Limecrete Ceiling

[DaveBrigg]

There have been lots of posts about limecrete floors at ground level, but it is quite possible to have them upstairs too. For some reason lost in time, part of the limecrete floor in what is now the bathroom is exposed below from the kitchen, revealing its construction.
1. Limecrete can be laid directly on top of floorboards
2. If for some reason there are no floorboards, rest a loosely spaced layer of laths between the joists.
3. You can, if you wish, add a few more laths across the first layer, but this seems to be optional.
4. Cover the whole thing with hay. If you can time the work for the autumn so much the better.
5. Pour the limecrete directly on top.
6. Don't forget to warn the person cooking below before you empty your barrow of lime onto the hay (OK, I made this one up, but there are still occasional bits dropping down a few hundred years later)

 

[Nemesis]

It's not so very different from lime ash flooring is it really?

Actually probably is lime ash flooring...

 

[DaveBrigg]

What is the difference between lime ash and limecrete? Is there a test?

 

[Nemesis]

If it's historic it will be lime ash.

Has it black bits in?

 

[DaveBrigg]

It predates the advent of internally plumbed bathrooms, since there are various holes where pipes were once knocked through. And yes, it does have black bits in.
I've just found this definition
"- lime-ash is a composite material, made up of the waste from lime kilns sifted and combined with gypsum (calcium sulphate), which was used for flooring. Strong, durable relatively light and with good warmth and sound insulation properties, lime ash was used in the upper floors of buildings from the 15th through to the last part of the 19th century. The material was laid on a supporting bed which was attached to timber joists. Confined mainly to the limestone belt of middle England, these floors can be very important to the historic character of a building."

I can confirm the excellent sound insulation qualities, which now makes clear why, fortunately, it is not possible to be in the bathroom and listen to people going about their business in the kitchen :wink:
One lives and learns.

 

[Nemesis]

That's the stuff - Biff has things on his website about it. SPAB has a publications. Historic and interesting!

 

[Nemesis]

PS - I can confirm that if you wish to investigate further, this is a wonderful place... the attics are glorious, although not in general open for public viewing I think if you ask nicely...

http://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/george/george.htm

More:

http://www.spab.org.uk/plugins/online_shop/product_popup.php?iDSID=9&iImageID=105&sTitle=Introduction+to+the+Repair+of+Lime-Ash+%26amp%3B+Plaster+Floors