a reason we paint wood–protection from the elements–so today, this is often represented by a dark brown paint color.
In a word, 'cost'. Though there were advantages to the lath and plaster technique – it more easily allowed for ornamental or decorative shapes, provided sound insulation and helped to slow fire spread – new materials superseded lath and plaster because they were simply faster and less expensive to install.
Plaster was the preferred ceiling finish material for structures built before the 1950s. However, as drywall became more widely available and affordable, it gradually replaced plaster in new construction.
Plaster: A Traditional Approach
Plaster walls are harder and more durable than drywall, but they are also more expensive to install. In older homes, plaster was typically applied in three coats over wood or metal lath. Modern plastering methods often involve a single coat over a special drywall called a blue board.
Properties without a DPC, or where the DPC is too low (typically less than 125mm from the ground) and a French drain has not been installed. Some properties with raked mortar joints. Properties with a cavity wall under 50mm or over 150mm. Properties that have significant rubble or mortar ingress in the cavity.
Cavity Wall Construction Details:
The outer leaf of the wall is usually a non-load-bearing wall and is half-brick. However, the inner leaf is typically always load-bearing and should be no less than one brick in thickness. Bonded bricks or wall ties are used to connect the two parts of the wall.
Cavity wall insulation typically lasts between 20 and 100 years, and many insulation manufacturers offer a 25-year warranty on their materials. If your home was built after the 1920s when building regulations changed, then it likely has cavity walls instead of solid walls.
Sadly, the reality has to do more with lead plates being laid by unskilled craftsmen herringbone fashion over unseasoned timber beams. Instead of collapsing under the weight, they just twisted and bent. It has been strengthened and hopefully the twist of 45 degrees and lean will remain for years to come.
Smooth Finish: No one wants bumpy, patchy walls. PVA drywall primer smooths out inconsistencies in texture, making the final result look silky smooth.
However, while uneven floors may be fairly common, they can actually become significant problems over time, and they may even point to greater issues with a structure, all of which can cause significant damage. Unleveled floors are primarily caused by support issues, foundation settling issues, or moisture problems.