Plaster or plasterboard chimney breast after damp repair?

[Pumpkin00]

My chimney breast had severe rising damp and damp patches all around skirting board level. I found that the hearth was completely made up of soil, so I dug it all out and laid a damp proof membrane and concrete hearth.

I'm now looking to have the chimney breast replastered (well, preferably plasterboarded) and nobody seems to be able to give a definitive answer on how to do it. I've had plasterers round for quotes and everyone seems to advise chemical dpc injections just to make sure residual damp doesn't pass through. One has suggested moisture-resistant plasterboards.

Any suggestions on how to do this the proper way?

 

[JohnD]

how long ago did you repair it? sounds like it is still wet. Have you got ventilation top and bottom? Wet walls take months do dry out.

Is it on a wet outside wall? Rainwater? Gutter? Downpipe? Ground level too high? Bad pointing or render?

How old is the house, and was it built without a dpc?

photos inside and out will help.

 

[Pumpkin00]

How can it sound wet? It's on a chimney breast wall that backs onto my neighbour's house, so not an outside wall. It was repaired a few months ago. It's just a solid brick wall with no plaster on it, and it's not damp at all now. I just don't know if it needs special treatment when covering because it's been damp in the past. It'll definitely be full of salts and crap being an old open-fire chimney breast.