Thanks Andrew, we live in North Essex and our house was built as a working room for the poor in the local area in the 18C. So it was probably fairly basic in terms of original finish. Many of our neighbours houses, which were built at similar times also currently have exposed beams.
I've had a really good look around the house and checked the beams and I think on the whole they were exposed - based on (lack of) nail hole evidence.
So I am going to opt for keeping it as it is and exposing the beams.
I am nearly finished with patching the sole plate/rotten studs and have just three more studs to complete. I'd like to get this work done this weekend and get on and order the insulation and lath and plaster...
I have a question for anyone who has used traditional lath on an exposed frame... do I simply use strips of lath as batons for the lath between the studs? Or should I use larger batons and nail the lath to them. I have searched the internet, but can't find confirmation of the traditional approach I should take. Obviously the lath are quite thin (unlike a 1 inch square baton). Did they double up and nail two lath strips on the side of a stud to provide purchase for the horizontal laths - or did they use different sized batons? All I've found in exposing and removing the modern plaster board are larger modern machine cut batons and ridiculously over-sized nails that would be more appropriate for 2x4s rather than a small baton!
I've watched videos on YouTube on how to lath and plaster in lime and I've looked at heritage sites - but can't seem to find advice on how to baton out between the frames?!?! Any advice from the forum members would be appreciated :?
I've had a really good look around the house and checked the beams and I think on the whole they were exposed - based on (lack of) nail hole evidence.
So I am going to opt for keeping it as it is and exposing the beams.
I am nearly finished with patching the sole plate/rotten studs and have just three more studs to complete. I'd like to get this work done this weekend and get on and order the insulation and lath and plaster...
I have a question for anyone who has used traditional lath on an exposed frame... do I simply use strips of lath as batons for the lath between the studs? Or should I use larger batons and nail the lath to them. I have searched the internet, but can't find confirmation of the traditional approach I should take. Obviously the lath are quite thin (unlike a 1 inch square baton). Did they double up and nail two lath strips on the side of a stud to provide purchase for the horizontal laths - or did they use different sized batons? All I've found in exposing and removing the modern plaster board are larger modern machine cut batons and ridiculously over-sized nails that would be more appropriate for 2x4s rather than a small baton!
I've watched videos on YouTube on how to lath and plaster in lime and I've looked at heritage sites - but can't seem to find advice on how to baton out between the frames?!?! Any advice from the forum members would be appreciated :?
I know its only a small amount but every little helps. However, I was going to do the interior plastering myself and was planning to use something cheaper on the inside either larch or chestnut I think. I am about to go online and do some price comparisons. Currently, my laths are either non-existent or in very poor condition and nailed direct to the studs. The laths are an odd mixture of sizes and some look fairly modern to me (not riven). Although there is a section of older, severely warped, but intact riven laths in one corner of the shower room. These are on the exterior wall, all interior wall was plaster board.