Lime Plastering in Cornwall
- Published: 24 November 2016 24 November 2016
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Lime plaster is a type of plaster composed of sand, water and lime, but can also have natural hair introduced to it for reinforcement.
Lime Plaster sets up to an extremely hard and solid mass, but is very flexible and breathable. Walls plastered with Lime have lasted for thousands of years, as it is unaffected by water and will not soften or dissolve. Lime Plaster is good to use to plaster external walls as it is sufficiently durable and resistant to the elements. Using it internally is very beneficial as it can help to limit or eradicate damp.
Before any Lime Plastering in Cornwall takes place, an assessment needs to be carried out to determine how many coats of Lime Plaster was originally used and/or the quality of finish required. In many buildings from the 18th century onwards Lime Plaster was/is applied in 3 coats, enabling a flat finish to be achieved. The 3 coat process is:
- 1st Coat – this is known as the ‘scratch coat’ as the surface is scratched with lines to give a key for the next coat.
- 2nd Coat – this is known as the ‘floating’ or ‘straightening’ coat and is used to give the surface a level plane.
- 3rd Coat – this is known as the ‘setting’ or ‘finishing’ coat and can vary depending on the hardness and type of finish required.
A 3 coat Lime Plaster in Cornwall can be aesthetically pleasing, in addition allowing the walls to breathe reducing the levels of moisture in a Stone or Cob built property in Cornwall.
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