On Tue, 15 Jun 2010 17:45:37 +0000 (UTC), Tim Watts wrote:

Would a pressure washer work?

Even a big bugger would only take the flakey stuff off.

Isn't that's all that's needed - he's repainting it?

I'd like to get as much of the old layers of paint of as possible so
I can clean/stabilise the stone, repoint as required and apply a
modern breathable paint. By "old" I would guesstimate at 20 or 30
years and it's those old layers that are failing.

As you're the man, can you get extra long lances on the for-hire big
machines for this sort of job?

There is fair bit of kick from a normal short lance ona domestic
washer let along a BFO one with a long lance. You wouldn't be able to
see what you are doing either.

I live in an old bolloxed house, but at least the walls aren't rendered
or painted - I think that's one job I'd hate more than anything...

Render I hate, I always feel it's there to cover up a problem with
the wall. Last winter a great slab of it fell off one wall, base coat
is pretty soft with a hard thin layer. Who ever put it on didn't
remove the existing paint, that paint has now failed thus the render
has fallen off... I shall probably remove all that render as the rest
of the wall is bound to go the same way.

--
Cheers
Dave.