Glaster experience?

[paulb33]

Anyone used glaster plaster/mortar/render?

http://www.lime.org.uk/glaster-plasters-and-mortars/

A lime plasterer suggested using it in the top coat of lime roughcast to colour match the existing render.

http://www.redhouserestoration.wordpress.com

 

[Zebra]

The only experience is from the lime plastering course I went on at Ty Mawr. Although we didn't get to play with it ourselves, we watched the teacher, clearly a very experienced lime plasterer, putting some on a board. Most of it fell back off again, he said it's very hard to apply, hard to get it to stick, but OK once it's on. If your lime plasterer has used it before, then perhaps he's OK with that.
From what I understand, it has a bit of a sparkly effect because of all the crushed glass in it, and I wouldn't have thought it very "period" but if you're just thinking of using it as an ingredient in the top coat, and not entirely as the top coat, then perhaps it would be OK.
But to match the colour of your existing render is surely a matter of choosing the correct sand, no? Ty Mawr do a colour matching service, where they will analyse a sample of your existing stuff and recommend the right sand. I think it's only about £30.

 

[Penners]

Glass is, after all, just fused sand, so grinding recycled glass back into sand and using it as an aggregate would seem to make a lot of environmental sense. I agree with Zebra that the finished effect might have a bit of a sparkle to it, particularly if it's been rubbed, but I imagine this would be diminished by limewash.

I have no experience whatsoever of what I'm talking about (as usual).

 

[paulb33]

Thanks for all your help. The pendulum has swung back to painting the render, once more....(I think).