- Thread starter WetWales
- Start date
We’re about to lay the Foam glass and stuff for the limcrete floor, but chickened out of doing the lime slab ourselves so getting it done by limcrete co.
Then for the plastering!
Our plasterer has just said he uses mesh in all his lime walls which I was surprised about as he said he’s quite traditional… he said it just belts and braces to prevent future cracking…
Anyone have any experience with using mesh ? I’m not against it as such just surprised he wasn’t going for hair or a more modern alternative like fibres in the lime screed…?
We’re going for an eco cork layer first…
Is mesh an acceptable thing in your guys eyes ?!
Then for the plastering!
Our plasterer has just said he uses mesh in all his lime walls which I was surprised about as he said he’s quite traditional… he said it just belts and braces to prevent future cracking…
Anyone have any experience with using mesh ? I’m not against it as such just surprised he wasn’t going for hair or a more modern alternative like fibres in the lime screed…?
We’re going for an eco cork layer first…
Is mesh an acceptable thing in your guys eyes ?!
Also discovered this little open chimney bit in the corner of the inglenook - this room was the original old kitchen / scullery so where they would’ve done all the cooking
It was behind a wooden board where the modern water filter came thru - the whole back of the inglenook has been blocked up with red brick (whole house is slate so brick is odd and newer)
What do people think might’ve been there?
Would a range of sat actually IN the back wall of the inglenook ?
Or maybe it’s been blocked / rebuilt in red brick as it just fell down…
Unsure weather to leave alone or investigate -
we don’t particularly want a bigger hole there , just unsure what to do with the little exposed chimney flue bit!
Maybe just block up and vent it…
It was behind a wooden board where the modern water filter came thru - the whole back of the inglenook has been blocked up with red brick (whole house is slate so brick is odd and newer)
What do people think might’ve been there?
Would a range of sat actually IN the back wall of the inglenook ?
Or maybe it’s been blocked / rebuilt in red brick as it just fell down…
Unsure weather to leave alone or investigate -
we don’t particularly want a bigger hole there , just unsure what to do with the little exposed chimney flue bit!
Maybe just block up and vent it…
Flyfisher
Member
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- 10,167
- Location
- Norfolk, UK
Always an interesting debate around traditional and modern materials! My own view is that modern materials are perfectly acceptable as long as they perform the required function, preferably in some superior way, and are not visually intrusive.
What we now call 'traditional materials' were used mainly because they were the only materials available at the time. it wasn't really a choice. Hair was added to plaster for good reasons, but also because modern plastic-based meshes or fibres were not available. If they had been, I feel sure they would have been used. Similarly with fixings. How many historic walls and ceilings have been lost because the iron nails rusted away and the laths fell away from the underlying structure? Stainless steel fixings are far superior in this respect and would undoubtedly have been used if they had been available centuries ago. And there are many other examples.
So, when renovating historic properties I see no reason to religiously avoid modern materials. Toby Newell of this parish has documented in great detail his excellent work restoring and preserving historic floors and windows and uses modern materials extensively. I've used a 'FibreChalk' plaster mix containing synthetic fibres instead of hair and I've also used stainless fixings to repair and stabilise the oak frame of my c.1550 G2* house. I've also used stainless "helibars" to stabilise rubble walls and for 'stitching' cracks in walls, not to mention resin fixings and all manner of chemical fillers to repair rotted window frames.
If these, and other, materials had been available centuries ago I have little doubt they would have been as widely used then as they are now.
Lacan07
Member
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- 943
Is this cork some kind of board like wood fibre board? If so you'll likely need to use mesh when skimming over it.