Lime plastering

[Impy]

In the house we are in the process of purchasing the lime pointing on the exterior is largely in tact. Inside however the walls have been plastered with modern plaster. As the walls have high moisture levels at present we would like to strip them back to the masonry (solid masonry walls) and re-plaster in lime. I wonder if anyone could give me a ballpark for how much more expensive it is to plaster in lime than normal plaster. We have a good plasterer that we used on our previous house and I wonder if the best approach might be to see if he would want us to pay for him to go on a course and then have a go at the lime plastering in our new place. We also have some brick and flint areas externally that are in a poor state of repair and the flints need re-pointing. If my plasterer is not up for it does anyone know of a lime plasterer who would come to West Berkshire.
Thanks.

 

[Moo]

Come on, folks. The idea of sending a plasterer on a lime course at one's own expense is an interesting one.
And surely someone must know of a lime specialist who's in commuting distance of Berkshire.

 

[Impy]

Thanks Moo.

 

[DaveBrigg]

From limited experience in a previous house, gypsum plastering seemed to take a similar amount of time and effort to apply as the lime on our walls now. Both needed two coats, with about a week in between. The cost of materials will depend on what you specify - it is possible to buy ready-mixed mortar, complete with hair, but the carriage costs increase what is already a fairly expensive product. A little cheaper is to buy tubs of putty and mix it with sand on site, bearing in mind the additional labour costs. Cheapest of all is to buy your own lime hydrate and either make your own putty, or some advocate mixing dry and using straight away. If you live anywhere near Theale, there should be a fairly cheap source of local sand nearby.

 

[Impy]

Thanks, we are only about 30 mins from Theale so that is useful to know.

 

[Pford75]

Can't answer your specific question on cost - perhaps you should ask your plasterer?

What I can tell you is that it is often cheaper to train and educate someone in these skills (especially if you know and trust the quality of their previous work). We went through a similar exercise with the contractors who rebuilt a section of flint walling. Not only did we send them on a lime course, we also paid to have a specialist (the Flintman) come on site and spend a day with them advising on the specifics of our site and materials. The end result was that they were apx. 15% cheaper than the other contractors who quoted and we had more confidence about the quality of the end result we would achieve

 

[Moo]

- and you had a nice warm glow, knowing that you had added to the pitifully small number of craftsmen (or should it be tradesmen?) who can be trusted to carry out these important jobs.

 

[hoppy]

Average costs to lime plaster are ... ( labour & materials )

3 coat to walls = £65- £75 per square metre
3 coat to ceilings = £150- £170 per square metre (Including Lath).

This is only a rough guide, you would also need to take travel/accom, etc into consideration

 

[hoppy]

- and you had a nice warm glow, knowing that you had added to the pitifully small number of craftsmen (or should it be tradesmen?) who can be trusted to carry out these important jobs.

Personally i consider the art of lime/decorative plastering a craft... but as this is my crast i suppose you could say im "biased" :lol:

 

[Moo]

That's just what I was angling for - a firm, unequivocal comment.
Craftsmen it is, then.
But what count as trades?

 

[JoceAndChris]

Isn't it interesting, the shifts over time between what's perceived as trade, craft, art. I like that the amazing monks creating the illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages thought of themselves as craftsmen, whereas to us it's art.

Here's the Anglo Saxon definition of craft, just what you've all been waiting for.

cræft [] m (-es/-as) physical strength, might, courage; science, skill, art, ability, talent, virtue, excellence; trade, handicraft, calling; work or product of art, Hex; trick, fraud, deceit; machine, instrument;

It's pretty broad! But the concept of the artist as a worthwhile, individual creator who really ought to be treated as something rather special is very much a symptom of the Renaissance isn't it.

To me, a tradesman implies a person who makes his money from the skill of his mind. A craftsman works with his hands to create beauty but not necessarily originality, whereas an artist must aim for all of the above with individual vision too.

 

[Moo]

... the concept of the artist as a worthwhile, individual creator who really ought to be treated as something rather special...

That's something that has occupied the minds of potters for many years. These days I believe they prefer to be called ceramicists, to distinguish them from the lowly beard-and-sandals brigade (the craftsman potters).

a tradesman implies a person who makes his money from the skill of his mind. A craftsman works with his hands to create beauty but not necessarily originality

Now that's interesting: I'd aways thought that craftsmen (joiners, cabinet-makers..) considered themselves to be a cut above tradesmen (carpenters..).

 

[Flyfisher]

To me, a tradesman implies a person who makes his money from the skill of his mind. A craftsman works with his hands to create beauty but not necessarily originality, whereas an artist must aim for all of the above with individual vision too.

Interesting definition, which would make GPs, lawyers and H&S inspectors tradesmen and surgeons, dentists and scaffolders craftsman - well, if you ignore the 'beauty' aspect of scaffolding.

 

[hoppy]

That's the beauty of PPUK.... this thread started with someone seeking advise on plastering..... and we move swiftly on to doctors,dentist...etc etc :lol: :lol:

 

[Nigel Watts]

Tradesmen are the people who should approach one's house via the entrance designated for them. These days, I fear, they no longer seem to know the rules. When I was growing up the milkman always came to the back door with his deliveries. My mother, who still lives in the same house, now has to put up with the bottles being left at the front door.

 

[Flyfisher]

Perhaps Milkmen have been elevated to craftsmen and can now use the front door ?

 

[JoceAndChris]

:lol: I would absolutely LOVE a milkman whether he be tradesman, artist,or craftsman. And I wouldn't care which entrance he used!

Impy-don't let all this digression put you off updating us!

 

[hoppy]

Time served = Tradesman
50 year ols + = craftsmen
Pub every night = Artist
:lol: :lol:

 

[fjpdesigns]

OK - so I'm an artist tradesman craftsman then. Always wondered.

 

[biffvernon]

Nobody ever uses front doors round here.