Hot Mixing Lime and Dubbing Out - Portugal Property Renovation #31

Our limecrete floor is down and has dried out nicely. Now it's time to use a completely different type of lime to start filling in the holes in the stone walls of our Portuguese farmhouse. In this video we'll show you how we've been hot mixing quicklime (or cal viva in Portuguese) and preparing the walls for plastering.
Since we've got a lot of lime work ahead of us, it's high time Kylie had a go with a trowel and a hawk. I'm sure she'll pick it up in no time...
For more on our DIY renovation of this beautiful stone house, check out our BUILD playlist.
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[@josefmalina1101]

ozzie plasterer here, use your hands to fill the holes and cracks, literally throw and massage it in, it will be 100 times faster, use the hawk and trail for finish coat and please wear gloves . love your channel keep up the great work.

[@Strange-Viking]

Thats a way of doing it too indeed, great tip! I prefer throwing it in. Gloves come apart so fast and if you work lots with any type of cement... oh man, it takes your gloves apart and your fingers too as you might know 🤣 or maybe its just that you ozzie guys are tuffer hahah or maybe im missing something else? keen to know if so

[@HRH9564]

I wonder if a masons piping bag would work

[@josefmalina1101]

@@Strange-Viking we use heavy duty rubber cleaners gloves that go half way up the arms instead of construction gloves.

[@Alfablue227]

Those big holes on the walls are for placement of beams. Normally the animails, pigs, sheep, etc would be below, above they would have another half (normally) floor (partition) for the hay and grasses. Good work guys, you are troopers.

[@marcob1729]

there's a really neat article/documentary about an archaeologist figuring out the substructure of the Roman colosseum by mapping holes cut into the walls and backing out where all the beams would have gone

[@Alfablue227]

@@marcob1729 I think I saw it somewhere here on YTube. Yes, we even inherited that from the Romans, but we still have a few round Celtic houses here and there. Shame they are reconstructions. The real deal we DO have are a few rows high stone walls, but many of those still exist.

[@Strange-Viking]

ah is it? Back in Brazil we use to make them for scaffolding as they did back in the old days. But it makes sense to even have it as a doubling function. 1st for scaffolding and later on just leave them holes for a partitioned floor. Very interesting! Thanks for your sharing your info

[@michele1491]

It would be beautiful to place a block of wood in those holes

[@coffeefortwosolly]

I always think in these slow more tedious tasks what ever you achieve you won’t have to that bit again 😉..and keep a longer gaze on the little you achieved than what’s left to do 🤣🤣 🙋🏻‍♀️🇬🇧💕jane

[@duartevillas7619]

Estou bastante admirado com o vosso compromisso e esforço ao manter e respeitar os costumes quando ao estilo e traço antigo Português. Tenho a agradecer o vosso testemunho e sinto que trará frutos a todos os que aqui encontrarem uma fonte de inspiração. Espero que a vossa adaptação à nossa cultura seja a melhor possível e que tanto a localidade como vocês consigam aprender e crescer em conjunto. Muitos parabéns, as melhores felicidades e muito obrigado. (Btw, I wrote this comment in Portuguese on purpose since, presumably, it will engage better on your portuguese lessons. Cheers)

[@Neilhuny]

I haven't (yet) put your comment through Google Translate but I like your English comment; make them work on their Portuguese!

[@Neilhuny]

Now I've translated the Portuguese and agree completely! (OK, I didn't - Google did)

[@MAKEDOGROW]

I really hope that our journey will inspire others to buy and restore other beautiful Portuguese properties (there are so many!). (ps. I tried, but my Portuguese isn't yet up to the task :)

[@roselyngacosta1257]

Happy watching the two of you.

[@babzblu]

That was so interesting...never seen the lime, sand, water reaction before. Wow. Love watching you two in action. Love your work and your home. Cheers.😊

[@oggiedoggies]

I've been watching (some doing) DIY home improvement shows for 15+ years; never have I ever been more impressed with your level of self learned knowledge & skills. 👏👏👏 Yous are a phenomenal team. 🥰🥰

[@dronemetrics5853]

Hi! I am doing the same thing in an old house in Spain… For smoother transitions from the lime to the stone, after 30-45’ of the lime dried out slightly, with a well wet sponge you can create lovely curves and a much better overall finish…. even though it is the laundry room… Take care!

[@emcook1]

Love the great British sense of humor which always makes following your journey more enjoyable!

[@sofarsogood8446]

I’ve also seen those little nooks in the stone walls as a spot to put your candle.

[@barbarakeegan9516]

You’re both so impressively knowledgeable. Love your ‘can do’ approach. Fantastic progress on your beautiful house.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@lornablencowe1177]

Another interesting, humorous and entertaining video! Love your explanations and subject to detail! Have a great week guys and look forward to next weeks video!🥰🥰

[@user-cu7zi6pu6w]

This is the video I've been waiting for - very nice explanation of what, how and why to use lime plastering for a house constructed from stone, and most importantly, walls that are in direct contact with the earth, wicking up moisture - this being the reason for a porous, breathable coating instead of being trapped behind concrete. Thanks, guys!

[@raycruickshank4928]

In Canada I buy Hydrated Lime, otherwise known as slaked lime. It is not hydraulic lime, but it is what you are making by adding water to quick lime. Using Hydrated Lime saves a step and is much safer and easier to use.

[@amygarner1812]

I love that you show how slow + tedious renovation work can be (i.e not just the pretty bits!)! I spent yesterday afternoon prepping + protecting wooden beams ready and then priming ready to paint. It took ages and I felt really low and demoralised, as I only got 1/3 rd done and it was super hot and exhausting (- like you said Kylie!). Thank you for keeping it real + helping me also be more realistic about how long things take!!

[@1834RestorationHouse]

We did this same thing in the basement of our old 1834 house. It's a lot of work but when it's done, it looks and feels so much better!

[@nelsondesilva3916]

Guy's got skills with that trowel! Loved the video, always fun and interesting to watch. Just as a side note, where's Kylie's "Biiyyeee" at the end? I won't know if the video has ended otherwise.

[@vickihoneycutt456]

You two are so knowledgeable ,keep up great work! Your progress seems to be moving right along.

[@mochalab6286]

I admire your partnership and love that you are both enjoying this journey together. Well done and thank you for sharing it all with us.

[@ursuly]

Hi :) I habe seen someone use a piping bag for this type of work on a stone fireplace. Yes the same piping bag you'd use for cake frosting/decorating. Thanks for the videos and have a great day :)

[@ballsflying]

Romans used Hotmix mortar. Very strong and pressure resilient.

[@moiragoldsmith7052]

I was a Master Baker and Confectioner for many years. Each time I see folk doing this...I feel it would be easier with a piping bag🤣🙈🤣...and a swift smoothing with a pallette knife. I am so chuffed you mentioned ' cake icing'. Well done you two... magnificent it is you are. 💞

[@MAKEDOGROW]

😂😂 I wonder how many bags we’d go through doing the whole house, I imagine they wouldn’t be as durable with a sand/lime mix 😀

[@amygarner1812]

@@MAKEDOGROW I saw a couple try the 'piping' method on another channel and, sadly, they said it did not work. The channel was "Tales from the Caveside- Cavehouse Spain"

[@fredlarge8209]

Good job kids.

[@maxwright9194]

That stuff reacting sounds like me in the bathroom after I've eaten anything with dairy in it!

[@majuambo]

I'm many walls that are "straighter" than the one in the video, you can see small little rocks inserted in the gaps. This is used to stabilise and strengthen the wall, which should be done along the plastering you're doing right now. Also helps to hold better the lime with time as is it less chunky. Nevertheless, good job, these days would be very difficult to get someone to do such job as it is time consuming.

[@295walk]

Pinning

[@elephantinsightprojectmana7194]

Thank you for the excellent explanations.

[@beatieswanepoel3004]

I cannot wait to see the house when its all finished. I can just imagine how its going to be with that thick walls. 🌹🐝🇿🇦

[@serafimkiriakis1382]

You are great couple and my inspiration to do it the same renovation for my grandfather stones house in Greece ,thank u guys!

[@johnlennon335]

I think you should have a wheelbarrow of similar stone chinkers to use to help fill in the big holes and it will help you get much more out of your mortar material. It looks to be an awesome but ambitious project!

[@nkb1]

One of the buckets is full of chinkers. I imagine a wheelbarrow is a bit too large for the room.

[@lisawoods9391]

Great work you two! I can't wait to see the finished product! LOVE watching your videos. . . My husband and I are actually thinking of moving to Portugal, but it's probably never going to happen! lol. I'm in my 60's now, and it wouldn't be as easy for me to do that stuff! You guys are champions!! lol. . .

[@ruthnoronha8206]

I loved the video. You both work so damn hard. It might seem boring but I love the way you both work together, humor and Kyle laughing. She makes me smile. Guy you are awesome too.

[@smythamsmade]

How did the Portguese boot camp go? Love your enthusiasm for collecting new skills. Thankyou for sharing your lives like this :)

[@BethS55]

Really nice you both working together. Rest when you need too! Looking nice!

[@naturalcombinations]

You guys are doing great

[@mariushegli]

I have nothing to say really, but I appreciate your content, and wish to help with the yt-algorithms.

[@gaynor3976]

Looks laborious but will look great when it's all done. It's great you can share the jobs. That gurgling was funny to listen to when the lime was mixed with the sand, can imagine the heat coming off it though. Looking good Guy and Kylie, thanks for sharing xx

[@layna8924]

HELLO KYLIE & GUY, THANKYOU FOR THE SOMEWHAT CEREBRAL EXPLANATORY OF LIME MIX, ETC. ...WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG, I IMAGINE YOU NEVER EXPECTED YOU WOULD BECOME EXPERTS IN LIME & STONEWORK...ALL THE BEST...🙏;)

[@601salsa]

You can get smaller trowels to push the lime mix into the cracks better when you have smaller cracks.... see indie projects barn vonversion... they did the pointing on that after ther rebuilt the walls.

[@catherinecampinos5331]

I've seen in other videos of old stone houses that the holes in the walls used to hold beams that were stood on to reach higher levels of stone setting when building the structure. Seemed like a plausible explanation. I enjoy tagging along on your journey thoroughly. Thank you!

[@Yustiniya1]

Thank you so so much for this video!

[@Neilhuny]

Very pleased to see in the timelapse section that you had a tub of rocks to fill in the bigger gaps: lime plaster expensive; rocks free. Others that watch this should make sure that, like you, they use only what lime plaster they need to

[@carlroge]

awesome. as per!

[@MAKEDOGROW]

From the man who built an oak staircase by hand, high praise indeed 😀 ps. we aspire to have your Dad’s plastering skills (many years of practice ahead!)

[@thomascallaghan5988]

Great video

[@lynh8378]

It's so entertaining to watch ya'll work! Thank you.

[@lorimontcalm9086]

"Moist" is just one of those words!! It must have been scary mixing that stuff the first time!! Hugs from 🇨🇦

[@leahlemieux6410]

Excellent job, as always! Just FYI, fellow KZbinrs Bea and Theo, from the Indie Project, have pointed their entire dwelling and did a phenomenal job! They are in Castello Branco, so maybe contact them when ready for pointers on pointing (ha! When ready, obviously!) You both have inspired my husband and my self into considering moving to Portugal in a couple of years - thank you for all the information you have provided on KZbin!

[@idafisher8327]

Theo learned how to point from Nick (Project Portugal) Nick has helped out quit a few other KZbin channels in Portugal he is amazing and knows how to do so many things. Check him out.

[@leahlemieux6410]

To BarbyP : I was only trying to be helpful, not advertise anything or anyone. If I was harmful or offensive to anyone, I will refrain from trying to be helpful in the future.

[@amygarner1812]

@@idafisher8327 Thanks for the tip - will check this out 🙂

[@desirepflugbeil8986]

I just love your love of learning. Well done!

[@helenavanmaanen6733]

Wow, wow, wow, these videos are so utterly useful to me!! Tanks a million!!

[@amygarner1812]

I love your down to earth and unpretentious videos. Thanks!

[@judiehavard4903]

A garden sprayer for the water on the walls might be easier.

[@monalingan9523]

I admire and complement the two of you. You two move into projects that are quite daunting, but you push ahead together.

[@billyinwaves]

Fascinating stuff about the hot lime mixes, and about your breathable walls. Thanks a lot for educating as well as entertaining. Doing this will teach you to point the (other) stone walls you want to keep bare. You do the same as you have done here, but you then brush away the excess from the stones before the lime mortar goes off. Clean with a damp cloth. Keep up the fine renovation work, you're obviously doing a great job here! As a carpenter, I remember my heart sinking in the early videos where you discovered all the rot and infestations in the old timber work.

[@pandrew3146]

,so pleased you take care of your health. Great work you 2. Bless you. Philippa Australia

[@rachelfrees1268]

That is tedious work. Bless you both. Your attitudes are 💯👏

[@pamela5568]

To think that back in 1930ish people mixed the lime and even after it boiled they were good to put it on their walls. Interesting. It's nice to see both of you comfortable in front of the camera, but especially to keep your sense of humor through it all.

[@lynnelewis9605]

Love watching u guys I know it's hard work but u both have a laugh doing it together it's enjoy to watch .x

[@johnperks8307]

Brilliant job

[@WPGinfo]

Great teamwork!

[@cindybickford9939]

It looks great!

[@kebergify]

Listening to that lime mixture bubbling was WILD!!! Oh my goodness!!! It looks so good on the walls...truly hard work. I've done a small bit in a previous home and yes, it is a daunting task. You'll get it and it will be fabulous!

[@hiramatangi1736]

Great work team, keep going!

[@bigkevcanb]

Great to see, I’ve done lots of outside stone work with cement, never had to think about damp courses beyond drainage

[@gabinpiedbois4063]

Not one to comment, but I just wanted to say that I really appreciate the project, the "format" and most of all, the dynamic between the two of you, you are a really lovely couple, it's a pleasure to watch ! Keep it up !

[@MAKEDOGROW]

Thanks 😊 glad you’re enjoying our little adventure

[@jeantriplett8478]

Thank you for another entertaining video, always look forward to the next one.

[@corrineyoung5934]

Piping bag works really good on the smaller holes, try it out

[@jamesmartin9898]

Nice job guys. Thank you

[@andrisromanovskis9363]

Hello, guys! I have an old wall too and am preparing it for plastering. To fill the cracks and holes I used a 600 ml silicone gun as a giant syringe to inject the mix into the wall. It is a lot faster. A 600 ml silicone gun is an aluminium tube with a piston mechanism on one end and a pointy funnel on the other. Costs about 10 euros. Fill it with the mix, screw the pointy end back on and start injecting.

[@richardteychenne3950]

Most satisfying seeing skills and success develop. 👍 Feel for you with the aching muscles 😅🤩

[@schmidtludwig884]

I do love this !Keep going guys! You will get the hang of it soon. Keep up the good work you are doing!

[@petebachand785]

Finca Life and The Indie Projects have been doing a lot of stone work, filling in and pointing. You could get some good tips there.

[@carolined3058]

Nice work together

[@warwickspence2294]

I have seen other channels where they use a large caulking gun to squirt the mortar into the gaps, then use the trowel to smooth off. It is very fast and less labour intensive. Great videos guys, love your attention to detail.

[@bryansarty3821]

I've never done lime work myself yet (though I know that will be coming in the not too distant future) but I have heard that some folks use piping bags or actual large zip lock bags with the corner cut out to apply the lime into cracks and then smooth it out with a table spoon. Another great episode by the way. I always appreciate the education that you two are providing me. 😀 Cheers!

[@amygarner1812]

YES - lots more lime-related content PLEASE!! :-D Thank you so much! Love your channel + about to binge watch! We are renovating a big old house in Spain and I find the lime information online is very confusing, never mind that the products + words / terms vary slightly here from the UK / US. The builders here keep telling us to use gypsum plaster (wrong!) and the builders supply merchants look blank when we ask about lime. Our whole casa has had all outside walls rendered in lime (calc, in Spanish) in 2017, and the base layers of rough lime/calc have been applied internally. Husband and I still have to finish rest of walls by hand as well as an external wall + patio area. There is some gypsum plaster on upper floors, that we'll leave on, because we have a damp course put in on ground floors. Apart from dubbing out, we want to use lime plaster to finish and also making a 'lime paint' for the top finish layer. Thanks again!!!!!

[@moorelandhouse]

We got our quicklime from a chemical supply company. Water treatment plants use it. We had to buy 2,000 pounds of it but it winds up being cheaper than cement mortar.

[@keithaspin5160]

Great great great Video guys.......team work making the dream work!!!!!! I am excited to watch your progress!!! I always find your videos very engaging....and they finish far too early.....lol

[@gabrielalexandre3425]

You can use a sponge to give it a cleaner look. Soak it in water and pass it through the lime to mix better with the rocks. The surface will be smoother

[@blanchryan3139]

Professional pointers hold hawk against wall at slight angle and scrape small amount fast remember your pointing not pestering you are right on track Klles

[@moorelandhouse]

We have actually melted a bucket when mixing some hot lime mortar. We learned a lot from the book by Nigel Copsey.

[@MAKEDOGROW]

It’s a great book ... and there’s even better articles on his website 😀

[@moorelandhouse]

@@MAKEDOGROW It's so fun to work with hot lime mortar. Not sure why more people don't do it. Our quicklime looks like white gravel.

[@LiLBitsDK]

is so funny to see where you both excel and "fail" or whatever you wanna call it, but you work it out great with working together and each do what they do best and tadaa nice results :D we are not all the same and we aren't all good at everything so being to share like that on such a massice project is a big help for sure

[@iaintaylor5585]

You are also developing key dentistry skills. One to think about for the future?

[@cdyck9672]

Another great video; thanks for sharing! Cheers 🍻

[@corrineyoung5934]

Piping bag works really good for the smaller holes

[@katiadp2145]

Love your videos. !

[@carolbulmer8253]

Good job on the dubbing!

[@florentinalily]

great job! Just a tip; when the chaux is just 'going off' - depending on weather either the morning after you finish or a few hours - just go over it with a stiff handbrush and bang it into the joints. I spent a month doing a series of walls and then the professional lime plasterers came in and threw the lime at the wall for the second and third coats.. You may find that you will get on with a narrower pointing trowel for the deep holes?

[@garykoblitz4932]

The way Kylie does the pointing is how I would do it, i.e., hold the mortar board against the stone to catch the droppings. Less waste, less mess.

[@suesparks4301]

Hi and thank you so much for the tutorial... we have a more yellow finish to our existing mortar in Spain (which we need to match) so a bit more investigating for us. An amazing post full of insight all the same and love following your progress. Great work 👏👏 Saludos!

[@MAKEDOGROW]

The colour might be due to using a different sand, or perhaps even adding a pigment. Might be worth seeing what sands you have available and trying a couple of test mixes to see how it comes out?

[@suesparks4301]

@@MAKEDOGROW thanks for the tip!! It will be trial and error for sure.... I appreciate all your efforts! A Spanish website has a mix of 10 parts sand, 3 parts cal and 1 part cement but no water calculation 🙈 We will ask a few more locals and see where we get.👍

[@jasonperry70]

another really great video, its exactly like the way I'm doing mine with the hotlime (but I got a metal bin!). At least if your wrong then so am I!

[@celiapeixecaeiro1505]

Olá Gosto de ver o vosso esforço eu também desde 2013 que ando a fazer obras na minha casa no Alentejo devagar porque é tudo muito caro aprecio a vossa persistência eu sou portuguesa e já me deparei com alguns vigaristas imagino vocês que não são portugueses . 😭Um abraço Célia.

[@iamie153]

Thank you for all the explanation about the different lime mixes etc. Not something I am ever likely to use in NZ but fascinating. I suggest you use a 2 or 5 litre garden spray pump to put the water on, much easier on the hands. 🙂 Thanks for your great videos across your channel.

[@Strange-Viking]

Awesome vid! I noticed that the sand you used is quite coarse so it might be becouse of that instead of the lime, but sitting here I cant really say if it is. To save some time; Instead of spraying like that its easier and faster with a big brush, the biggest you can find (one of those that you can use to paint lime on walls) stick it in a bucket of water and just splash it over the wall, just need to be quick. And instead of pushing the lime in you can also throw it in. That will be allot more messy though, but allot faster. It will also needs some practice but you will get the hang of it in a day. After that just use a straight piece of wood or anything like it to remove the excess, the remains you can just pick up and use again, even when dried out lots just remix it with water to reactivate the consistency. You wont waste much like that at all. And after a few days you will be so good at it that you can throw it in any small little crack. It actually bonds better like that too. But there is nothing wrong with doing it like you are at all. Theres tons of vids on youtube on how to throw cement and stuff Those holes in the wall usually where used for scaffolding to construct and maintain the house. You can put some wooden beams in them and make scaffolding yourself before you close them up to do the ceiling, and move it from room to room. Allot easier then using a ladder going up and down all the time. I think for people who never done it before you are doing a great job at it! p.s. I just learned that those holes, they might have also been used for a partitioned ceiling. Still, we used to make those holes (in modern buildings) for scaffolding. So maybe they where just very smart about it, like they where in those days and did both

[@mathijsdumon]

You could also use a mixture of loam and chopped straw to fill the bigger holes, as it is a less aggressive material. You can easily work this with your bare hands. The cover it with a thinner layer of lime for strength, as ´cob´ is not very strong. Depends on what´s available locally though. Nice work!

[@billyinwaves]

The nooks in the walls were used for poles when the walls were built. They would place a timber from wall to wall to create a platform to work from - to then build the walls higher. So these nooks were for home made scaffolding. To lose them, you fill them with appropriate stones.

[@carolerodeghiero8157]

Doing well don't be discouraged

[@berty9561]

Nice job you grafters. Did a little plastering myself last week. Not fun and going to need the sander to smooth out me mistakes

[@alisonward3167]

Good job, it was painful though watching you use the hand spray bottle. You need a pressure spray bottle to save your fingers, they are great for use in the garden too. 😊

[@Steamrollergirl71]

I thought that. Those spray nozzles never last long. You can just get a small bucket of water and a large paint brush and slop it on and leave for a few minutes. Much quicker.

[@kitsurubami]

exciting!

[@anitamoolman168]

I gathered that’s why you got her doing the wall while you were filming 😁😁

[@Ida-fz3ir]

the longer the lime/sand/water mix is stored, the better! I needed for my walls 25kg/m2...all the wholes took a lot!

[@lynnedonald3261]

I think that it must feel like you're building house up now instead of pulling things down...which must feel fantastic.