Interior wall finish options

[Timothy]

Hi all,

First, a bit of background. I had to give up my career 18months ago due to illness and am now on disability. It's been downhill and I'm at the point now where I need to sell my home. Luckily, my father was looking to sell one of his properties, it's worth about £30-40k. Very cheap these days, but incredibly small too. It's a pre-1841 stone cottage on the edge of Blairgowrie, set away from the road. It's semi-detached and so is presumably only half the original. On the 1841 census it was listed as a weaver's cottage (my father's research). I said it was small, it really is. One bathroom, a lounge/kitchen, and a bedroom! However it's in a good location and at least it's something I can afford, even though it is a bit of a downgrade!

Now I went to view it on Saturday, looking through the decor and so on I can see the possible charm it could have. In its current condition though, well I was surprised to discover my father is a slum lord! It's a small property but just about everything needs 'fixed' so I'll be here asking plenty of questions in the future! The first thing I need to look at though are the interior walls. It's covered in Anaglypta, and it's not a subtle design either. Think large swirls probably fashionable during the 70s. I said to my father "This has to be the first to go." He said "Don't strip that or it will take the plaster away with it." I repeated "This has to be the first to go."

So to get to the point (and sorry for the ramblings) I wonder if you could tell me of my options. Ideally I would like something 'imperfect' so as to create some humble charm (if that makes sense). Also something I can do myself as I need to keep myself and my mind busy. I see there are many posts on lime plastering. Is this suitable for the age of the building? My original plan was to take the walls back to the stone but I see that's unpopular for authentic and practical reasons. If possible I'd like something which wont soak up the sunlight as the cottage only has three windows (one in the lounge/kitchen, one in the bathroom, and one very small one in the bedroom) --- it's been built into a hill.

I hope that makes sense. I apologise if you really need more information. I'm keen to start as early as possible so I'm not sitting around moping! If necessary though I can post again with pics when I finally move in.

Best,
Timothy

 

[middi]

Timothy, if you do not like the wall paper just take it off, after all you are the one which is going to live with it.

Your father is probably right, some bits of lime plaster will probably come away with it, well, just patch it up with more lime plaster and lime wash the whole lot with a colour which you like.

Just cross that bridge when you come to it.

 

[Sue Wilkinson]

Sorry to hear about your bad luck re health and selling up house etc. But who knows, this could be the start of something new to get stuck into.

Provided you have the strength to mix, lift and push then you can learn to plaster with lime yourself. And its a lovely thing to do. I'd have that paper off immediately, if not before, and don't worry if the plaster comes off. Even some of what remains may be too loose to save. If the walls are stone you can easily plaster them to follow the contours of the walls instead of getting dead flat posh finishes. This will increase the cosy feel.

But before you do any of this I would recommend you go on a SPAB traditional home owners weekend course. They are fascinating and will teach you loads you have never thought of relating to old buildings, how they were built, how they need to allow passage of moisture through walls, what to do about wood etc. They will also show you how to plaster and include some practicle experience. If you get the bug (I certainly did!) then you can follow that up with 1 or 2 day courses in pointing and plastering that set you up ready for the off. http://www.spab.org.uk (courses link to right of home page.)

In the meantime read all you can about period properties. The main thing to avoid is cement and concrete, don't use it yourself, don't let a builder use it and remove what there is if it is practicle to replace it. Look at the book shop section of this web site, try Janet Collings Old House Care and Repair for a start off. I think the thing I found most helpful after I'd lived here for a couple of years was the dawning realisation that building trades are not rocket science, and if you have patience and the right tools then you can do it. Old houses were often just built by the people of a village, so no qualifications etc. Just the ability to get on and find a way to do it.

Good luck.
Sue

 

[Gervase]

Lime plaster is exactly what a building of that age should have, so go for it. As far as the lack of light is concerned, there's no finish as good as plain white limewash for bringing light into a room. If you're worried about it powdering or rubbing off, you can add casein or linseed oil to make a more permanent finish.

On the broader picture, tackling your own project is hugely rewarding, and may even open up new career opportunities. Read up as much as you can, don't be afraid to ask questions here and give it a go. As Sue says, it isn't rocket science - most conservation and restoration is simply a matter of common sense.

 

[Timothy]

:shock: Wow, those replies were quick and just what I needed to hear!

Middi there was no doubt about taking off the wallpaper! Not only has does the paper itself look awful, but it was put up dreadfully (my father never did learn to decorate!) and is torn in places.

Sue I should have said (to be honest I was reluctant to) that my ill health isn't phyiscal but mental --- depression/anxiety/panic attacks. So any lacking in strength is my own fault! This past 18months has been hard but the opportunity to start on this small project has lifted my spirits, especially as I'll have no mortgage/debts to worry about. It may be the smallest of homes but it comes with it's own unique challenges I think (I'm already way ahead of myself and considering copper kitchen counters to reflect light). Interestingly, the other half of the cottage is currently empty as the owner has been waiting for my father to sell so he can combine the cottage again. Perhaps that half will come up for sale when he discovers I've bought from my father.

It certainly sounds like lime plaster is the way to go. I think I will go toward the more contoured approach as it sounds less formal ('humble' as I like to call it). I think an 'imperfect' (you know what I mean) finish is what's needed in such a small property. I looked up the lime wash too, that sounds just perfect. Sometimes our advances seem to make us walk backward! These are defintly things to investigate more, and I think I'll head straight to that bookshop!

Sue thank you so much for the link to spab, that's certainly something I'd like to attend. I remember reading sometime ago about all the things an old house needs to breathe and the difference between new and old construction. I babbled onto my parents about what they're doing wrong in their house (another old stone building) and why some of the interior plater work is bowing in. They ignored me of course, I can't wait to nag them again! Seriously though it sounds like a course I'd find really enjoyable and useful.

There's already cement on the cottage --- awful facing on the front which gives the appearence of breeze blocks! I know it will be loads of work but it needs done.

I've also been thinking about how much of these older properties were built by people using just their common sense. It's always been appealing to me. I doubt if my parent's Wimpey home in Aviemore will still be around in 150yrs lol! Strangely, while I was still working (as a software architect) I was considering learning to thatch, dry-stone, lime-plaster etc for a career change. I decided at the time I was too old to get an apprenticeship. It's funny how things happen sometimes!

Thanks again for your wonderful replies.

Best,
Tim

 

[Becka]

Sounds like an old house is just the thing for you.. I find when times are hard and stressful that I'm drawn to doing something physical and creative (or destructive! for the good of the house of course) to get the stress of an uncontrollable situation out of my system and I always feel better for it.. achy and covered in dust generally, but my mood is always improved.. good luck with your little cottage

 

[Mark]

But have you seen the price of copper these days ?

:shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[Timothy]

Thanks Becka. I've been really down lately since the NHS told me they can't treat my depression. It might not be much but this little cottage is just what I needed. Beyond the project work, it will be great to have a live fire again (once I've installed a new insert, my father threw the old one out last month because it was cracked and dirty!!). And with all the local walks just down the road I'll be able to have a dog which will get me outside again!

Hehe Mark, I told you I'm way ahead of myself! I haven't looked into the price yet but I know it will be expensive, but it's a long way off too. However, I guess economics is one of the advantages of such a small place (it really is that small). With all the furniture and possessions I'll be selling, plus what's leftover from the sale of my current home, I'll have a starting budget anyway.

Best,
Tim

 

[Sue Wilkinson]

Timothy, you should have said, software and anxiety etc go hand in hand after a while unless you have a real love of it. Its probably the lack of physical achievement, the repetativeness and the unreasonable demands on your time, in fact lots of office based jobs are giving rise to the same symptoms. You are going in the right direction. I have suffered panic attacks and anxiety in the past due to office based work stress (and a divorce which didn't help), but they are history once you get stuck into the sense of history around you.

People say of those suffering from depression "he want's to get out more", which is meant as derogatory, but actually its right, only not as they mean. You need to get out into the seaons and fresh air, and use those wasted muscles. I've found muscles in places I would never have thought they hid, and I've pulled a few of them as well. The sense of achievement being outside, smelling air, seeing moving things and watching things grow, constantly going in and out and doing a physical job is so much greater, and you sleep better. Seeing as you were already thinking about learning a craft, and aware that your parents weren't necessarily doing the right thing on their houses, you are more than half-way. You just need to top up the gut feel with some solid reading and practicle experience.

If SPAB courses don't have one soon enough, look out for the Lime Centre in East Anglia, Ty Mawr in Wales, Mike Wye in Devon and IJP (Old House Store - the shop on this site) all of whom do courses, and all have web sites full of good useful information. They also are all incredibly supportive and helpful if you ring them for advise and products.

I predict that by the time you've sorted your little house out you will be able to say goodbye to offices for good and set up helping others do what you are about to do in some form or another. There is a real lack of craftsmanship around now, thatching a case in point. Don't let age put you off. There are some grants around for older people who want to get into this sort of work if you can find them.

Finally, when you come to decorate, use limewash in preference on your fresh plaster, but you can also use distempers and clay paints, especially on old plaster that's had a number of other treatments in the past. Research paints from the people above, they all stock good ranges as does the web site 'Greenshop'. Don't use conventional gloss and eggshell paints from the DIY store in case the chemicals in them are affecting you (they is increasing concern that they affect a lot of people more than is realised). It is now very easy to buy 'green' and safe paints for walls, wood, metal etc, and which are much better for the building too. For external woodwork you can't beat linseed paints. So, something else to look into nearer the time.

Sue

 

[Sue Wilkinson]

Also, read Ian Bond's post 'Career Change into Period Property Conservation'. Not quite the same boat as you, but similar in many ways and the replies are mostly applicable too.

Sue

 

[Timothy]

Sue my depression is actually genetic, I managed to get by until the end of 2004 when it just got too much and I was spending more time in tears in the toilet than sitting at my desk lol. The environment certainly didn;t help though. Truthfully I only got into IT by rebelling my 5th and 6th years (hence no highers) and getting my way into university on a trial basis. I always found it easy but it was never a passion, and that was a mistake I think.

You are absolutely right about getting out into the fresh air and exercising the body. It's part of the reason I also want a dog, though how my cat will feel about that after years of being queen of the house! I grew up in the countryside and I do miss it, and though I'll be not quite out of town I will be on the very edge.

I've been reading Bond's thread, but I'm trying not to get any hopes up for my own future career! I know that sounds miserable but I'm not meaning to be, it's the old adage of once bitten twice shy! At the moment though I'm just happy to have the opportunity to do something I think I'll enjoy. I love olde worlde things!

I think I will be using limewash, but I have to find some examples of it. I'm sure there will be lots of different techniques so lots of googling for images required! But you have a great point about the possible health effects from modern chemicals, I hadn't considered that. By the way, there isn't any external woodwork at the moment. My father put in pvc double glazing (a waste of time really considering the natural insulation of the building and the small total window area) and a horrible front door! :roll: I wish I'd seen this cottage before he destroyed a lot of it!

Thanks for all the company names, that really is a huge headstart. It can take so long finding companies and so boring!

Best,
Tim

 

[Ian Bond]

Hi Tim,

I've just read through your thread, and wanted to wish you all the best with your new house.

Sue, Gervase and Middi have already given you excellent advice. All I would add to it is, don't try to do too much at once.

In fact, what Sue said about working in software, I whole-heartedly agree with.

I was in software too, and have been fixing up my house for 10 years. I set about too much at once including re-wiring and re-plumbing. Very soon I had got every room like a building site, and with work commitments progress was very slow. So 10 years later it is still a building site, albeit a well organized one!

If I could do it all again from scratch, I'd go much slower, and do some research up front, which is exactly what you seem to be doing anyway Tim.

So try not to take on too many tasks at once, and set yourself impossible deadlines or standard of perfection. I'm afraid I am a bit of a perfectionist, and this has really caused me trouble at times.

I really do hope you enjoy working on your house.

There's always the friendly and helpful PPUK'ers to ask for advice, and offer words of encouragement!

Cheers

Ian

 

[Timothy]

Thanks Ian. You know, I've been reading your thread too and I was glad to see you write what I had been thinking --- that your situation may be a blessing in disguise. I try to see my illness in the same light. Life isn't going to take a straight path, and it would be a damn sight more boring if it did!

Yes this does seem to be a great community with plenty of advice being given, perhaps one day I'll be able to give answers insetad of all the questions I'll be asking! So far I'm extremely grateful for the advice I've already received, and that in itself is very encouraging.

One of the advantages of the cottage size is that I'll be forced to do one thing at a time, otherwise there'll be no space to live. Really, it's that small. I shall have to take some pictures when I can to show just how small it is. Of course I've got ideas of what I want to do, but I'll be doing one thing at a time. I too am a perfectionist. I've heard it said that many depressed people are perfectionists, and many IT people are perfectionists. Well I guess I get it double then hehe. So I think that's going to be a problem I need to be aware of and keep it in check!

Good luck with your plans. I think you'll find it much easier going without having to trundle into the office at least five days a week. I used to find it difficult just to get the energy and inclination to decorate while working. Since I stopped working I just gt it done!

Best,
Tim

 

[Becka]

Its a funny thing how adversity sometimes brings us to better things than we could have hoped for without.. I know that if I hadn't bought a house with the boyfriend from hell 10 years ago theres no way I'd be the proud owner of my little cottage now (which i wish I was in.. I too am stuck in a dreary office),.. Its hard work, and alot of learning (I'd love to go into the restoration business too, but first I have to get to be able to get more of the lime plaster stuck on the walls than dropped at my feet!) but very very satisfying

 

[Ian Bond]

Tim,

I'm really looking forward to having all the time I need to complete those jobs! Mind you, my commute was a 15 minute walk, so that wasn't too bad. Well, the journey home wasn't, I dreaded going into the office. In the last few months I've just been side-lined and isolated, with hardly anything to do, so I have been so bored at my desk all day.

I'm going to be very busy at home now. so there'll be no time for me to dwell on things, which is good.

IT seems to demand perfectionism - it's no good having a program that *almost* does what it is supposed to do, or only does it some of the time. However, carrying the same degree of perfectionism into other areas of life (which I have done) is really counter-productive. Especially if you are never satisfied with a job you've done (say, plastering) and end up doing it again and again (yep, that's me!).

Keep us all posted on how you're getting on with the cottage.

Ian

 

[Timothy]

It really is a funny thing Becka. I spent so long in self pity until a few months ago when I realized that it's up to me to turn a disadvantage into an opportunity. One of those rare insights which make life easier. May you have a rare insight too so that you soon get more plaster on your walls than on your feet! You know it was only recently that I was telling my sister how I've always wanted to learn how to do things the traditional ways. She thought I was crazy when I started talking about making doors and tables from logs and hand making the mason nails and so on --- I probably am crazy lol. Still, we all have to have dreams.

Ian no doubt you're looking forward to that time, as am I! As my father's cottage is currently empty I'm hoping to move in there as soon as I put my current home on the market and before I pay my father. If he demands rent I'll have some unkind words to say lol. From one (ex) over-paid IT worker to another, if it helps it really isn't that difficult to cut back on the spending when your out of the office. It's amazing how much we (or I at least) spend to compensate for 40hrs of office work. At my work a lot of the IT staff were often kept on the bench. I've always maintained the problem is it's so anonymous with the staff being referred to as resources instead of people, and hence treated as such. I wish it had happened differently but I'm glad to be out of that!

Well I'm not too concerned about perfect plastering, that's the last thing I want (better than rough and ready though). I've no doubt you'll be hearing plenty about the cottage, probably a question every other day once I get started! I've lots of ideas for what to do, many of which will be rejected for practical purposes but no doubt many which wont!

Best,
Tim

 

[Sue Wilkinson]

Whilst out working this afternoon (on someone else's cottage) I was thinking about your small house and the mess that will inevitably be made whilst you work on it. It might be worth thinking about buying up an old cheap caravan or shed that you can stick in the garden and fill with furniture, possessions and tools on a rolling basis so that you can empty a room to work without messing up the rest of the place.

I have a barn, but it leaks, so I can't put funiture there and I do get to the stage where I'm falling over it. You will find, all good intentions aside, that its not possible to work on one thing at a time because you'll remove something and find a different problem that needs fixing first.

I agree with your comments to Ian, once you stop working in an office or job you dislike, you stop spending money - its magic! You no longer need a constant source of pre-booked foreign holidays to get you through the year. Your clothes become something to keep off the sun, or keep out the cold and weekends are not spent wandering aimlessly from shop to shop in town wondering what on earth you can buy to make yourself feel better.

We will all enjoy looking at your pictures if you can get some taken.

Sue

 

[Timothy]

I'm defintly going to have to post those pictures, you wont believe how small it is. Hmmm, if you watch Two Pints then imagine Gaz's flat with an excuse of a bedroom added on and that's about the size of it! :lol: My parents think it's grim, my siblings think it's grim, I thikn in it's current state it's grim. In my mother's words "I can't stand that place at all, it's too dark and grim." My father only bought it because at the time it was only £10k and a good rental opportunity. However, though it's grim to me it still feels warm and friendly, and I know it can be turned around with a bit of care, attention and vision! And don't worry I'm not buying it from desperation, I'm not the type to do that!

Anyway, to get to the point, this little (half-)cottage is tucked away along an equally little path with an equally little garden (along with some shared land with my neighbour which has already been landscaped). So a shed or caravan is pretty much out of the question. That really is very kind of you to think of and suggest to me though. If necessary I'll rent some storage but with money being so tight (disability is only £180/fortnight!) I'll have to try it the hard way!

And regards the shopping, TKMax all of a sudden became more appealing for clothes when I went on benefits lol!

Best,
Tim

 

[Ian Bond]

I'm glad Sue said that about not being able to do 1 job at a time. I've always found it impossible to explain to other people why I never finish 1 job and have caused seeming havoc with my house. So I'm very pleased to hear that it is not something I've been doing wrong after all!!!

The cottage sounds wonderful to me, not grim at all. I've just had what may well be my last holiday for a while. We stayed in a cobb and thatched cottage (very small rooms, low ceilings) deep in wooded coombe in North Devon. Quite a few people had commented in the visitors book how small and gloomy it was, with the foliage blocking out what little light could reach the tiny windows. But that was the very thing me and Liz loved - it was so cosy, and felt like a real home to us for the week we were there. A far cry from our terraced house on a busy street, and Neighbours from Hell!!!

Ian

 

[Timothy]

Yeah, I notice I didn't comment on what Sue said about cascading jobs but it did make me realise how inevitable it is. Well if I have no choice I have no choice, just as I'll have no choice in living among it lol. But then I've put up with worse, and lived in some awful places in my time so hopefully it wont be too much of a shock to the system.

I've just been on the telephone to my father asking about the plaster behind the anaglypta on the walls and ceiling (I'd like to make the lower part of the beams visible --- is this best done before the walls?) and he thinks it's all plasterboard. There's some investigation needed there then. I let slip that one day I intend to replve the 2yr old uPVC windows and he was a little bit thrown, I think he's going to regret selling the cottage to me lol.

I don't think it's the cottage that is grim, I think it's what's been done to it that has been grim. My father insists a skylight is needed as the first task, something I've no intention of doing! You can probably tell I'm a bit sympathetic to old buildings. My parents live in an old house which they put a large extension on to (will they replaced another extension). I've always said that if it were up to me I'd remove the extension even though it would severely reduce the market value! It amazes me what you say about what other people said regarding the cottage you mention. But then people always say they'd like an old building with nice high ceilings, they never consider those with even older buildings with lower ceilings!

I was reading the restoration diary on this site earlier, how wonderful that there are still people willing to reclaim some of Britain's heritage. We're not exactly known for our modern architecture (the Scottish parliment springs to my mind).

Best,
Tim