lime plastering

[MatthewC]

PP - I think that like Toby you are also using hydraulic lime? I would say that is the issue as I'm sure it goes off much faster than lime putty/sand. We used 3:1 sand/lime from Mike Wye and it was workable for ages. If anything it took too long to go off before the surface could be trowelled, so I was paying him to watch it dry at the end of the day....

 

[plasticpigeon]

Thanks Matthew, it could be the case. However even hydraulic lime takes ages to go off in the bucket, it stays workable for many hours, it just dries out quickly when it goes on the wall though!!! How thick was the plaster on your walls?? Was it wetted down over a long period before applying the top coat???