French period property *PIC*

[Anonymous]

Hi. I know this site is meant for UK property but I wondered if anyone has experience in or advice on paint finishes for French 18th century houses? I'm buying one in the Lot et Garonne region. I guess I should be using either lime wash or distemper. At present it has several unpainted rendered surfaces on the ground floor and some wallpapered rooms upstairs which I'd like to strip and paint. It's all internal painting, the outside is stone as you can see from the pic.

Advice much appreciated.

Peter

 

[Anonymous]

My mother lives in the same region - near Villeneuve.

My understanding is that the French way is to use lime plaster (Chaud), so it follows that either limewash or distemper would be suitable for painting

 

[Anonymous]

Apologies for for spelling pedentry but chaud is French for heat. What you want on your walls is chaux.
My, pretty limited experience of French builders' merchants suggests that it is a lot easier to find lime products and traditional paints such as limewash and distemper in France than it is in Britain. I've seen product catalogues from some of the big materials suppliers that emphasise the importance of using breathable methods and materials when working on period properties and are willing and able to give excellent advice.
Looks a lovely house. Can we come and stay?

 

[Anonymous]

chaux blanc is non hydraulic hydrate and chaux hydraulic is, suprise suprise, hydraulic - both are readily available fro the local bricolage. cement is used largely for flooring only in my experience. for information french 'off the shelve' paint is abysmal.... as is 'french plaster'....... as is french plumbing...... why use a flaring kit for joints??

 

[Anonymous]

If you do a search on chaux you will find some posts from a french gentleman who has published some info on the uses of lime in france.

I think they were links to pdf's and web pages ?

 

[Anonymous]

It looks in need of windows, Biff...

Distemper will go on top of most surfaces, and is nice stuff, limewash isn't quite as forgiving. Both would be very suitable.

Farrow and Ball and Rose of Jericho both do a wide range of colours. F and B is available in forin' parts, I believe. Both do mail order, if you can't get what you need locally.



http://www.rose-of-jericho.demon.co.uk

 

[Anonymous]

Seems a shame to take English paint to France when they make such excellent stuff themselves. I've seen a shop with rows of jars of earth pigments where they mix the limewash or distemper up for you.