Removing woodchip from reed ceiling

[JoceAndChris]

I'm not sure- it might be. I just peered into the attic (there are too many creatures in there to go in fully) and it looks like reed, planks, stone and white powder in different places. Will get braver husband to take photos.

Jocelyn

 

[biffvernon]

While we're on t'subject, has anybody made or repaired a lime ash floor themselves?

I'm thinking I might have a go later this year. I have a spare outbuilding that could use a ceiling.

 

[Jon Maine]

While we're on t'subject, has anybody made or repaired a lime ash floor themselves?

I'm thinking I might have a go later this year. I have a spare outbuilding that could use a ceiling.

No never even heard of them before tonight.

Learn something new every day. Interesting reading, gypsum and all.

 

[Gervase]

I repaired a lime-ash floor in our place - a smallish slab to one side of the 'simne fawr' upstairs; it's about three inches thick, three foot by four foot, and made of lime, fairly find aggregate and wood ash and cinders - lots of bits of charcoal and the like in there. I simply raked out the woodburner and made a mix of lime putty, sharp sand and wood ash 1:2:1 (ish), and filled the gaps and cracks after wetting the original well to kill the suction. It wasn't very scientific, but seems to have worked.

 

[Jon Maine]

I have seen lots of lime and ash combined, especially say from 150 years ago but as a suspended floor no.

 

[biffvernon]

Although they occur throughout the country there is a prepoderence in the East Midlands and Yorkshire. Many of the Nottinghamshire examples seem to be more gypsum than lime. The faster set probably made construction an advantage. SPAB have a tecnical leaflet of lime ash floors: http://www.spab.org.uk/html/publications/the-bookshop/.