Limewashed room

[CHRIS]

Most people only post when wanting answers or giving advice but I wanted to report back on my first finished room of my 200 year old timber framed cottage in Essex.

I have stripped off tonnes of 1966 plaster board (I know this date as I met the bloke who did it) and cement based skim plaster from the Earth - chalk and hair lime plaster from the original part of the house, I then used a Fine chalk, fine local sand and lime putty mix and filled the joints of walls and ceilings and for any substantial holes where the pink skim had pulled off the wall back to the infill brick work I used 2 x 3-1 local shape sand, goat hair and putty mix coats and the a final skim of the finish stuff.

I let this go of for a week and the started a lime wash of plain white on the ceiling, I watered the first 2 coats 50 - 50 with water and sprayed the surface down good and proper before use, waited a few days then 2 coats of full strength limewash, I then did the same with an "Old white" (slightly grey) for the walls and it is amazing, the finish is beyond good. My wife is over the moon about it and I have earned 1000 brownie points!!! so all is good.

I still have to panel an exposed back of a chimney breast as all the tar etc is leaking out and I will have to wait to find some nice juicy cow pats until later to stop this!! and the finaly get some skirting (any good tips on fixing to lime plaster walls? or a few nails ok?)

I am now hooked on limewash and cant wait to do the rest of the finished walls - infact I may go into buisness doing this as you cant find anyone around here who knows about doing this, all they do is PVA and emulsion over everything.

 

[MDE]

It's nice to hear tales of success as well as lists of problems. I'm just starting out on my 300-yr old stone farmhouse which has been similarly mis-treated in the 20th century. I'm starting with one room, taking all the gypsum off the walls, but am dithering about the ceiling (artex-style over [at least] 18th century lath & plaster). Your report is most encouraging (particularly the 1000 brownie points - even I would take a while to spend those).

 

[CHRIS]

I have used a steamer on Artex and it comes off a treat, also the vapour will keep dust down ( Artex had traces of Asbestos in until late 70s) and is the best way to deal with this stuff, You should put it in a black bag and take it to your local tip. As you are a private person not a company you will be able to dump it with them.

Just get it nice and soaking wet and will be better to get off, just go easy wit the scrapper

 

[Penners]

artex style

Those two words aren't often seen in the same sentence.

 

[MDE]

Actually, I wrote "artex-style" (with a hyphen) as I think it was an attempt to imitate artex, rather than the "real thing" (uh-ugh?). In any case, I had it tested for asbestos and the results were negative. I've had a go at steaming it with some success, but it's very slow and not exactly a fun activity, using a steam stripper above your head! If I do the whole room like this (>20 sq m) then maybe I'll try the wife's shower cap or locate an old sou-wester.

 

[Penners]

So it was aspiring to be artex, eh?

Now I've heard everything!

 

[Sue Wilkinson]

Lime wash is lovely on walls and planks. Its great to use too. But I've just watched a Mike Wye video on all things lime and was surprised at their demonstration lime washing because they wet the wall down much less than I did.

Having lime washed my sitting room before putting carpet and new furniture in it I was worried how I'd do a recoat when it needs it. I had water everywhere when I first did it. But they damped the wall down half and hour before doing the job, then gave it a little bit more as they started and just applied the wash. They didn't have puddles to contend with or drips everywhere, so next time I'll use a lot less water and see how it goes.

I love the yellow/ochre shades. It positively glows.

Sue

 

[MDE]

I'm going to do yellow ochre in my room, too. Do you think in years to come people will say "ah yes, yellow ochre limewash - typical early 21st century fashion - of course, we know better now...."