It’s essential to use the right combination of lime and sand when applying internally. Light plays on lime and using the wrong one can have devastating consequences.
Superb job, looks fantastic. I was one of those that would like to see more stone but I'm appreciating the flush look more and that's how it would've been originally plus it's much more practical for inside and outside moisture and warmth.
So glad I have come across your videos Michael. We have just purchased an old cottage with has had an extension on the rear so the original stone wall is now a central internal wall and has some rising damp. The survey suggests injecting a DPC but after watching a couple of your videos I am thinking this is a bad idea and maybe lime mortar and plaster may resolve it so long as we have a well ventilated property with open flus etc?
Oh well done you. Congrats on the new property. Chemical damp proofing is akin to snake oil. That is to say, there are many promises but it's all usually in the name of making a fast buck. Chemicals will further add to any issues. Get all the cement off and out. Let everything dry out then use a nice NHL2, a putty mortar or some good hot mixed quicklime mortar. Air flow is always good. Maybe get back to your surveyor and make them aware of their bad advice too. Tell them to contact me if they're in any doubt as to the lack of efficacy concerning chemical treatments. I'd welcome a chat. Good luck.
It's still drying out and carbonating. This'll make it go a shade or two lighter as absorption takes place (very important when there are low light levels). Left to my own devices I'd have rendered then lime washed the whole lot but usually clients want what was there when they moved in. I'm not a fan of internally pointed stone. That was always for low grade buildings like cowsheds and barns. Sand and lime putty were expensive back in the day so plastered and rendered finishes were seen as higher status. Bare stone was for peasants who lived in dry built hovels. Whereas the wealthy had lots of decorative plaster and Ashlar facades. The more regency plaster and cut stone you had, the higher your social position. Nowadays it's more about having a 'feature wall' in your converted barn. How times have changed.
@@michaeljamesdesign I hear you. I used to make oak framed houses for the rich. At one time, oak frames were for cow sheds but now you have to be rich to have one. How times have changed indeed.
Michael, do you have a method for removing internal cement render? I have grade 2 listed house dating pre 1800 in Northumberland suffering from 1960s makeover and really worried about the damage might do in removing this stuff with hammer and chisel. The masonry seems similar to your properties...soft sandstone with mud/lime putty bedding mortar. Modern standard concrete floors and external paths.....what we're they thinking? Intend to do the work myself as the local builders are still in the old mindset!! Sue
Hi Sue, I heard a rumour that when God finished making Northumberland he simply downed tools and stopped because he knew he could never better it. You're blessed living in such a delightful place. You need an SDS Plus or or Max to get your render off and A JCB Beaver pack to get your floor up. If I had somewhere to stay I'd gladly do it for you.
I am loving hot mixed everything at the moment. Powdered quicklime makes it possible to make everything from limewash to lime mortar, and lime plaster. Do you reckon that the reason why they used to leave lime putty to mature was because of the risk of late slaking causing expansion in the lime plaster and messing up the surface? From looking at the history of limeburning it seems that quicklime would have often been in lump form, rather than the modern powder/kibble form we get today. Common sense would suggest that big lumps of calcium oxide will take longer to slake and break down, hence why it was left to mature in pits for a few months. With modern high purity powdered quicklime, I don't believe that there is any advantage to slaking it and leaving it to sit for months.
Hey Jonathan. I've looked into why lime putty was matured and it's basically to reduce the grain size and make it more workable. But I think you'd have to be an amazing plasterer to feel the difference between four month old and ten year old putty. I once read about a particular king who would cut the hands off anyone using a putty which was less than forty years old. If you use kibble or lump lime then you get more expansion and therefore a higher volume of putty after slaking so that would be a preference in comparison to powder. Lump lime is also much more safe to handle.
Very nice work. In my part of the world, the interior of stone buildings were typically plastered/rendered or heavily lime-washed at the very least. Curious why this wouldn’t have been the case where you are too? Looks great the way you’ve done it!
It was originally limewashed. There's enough stone bearing the evidence. That stone was actually meant to be seen and it's great quality. It would be a shame to cover it with anything. And I rarely say that.
Wonderful information in your vids, thank you so much. Interestingly, you speak about lime and light in this vid. I know that cement pointing looks utterly dismal under electric light when dark outside (you really would not mix the two). How does lime pointing behave/hold up under electric light in the evening? Thank you. From Moira
Look brilliant. I think I will try to do similar work to the internal walls of my house. Of the 4 sands that you blended, which type was the biggest aggregate?
Biggest problem I find is getting hold of gritty sand with large size aggregate. Most sharp sand is to fine. Have you managed to discover a particular supplier or merchants that can provide this ?
Hi Michael, do you have any opinions on mixing cork granules into lime plaster? Allegedly it’s good for insulation/soundproofing while still being breathable.
Great info Michael , did you every use Roundtower nhl3.5 off grey , used it last week for pointing and it seems very white will it darken over time. Used it Wexford sand 5mm grit(washed beach sand)thanks
Hello Michael. No I've never used Roundtower NHL3.5. I kinda only really use hot mixed mortar now but that's not to say NHLs are all bad. Roundtower 3.5 seems OK but it hasn't got a very high free lime content and tends to contain a lot of impurities. Nevertheless, I've heard good reports about it. Sand is everything with all limes and if you use light coloured sands then it tends to cure lighter. All limes carbonate over a time and tend to mellow. Have a nice rest of the year Michael. All the best.
Hi Michael. My daughter is just about to have some internal stone wall lime rendered and the coil our you have achieved would be perfect, can you recommend the products you used? And what exactly were they ?
Hello Diane, I use my own blend of 4 types of sand from various different suppliers and the quicklime I used on this job is now no longer available in bags. Thing is, if she's having it rendered then it'll be completely different from having it repointed as the two processes are mutually exclusive.
Hi mate, I have a 1930s property and thinking about repointing it. Would it be best to use lime or cement? Would it be a problem if I pointed over cement with lime?
Hi Michael,thank you for video. I have exposed some natural stone internal wall in an old cottage in Ireland and want to repoint in lime. So confused with lots of different advise and finding it hard to source materials. I will be doing it on my own and slowly, can you recommend the type of lime mix I should be using. Thank you Heather
Hi Heather. I only ever recommend repointing stone (which was originally plastered) if there's a really good mechanical reason for it. Plastered stone is always better covered i.e. replastered. You may think it looks nice to see stone but it's just a trend. If it's exposed you should at least lime wash it. However, if you want to keep it exposed because you think it's nice to look at then 1 x quicklime and 4 sand.
Thank you for replying. My walls have got a cement render over the tops of a this lime render so there is some damp issues should I take cement render off and repoint or render with lime. .? Or leave be ? Hope you can help . Thank you Heather
@@irishcottagerenovation9900 All masons and plasterers and people who deal with these things have a preference. Mine is for lime, lime and more lime. You need as much of it as possible to combat damp. Personally I'd let it dry out and render with a high free lime content mortar then go over that with high capillarity paint.
Brilliant job Micheal. The white creamy mortar with flush pointing goes so well with plaster. The Cottage feels cosy and very inviting .👌
Thanks Sam. Very kind of you to say. Much appreciated.
Beautiful job looks fantastic .
Hi Mike,
Nice video, lovely job there, looks brilliant, superb work 👌 Cheers.
Hey Andy! Cheers bud :-)
Superb job, looks fantastic. I was one of those that would like to see more stone but I'm appreciating the flush look more and that's how it would've been originally plus it's much more practical for inside and outside moisture and warmth.
Lime is purely a pragmatic product. It's not a designer intervention. It's all about keeping houses dry and healthy.
Very good. I like the flush look. Great ambiance.
Thank you Mr Scribe. Your comments are always most welcome.
So glad I have come across your videos Michael. We have just purchased an old cottage with has had an extension on the rear so the original stone wall is now a central internal wall and has some rising damp. The survey suggests injecting a DPC but after watching a couple of your videos I am thinking this is a bad idea and maybe lime mortar and plaster may resolve it so long as we have a well ventilated property with open flus etc?
Oh well done you. Congrats on the new property. Chemical damp proofing is akin to snake oil. That is to say, there are many promises but it's all usually in the name of making a fast buck. Chemicals will further add to any issues. Get all the cement off and out. Let everything dry out then use a nice NHL2, a putty mortar or some good hot mixed quicklime mortar. Air flow is always good. Maybe get back to your surveyor and make them aware of their bad advice too. Tell them to contact me if they're in any doubt as to the lack of efficacy concerning chemical treatments. I'd welcome a chat. Good luck.
@@michaeljamesdesign thanks so much for the fabulous advice.
Actually, that does look quite nice 👏
It's still drying out and carbonating. This'll make it go a shade or two lighter as absorption takes place (very important when there are low light levels). Left to my own devices I'd have rendered then lime washed the whole lot but usually clients want what was there when they moved in. I'm not a fan of internally pointed stone. That was always for low grade buildings like cowsheds and barns. Sand and lime putty were expensive back in the day so plastered and rendered finishes were seen as higher status. Bare stone was for peasants who lived in dry built hovels. Whereas the wealthy had lots of decorative plaster and Ashlar facades. The more regency plaster and cut stone you had, the higher your social position. Nowadays it's more about having a 'feature wall' in your converted barn. How times have changed.
@@michaeljamesdesign I hear you. I used to make oak framed houses for the rich. At one time, oak frames were for cow sheds but now you have to be rich to have one. How times have changed indeed.
Hello Michael. I would like to see you actually apply the mortar to flush point please .. thank you
Michael, do you have a method for removing internal cement render? I have grade 2 listed house dating pre 1800 in Northumberland suffering from 1960s makeover and really worried about the damage might do in removing this stuff with hammer and chisel. The masonry seems similar to your properties...soft sandstone with mud/lime putty bedding mortar. Modern standard concrete floors and external paths.....what we're they thinking?
Intend to do the work myself as the local builders are still in the old mindset!!
Sue
Hi Sue, I heard a rumour that when God finished making Northumberland he simply downed tools and stopped because he knew he could never better it. You're blessed living in such a delightful place. You need an SDS Plus or or Max to get your render off and A JCB Beaver pack to get your floor up. If I had somewhere to stay I'd gladly do it for you.
Very encouraged by your fast response Michael....now for some proper tools!
If you want to see a crime go and see what they have done to the 16thc Milton's cottage in Chalford St Giles
Hope your well haven't seen any new posts of yours?
Soon Philomena, soon.
I am loving hot mixed everything at the moment. Powdered quicklime makes it possible to make everything from limewash to lime mortar, and lime plaster.
Do you reckon that the reason why they used to leave lime putty to mature was because of the risk of late slaking causing expansion in the lime plaster and messing up the surface?
From looking at the history of limeburning it seems that quicklime would have often been in lump form, rather than the modern powder/kibble form we get today. Common sense would suggest that big lumps of calcium oxide will take longer to slake and break down, hence why it was left to mature in pits for a few months.
With modern high purity powdered quicklime, I don't believe that there is any advantage to slaking it and leaving it to sit for months.
Hey Jonathan. I've looked into why lime putty was matured and it's basically to reduce the grain size and make it more workable. But I think you'd have to be an amazing plasterer to feel the difference between four month old and ten year old putty. I once read about a particular king who would cut the hands off anyone using a putty which was less than forty years old. If you use kibble or lump lime then you get more expansion and therefore a higher volume of putty after slaking so that would be a preference in comparison to powder. Lump lime is also much more safe to handle.
Very nice work. In my part of the world, the interior of stone buildings were typically plastered/rendered or heavily lime-washed at the very least. Curious why this wouldn’t have been the case where you are too? Looks great the way you’ve done it!
It was originally limewashed. There's enough stone bearing the evidence. That stone was actually meant to be seen and it's great quality. It would be a shame to cover it with anything. And I rarely say that.
Proper job 👌
Wonderful information in your vids, thank you so much. Interestingly, you speak about lime and light in this vid. I know that cement pointing looks utterly dismal under electric light when dark outside (you really would not mix the two). How does lime pointing behave/hold up under electric light in the evening? Thank you. From Moira
It's fine but you must use quicklime or lime hydrate.
@@michaeljamesdesign Thank you. I will look into those2, great.
Hey Michael please could you do a few videos of mixing internal and external lime mortars. KR David
They're both the same.
Hi Michael. The walls are all cut ready for pointing, I do like the idea of the flush pointing. You then brush excess off with a churn brush ?
Oh Diane, if only it was as straight forward as that.
Look brilliant. I think I will try to do similar work to the internal walls of my house.
Of the 4 sands that you blended, which type was the biggest aggregate?
Up to 10mm but the average would be
Biggest problem I find is getting hold of gritty sand with large size aggregate. Most sharp sand is to fine. Have you managed to discover a particular supplier or merchants that can provide this ?
Fine grain sharp is my dream.
Hi Michael, do you have any opinions on mixing cork granules into lime plaster? Allegedly it’s good for insulation/soundproofing while still being breathable.
I think it's a great idea but I wouldn't do it when pointing.
Great info Michael , did you every use Roundtower nhl3.5 off grey , used it last week for pointing and it seems very white will it darken over time. Used it Wexford sand 5mm grit(washed beach sand)thanks
Hello Michael. No I've never used Roundtower NHL3.5. I kinda only really use hot mixed mortar now but that's not to say NHLs are all bad. Roundtower 3.5 seems OK but it hasn't got a very high free lime content and tends to contain a lot of impurities. Nevertheless, I've heard good reports about it. Sand is everything with all limes and if you use light coloured sands then it tends to cure lighter. All limes carbonate over a time and tend to mellow. Have a nice rest of the year Michael. All the best.
@@michaeljamesdesign thanks Michael , really appreciate your advice 👍
@@rosslukeshay My pleasure.
Hi Michael. My daughter is just about to have some internal stone wall lime rendered and the coil our you have achieved would be perfect, can you recommend the products you used? And what exactly were they ?
Hello Diane, I use my own blend of 4 types of sand from various different suppliers and the quicklime I used on this job is now no longer available in bags. Thing is, if she's having it rendered then it'll be completely different from having it repointed as the two processes are mutually exclusive.
Hi Michael please can I ask who manufactures the quick lime that you use
That was the last of the Singleton Birch ML90. No longer produced in 25kg bags unfortunately.
Hi mate, I have a 1930s property and thinking about repointing it. Would it be best to use lime or cement? Would it be a problem if I pointed over cement with lime?
Q1) Lime. Q2) Very much so.
So I wouldn’t be able to use lime if it’s cement built? Is it possible I could send you some pictures over?
@@jazzyjeff1516 there would be no point in using lime with any cement built property. If you want to make it look nice use white cement
I’m just trying gauge the best mix to use on my property as I would rather use lime but don’t no if the property was built with lime or cement.
If I sent you some pictures over, do you think you would be able to tell me what mortar was used?
Hi Michael,thank you for video. I have exposed some natural stone internal wall in an old cottage in Ireland and want to repoint in lime. So confused with lots of different advise and finding it hard to source materials. I will be doing it on my own and slowly, can you recommend the type of lime mix I should be using. Thank you Heather
Hi Heather. I only ever recommend repointing stone (which was originally plastered) if there's a really good mechanical reason for it. Plastered stone is always better covered i.e. replastered. You may think it looks nice to see stone but it's just a trend. If it's exposed you should at least lime wash it. However, if you want to keep it exposed because you think it's nice to look at then 1 x quicklime and 4 sand.
Thank you for replying. My walls have got a cement render over the tops of a this lime render so there is some damp issues should I take cement render off and repoint or render with lime. .? Or leave be ? Hope you can help . Thank you Heather
@@irishcottagerenovation9900 All masons and plasterers and people who deal with these things have a preference. Mine is for lime, lime and more lime. You need as much of it as possible to combat damp. Personally I'd let it dry out and render with a high free lime content mortar then go over that with high capillarity paint.
Thank you for making the time to reply. I will remove the cement render and let it dry out. Then try and do as you say. Heather