HOW TO LIME PLASTER A WALL | Regency Renovation #15 | Build with A&E

[@DRJMF1]

Very generous of you to share all the details. But in fact, I can apply a single lime plaster coat to a bare brick wall and it’s job done. The formulation is cardewmires sand (stops cracking due to broad particle size distribution) as 4 parts, then add 1 part of quick lime (Shapp quarry Cumbria), then slake it in clean 200litre oil drums. Only make 50kg batches, but run several drums in parallel using a heavy duty drill whisk. Store 500kg into many 20kg sealed buckets prior to the job. Refina roller pan mixer to knock up the plaster in 20kg batches , apply immediately onto wall. Roller pan mix for 15 minutes. Good lad & thank you.

[@huntos83]

This is a fantastic tutorial, I followed it step by step from a bare brick wall and have ended up with an impressive finish that is much better than I thought I would achieve. While it undoubtedly took me a lot longer than a professional plasterer I honestly think I’ve achieved a professional finish thanks to you 👍

[@66tas95]

I have been a plasterer for 40 years and I think you did a nice job explaining the process. The punters need to know that the first 5 years are the hardest.

[@plummerboy170]

25 years in the trade and I’ve learnt something watching this , very well explained

[@tanyaroyredcar]

just found this after lime plastering (for the first time) the downstairs of our 400y.o. renovation. I started on the small walls first to hone the skills and left the biggest to last. walls were well out of level and used a laser to set up wooden beads at all reveals. Very pleased with the results but it would have been good to have seen this first. Lime plastering is hard work and I was completely wrecked after completing the big walls. I did all that you did and in the same sequence. But you made it look easy. It wasn't. Great job. Thanks.

[@BuildWithAE]

Great to hear bud! Starting with smaller walls is definitely the way to go about it as you say. Thanks for sharing your experiences and have an awesome weekend! 👍

[@stephenjames674]

I have renovated a 400 year old house using lime as a DIYer and think this an excellent video. The one thing I disagree with is not trying it as a plastering noob, as with lime you have time; as long as you keep it damp then you can keep going back and attempting each coat again and even scrape a coat off if necessary. Maybe you won’t get the pro finish in this video, that clearly comes with experience, but it is only the highest quality old buildings which had a smooth finish anyway, the rest had a finish which was more rustic as normally wooden floats were used.

[@DanielBelzil]

Agree. Lime is fairly forgiving.

[@colonynaut1627]

I know it's a lot of work but I'd love to do this for my own house one day - the colours and natural lighting on lime plaster is spectacular,

[@SurfSurf934]

Get yourself a little work platform. Ive got a 2m long one with extendable legs. Can bring the mud board closer and not go up and down, ladders tire you out.

[@jesperdahl1486]

I was happy to see this video, six weeks ago I bought an old farm house, which by age should be built with lime mortar and plaster (I have not yet done the vinegar test) The work looks to be easily done by "regular" craftsmen. A while back I watched a UK based television show about restoring old dilapidated buildings, they explained in great detail how slow the process was, a room the size you are working in would take two men about a month, and only specially anointed men could do the work, and they were about as rare as qualified astronauts, I thought that they lied, and you just confirmed that. It is nice to see a young(ish) man working with old fashioned materials, and techniques, keeping an old building as it was centuries ago, you could have sprayed the wall with cement plaster (or gypsum as the Germans do) and be done in a day. Thank you for taking the time to film, edit, and post this video.

[@BuildWithAE]

Hi jesper dahl, We are keen to use modern techniques and materials on many of our projects, as they can be eco friendly as well as economical in both time and money. However, a property such as this should be treated with the respect it deserves, and hopefully we've achieved that! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching. All the best, John 😊

[@jesperdahl1486]

@bina nocht I certainly did not try to imply that cement was an option, I was referring to the fact that it would have been much faster, but that does not outweigh the problems that you put forward, as they are totally valid.

[@jesperdahl1486]

@@BuildWithAE Just this week (more then a year later) I finally (I hope) found out how to make lime plaster, granted I can order one ton of quick lime in a bigbag, and have it delivered from Germany to Denmark, or buy 750Kg of wet lime plaster in a plastic bag on a pallet, but I want to buy the materials as I go. In England and Portugal quick lime is readily available from every feed store, and building merchant in 25Kg bags, and in the rest of Europe, not so much. All the information on KZbin, about making lime mortar is about "Hot lime mortar" and is from England, and that is the "problem" as I can "only" get "Hydrated lime" in bags. Earlier this week I spoke to a Danish supplier, that told me that both England and Portugal have a tradition for using quick lime, and he offered me the lime I spoke of, we spoke at length about plaster, he tried to sell me on "hydraulic lime plaster" but I kept searching, and I stumbled on a paper from the "Danish technical institute" that finally shined a light on how Danish lime mortar was made more recently (100-200 years ?) If you take the "normal" recipe for hot lime mortar, 1 part quick lime, 3 parts sand, and 1.5-2 parts water, and WEIGH the lime after slaking, and then the sand, you get a ratio of roughly 100Kg to 750Kg (13%) you can then use hydrated lime for the 100Kg of lime (histrionically lime was as much as 40% (due to the poor quality of site burned lime) and as low as sub 10% (in times of economical hardship) that is how mortar was made in Denmark after they stopped burning and slaking lime right on the building site, and started getting it in from offsite. I watched the video from end to end, and I am still amazed about the result (and effort) Keep up the great work.

[@BuildWithAE]

@@jesperdahl1486 talk to Tymer Wales they will have everything you need 👍

[@nicdavidson3063]

Amazing vid, very clear and detailed with no flannel and pitched at the right level. My first time with lime plaster (and only a couple of goes with any plastering to be honest) so followed it step by step from bare brick up to finished wall and it turned out very well. Now have the confidence to do all the lime plastering in my 1820s renovation. Only bit of advice I didn't take was not to take on a large wall for first time!!:) Another step in my KZbin Apprenticeship done.

[@lozinja]

Haven't attempted this yet but want to say thanks for the video and say how natural and gifted John is as a teacher. It's one thing to be able to do something but another to explain a process clearly, relatably with examples, and pointing out potential pitfalls.

[@3foria420]

most straight forward lime plastering tutorial on youtube , i followed this vids advice & got fantastic results , bravo 👏

[@sk2283]

Good skills mate, I like lime plaster - it’s a great material, people don’t use it because 1- it takes a lot longer than cement or gypsum to set & cure and 2- you need to use breathable paints etc. But when it’s done right like you guys it is a superior product that is more forgiving and complimentary to the building itself 👍👍

[@justjacqueline2004]

Amazing craftsmanship with John at A&E,where excellence is standard.

[@BuildWithAE]

That's very kind of you Maria, thanks for your continued support! Have an awesome week 👍

[@juicespirit]

This is a Gem of a find. My favourite plastering channel. Very clear, and true instructional.

[@peterraymund3103]

This John is the best A&E guy for their youtube videos, great job.

[@BuildWithAE]

Thanks for watching Peter, have a great week 😉👍

[@leighharron]

These videos are a gift - all that skill and knowledge shared in such a clear and informative way. A genuine pleasure to watch. Been binging these!!

[@Greebstreebling]

Thanks for posting. So at 1:24 as its an indoor job, it's putty you're mixing. Also good to note that Lime reacts with steel, so for cable conduits, use stainless or plastic. It's also possible to get a really good finish with just a 15mm basecoat and one topcoat. Lime is amazing stuff. I also have to wear gloves or my hands become an A&E job after a day.

[@cryptostyle6255]

Can we add cement ?

[@DRJMF1]

wonderful description. I won't use a 2mm skim coat, I juts use a cross gained wooden block float to get the texture in the wall typical of 1800s cottages, then lime wash it. Thank you so much mate, brilliant concise complete job. A baron mixer E200 mixing disperses fibres like horse hair/goat/plastic much better than a drill whisk or drum mixer.

[@shaunbeare4183]

Brilliant thanks so much. Took me back a bit. A refresher course

[@durexjim]

iv'e been out the game for some 20 years and just getting back into it lots of different tools for the job now and looks like lime is playing a part from the past.Like they say you never stop learning thx for sharing

[@davidfoley8189]

Brilliant bit of work.Haven’t used lime for years and I’d forgotten what great stuff it is.Will definitely start putting in for more lime work now.Great vid

[@BuildWithAE]

Thanks David, glad you enjoyed it 😎 All the best, John 😊

[@DaddyBear3000]

I have a lot of respect for decent plasters. I’ve hired a few in on different jobs and not been that impressed. I’ve ended up fixing what they’ve done at times, which takes me a lot longer because I’m not bad, but I’m not experienced. It’s definitely an art. Awesome job as always mate. I’ll keep practicing my skimming before I get anywhere near something this ambitious, or just get you chaps in!

[@BuildWithAE]

Hi Karl, Unfortunately the construction industry does have a lot of people who carry out substandard work, which can give the industry a bit of a bad reputation. The aim of this channel is to show the general public that they can have confidence in hiring trades. Hopefully, if you do your homework you'll find the tradesperson who is right for the job 👷🏼‍♂️ All the best, John 😊

[@abigailpip112]

Thank you John, I too have managed to learn to lime plaster with your help.....and a lot of practice. I can agree that it's very labour intensive, but also satisfying to have plastered a wall and gained a new skill. I don't think I'll be taking it up as a proffession tho! I did find it much easier that gypsum plastering

[@Nicefro1976]

Yet another first class tutorial. You guys really have a knack for producing exactly the kind of content I want to see and will find useful. It’s much appreciated. On a side note - have you ever plastered with a ‘hot mix’ lime plaster or used a ‘hot mix’ mortar?- it’s pretty interesting stuff. Keep up the good work - it’s top notch stuff!

[@BuildWithAE]

Hi Neil, Glad you're enjoying our videos. I've never had the opportunity to use a hot mix, but I've heard that it's very nice to use. All the best, John 😊

[@cornerstoneministries2920]

I am using hot lime with sharp sand to build stone work on old building , mixed 3:1 .. we will be filling internals of wall with soil .. aiming for breathable stone property .. I’ll point walls with NHL 3.5 in spring and carbonated over two weeks and kept nice and damp throughout !! We use sometimes sprinkler system on our line throughout summer and thinly woven hessian ..

[@jessicaeyre5164]

I love plastering with lime. Nice to see how others apply it. I think theres only some subtle differences in our process. Great job.

[@BuildWithAE]

Thanks Jessica, glad you enjoyed it. Happy plastering 😁 All the best, John 😊

[@tommyknightly1659]

Brill attention to details. Great videos and great trades men on this regency build

[@BuildWithAE]

Much appreciated Tommy, have a great week ahead 😉👍

[@joejoey316]

Cracking job, I was plastering with lime today myself, hard on the arms 👍👍

[@Jim_Newlands]

Superb, John. I doubt I will ever need to attempt this style of plastering but it didn't stop me picking up tips......I am one of the "wavy line" scratchers, so it was very interesting to hear what you said about how the wet and dry spots would be an issue. Makes perfect sense when you think about it! I'll be converted to the diagonal scratchcoat finishing from now on. 👍 Have a good weekend.

[@BuildWithAE]

Hi Jim, It's great to hear that you enjoyed the video and that you learnt some new tips 😎 All the best, John 😊

[@architecturedrywallpaintan5809]

This is the best video I’ve seen here of what lime plaster preparation from beginning to the final coat well done

[@edawnerraw3148]

Superb tutorial John, it's given me more confidence that I can tackle our hallway.

[@paulmorris3613]

Well explained in a professional way .thank you.

[@johnbuist5289]

Great demonstration of making lime plaster and putty and the process involved for doing the job properly cheers for upload 👍

[@rationalinvest]

Just followed this video to lime plaster a wall - it worked out great - thanks sp much

[@mikemezzetta1483]

Great work John, one of the very few videos that are on the ball , your all over it mate spot on. It’s simple pal that’s how you do it no ifs or buts Just do it right It’s not rocket science. Good on ye 👍👍

[@BuildWithAE]

Glad you enjoyed it Mike! Have an awesome weekend 👍

[@ConstructionwithKieren]

Just in time, now I can watch 2 videos in a row🤝😂

[@BuildWithAE]

Hope you enjoy! 😉👍

[@4192362]

Always use a roller mixer for haired lime mortar. The blades on a drum will pull the hair out and ball it up.

[@BuildWithAE]

Hi 4192362 thanks for the info much appreciated through knowledge we grow all the best Tony 👍 have awesome weekend

[@Joe-jv5mm]

Excellent video 👏👏👏👏👏, thanks for taking the time to break down the method of lime plastering, Brilliant tutorial

[@ashleyrowe2681]

Excellent video, great to see quality trades at work

[@BuildWithAE]

Thanks Ashley! Take care bud 😉👍

[@sleepingdragon93]

Good video 👍 nice to see a spread using proper lime properly

[@mrboyban]

That was a masterclass John. Good stuff ! LOL that wall can keep you fit for the month. Don't try that during the summer months if the property traps the heating it will just go off very quick.

[@mentonish]

Happy memories from my school days, at the Adcroft school of building, those gone by days

[@BuildWithAE]

Thanks for sharing John, hope you enjoyed the video and have an awesome week 👍

[@ConallMullan]

Thanks for the great video. I have an old house with the original lime plaster still in pretty good nick but does have quite a few scratches and bumps. Is it possible to skim an old lime wall with a lime putty to smooth it off?

[@chrisjohnson3590]

Brilliant. Loved watching it. I’ve got sulphates coming through the gypsum plaster on my chimney wall and it’s becoming an absolute nightmare.

[@BuildWithAE]

Make sure the chimney is breathing with vents top and bottom

[@chrisjohnson3590]

⁠it’s actually in use but only a handful of times over winter

[@martyglover4344]

Superb Jonno 👌🏼

[@BuildWithAE]

Thanks Marty! Have a great week 😉👍

[@ertaszorlu4756]

very hard job.... you have great skill john...

[@heidibear44]

This was so incredibly informative thank you for all the detail. 👏🏼👏🏼

[@darringodden7225]

Hello John. You have made a exceptional video on a very interesting subject Thank you my friend.

[@BuildWithAE]

Glad you enjoyed it Darrin! 😊👍

[@TheBrick2]

Nice job. Time of lime as they say. I did a lime course a few years ago but never used in anger.

[@TurinTuramber]

Always good to see man put effort into his work to get it right. 👍

[@BuildWithAE]

Thanks Geralt, take care bud 😉👍

[@alexanderhill4993]

Thanks helps me to know what tools / process needed for my restoration of an 1830’s property (stone built)

[@GavinLawrence747]

Great video, do you have any way of pointing me towards where you found data on horse hair in plaster being a carcinogen?

[@mule666]

It makes it stronger but there is also plaster with artificial partials inside that does the same

[@drm6089]

Very good John well presented

[@tomjenssen7486]

Excellent work! Thank you.

[@marklittler784]

WOW ! Extremely well presented and comprehensive.

[@BuildWithAE]

Thanks for watching Mark! Take care 👍

[@kyrg]

Excellent video and explanation of each step. I feel guilty now knowing how as a kid I picked holes in our 1810 plastered house.

[@NetEenWaarheid]

very informative video ! 14:35 - rub the giants belly! 😂 love the shadow work 😎 -

[@ashsmith3293]

Absolutely fantastic and informative video thank you

[@jimgeelan5949]

Nice one John ! Very educational and well filmed

[@BuildWithAE]

Thanks for watching Jim - have a great week! 😉👍

[@MrJohnnynapalm7]

Another quality video - thanks for sharing.

[@BuildWithAE]

Glad you enjoyed it Paul, take care 👍

[@peterridding4874]

Great video guys , thanks for the informative instructions . I’ve got a cottage to totally renovate with lime plaster . I’ve taken all the walls back to the inside walls which are really rough stone . My question is what depth will the first coat fill please ? Do I need to pre - fill any deep spots in the stone walls before I start putting on the first coat ? Many thanks in advance

[@john.leighmcburney1540]

Great workmanship !

[@philsmith1087]

That was great, a really good video! Nice.

[@DanSeaber-Shinn]

Goooo onnnn John Boy 👍🏻👌🏻

[@BuildWithAE]

Thanks for watching DSS 😉👍

[@MatSmithLondon]

This was such a clearly presented video. Thanks.

[@RakyleMahoney]

Awesome educational video, I'm just a landlord but good to know when trades are doing a terrible job

[@raytracer2651]

Great video mate very informative.

[@TheMichauds]

Great video. Loads of information clearly explained. I’m just started renovating my recently moved into 200 year old forever home with no damp course and lots of hidden nasties. Cement render. Gypsum plaster etc. Can I ask have u used Nhl 2 and washed sharp? Think I’m gunna give it a go Thanks in advance

[@iestynjones5796]

Superb video and great skills. Nice to see you using Ty Mawr products; I was there myself about 11 months ago for a decorative plasterwork course.

[@BuildWithAE]

Glad you enjoyed the video 😁 Ty Mawr have been very helpful on this project and we would definitely recommend them 👍🏻 Thanks for watching. All the best, John 😊

[@warrenmckay202]

Fantastic videos and well presented. Thanks

[@BuildWithAE]

Glad you like them Warren, have a great week! 😉👍

[@DRJMF1]

You can put rock boulders into your cementmixer to assist compaction, not as good as a roller pan mixer however.

[@paoemantega8793]

Excellent presentation, great video. That door frame :D

[@gizmobently]

Your work is just beautiful. I love the lime plaster finish in both smooth and textured. As a home builder in the USA, all my houses long ago were plastered by a guy who was very talented and I would labor for him when he did my own house. I got a chance to learn how this was done but realized this is not easy in the least. Especially the base coat that was Structolite. Your lime finish was beautifully done and explained. Can I just ask what would be best for me to use if I needed to just put in a finish coat over my ugly drywall? Can I use just lime soaked in water overnight then screeded through a screen for smoothness? Or would you recommend putting some other aggregates in the lime mix? This is my biggest problem. What to use or should I use those pre mixed bags made by Imperial or another company I can't think of right now? If a texture is wanted he would put silica sand in the mix. I also forgot to mention that gauging was also put in the lime mix right before he used it. I don't remember the ratio so that is another problem. He no longer is alive so I have no where to go for answers. Can you help me with what I have here in USA as far as material to use? I would love to get my walls and ceilings textured with lime plaster. Of course I would never be able to do the sunburst ceilings as that is a work of art and talent taking many many years to do. You make it look so easy and so professional and there is nothing like plastered walls and ceilings and thank you for showing us these videos.

[@REDGRIFFIN100]

I spelt his name wrong here's one of his videos 😂 kzbin.info/www/bejne/hl6winyNqpubgsk

[@owenwilson8822]

I was waiting for this video....

[@BuildWithAE]

Hope you enjoy! 😉👍

[@Amadán_dubh]

Spot on

[@anyasfrancis]

Thanks for a really informative video. There's lots of talk about lime plaster online but not many videos on how to use it. I'd love to see a video on filling a lime plastered wall where it's been chased for wiring etc. We've just had a re-wire and want to make sure we fill with the correct stuff

[@BuildWithAE]

Glad it was helpful Anya! Take care 👍

[@ashcurzon997]

These videos are really informative and massively helpful. Question about drying times though, I was told it’s about a day per mm for scratch and float but you’re only leaving it 5 days and then a day? Appreciate each location will be different but that’s significantly less? Anything I’m missing? Hydraulic lime obviously cures faster but what am I looking for to tell me I can put the next coat on? Thanks

[@Fudgep]

Excellent tutorial. I am giving it a go on a smaller wall.

[@thomasandbethanygriffith892]

Great info my friend

[@davidwood8837]

Excellent video. Very talented and amazing outcome.

[@BuildWithAE]

Hi David much appreciated thanks for watching all the best Tony 👍

[@yorwerthedwards1045]

Love watching you guys you are so skilled John awesome work 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@BuildWithAE]

Thanks bud, take care 😉👍

[@whitefields5595]

The internet was invented so guys like you would post videos like this!

[@doddsy65]

Great video John , Explained in depth . Suction rates , timings etc etc . Erm think i'll leave it to those that CAN as I CANT Lol

[@BuildWithAE]

Thanks Spartrowel! Take care 😉👍

[@kriskozolanka2665]

The first 2 coats are a Hydraulic Lime..scratch then finish..The Lime Putty has marble additive that comes pre mixed dry in a bag? Thanks, that was invigorating to watch and Listen!

[@BuildWithAE]

Thanks for watching Kris 😉👍

[@davidtoomey226]

I love your video mate, you explain think so, so, so well :-). Amazing work mate

[@BuildWithAE]

Hi David much appreciated have a awesome weekend all the best Tony 👍

[@mishmash3854]

Brilliant thanks 👍

[@avfczoff]

Excellent video! Is there a reason why you’d lime plaster a wall instead of thermal boarding and maybe lime plaster the wall then? From an insulation point of view would like mortaring a brick wall be enough to keep heat in a property? Any help/advice is appreciated. Thanks

[@avfczoff]

@bina nocht Thank you very much for your help. Best wishes 👍🏻

[@chrisfoster5098]

Smashed it 👏👏

[@BuildWithAE]

Cheers mate 😎

[@RobBoFr]

Thank you John, been waiting for this bad boy! Looks much tougher than gypsum, I guess that's why not many folk use it now days? Excellent video! 🍻🍻

[@BuildWithAE]

Thanks Rob 😁 Yes it is more difficult than modern plasters, but it's definitely worth the effort 👌🏻 All the best, John 😊

[@matspencer3860]

Just about to perches a stone barn want to keep it fully breathable so will be using non hydrated Lyme inside and repointing with hydrate outside is it just a matter of building up the base coat to get some sort of flat surface stone work is all over the place internally (probs50mm low points) and nice and flat externally. Any advice would be apriciated

[@gpjames2406]

very thorough thanks

[@jordanelmhirst7373]

Thanks mate you’re a legend

[@johncunningham5799]

Good job and video,is the house a listed building and reason for using lime plaster

[@BuildWithAE]

The building is indeed listed, and so we are trying to keep as many of the original features as possible. Hope this helps. All the best, John 😊

[@emmettdownes5579]

REALLY GOOD INFORMATION

[@benlucid3063]

Great video, andJohn, you’re a really good presenter. I’m almost ready to try repair a section of lime plaster ceiling... almost...

[@BuildWithAE]

Thanks for watching and good luck! 👍

[@MrDockin]

It’s good to see someone take pride in their work and a video that was excellently explained. From someone who has done his fair share of plastering I know how hard that can be on the arms especially for lime plastering. Been a long time since I used any myself, but the product Ty Mawr I think is from South Wales?

[@BuildWithAE]

Glad you enjoyed the video. The plaster was indeed from Wales, I'm not sure of the region though. Thanks for watching. All the best, John

[@nickogden6200]

Ty Mawr are based near Brecon . Top tip . Find a dustbin lid with a lip and hook it over the front of your mixer . It saves getting splashed by the mortar as it mixes up .

[@simonaldridge7491]

Great video - thanks

[@andychappel3500]

Great video! Definitely want to give this a go in our place - if you haven't scared me too much not to take it on as a complete beginner!! One Question: Inbetween those finishing coats of putty, did you have to remix or is there a way to stop any leftover on spotboard from going off? I'm conscious there no way I'm going to get quantities right!!

[@BuildWithAE]

Hi Andy, Glad you found the video informative. The lime putty can be re-mixed if it's been sat for a while. Just pop it back in your bucket and give it a whisk. Just take your time with the process and you'll be fine 😁 All the best, John 👷🏼‍♂️

[@HSilver341]

On lime render at mo this has been a massive help top man ,stay safe

[@BuildWithAE]

Glad the video has been of some use to you bud, have an awesome weekend 👍

[@frogeye22]

Another excellent video - thanks for the lesson. Was the 'float coat' about the same consistancy as the base coat, I'm guessing a little bit more slump. Really useful stuff - well done.

[@BuildWithAE]

Glad you enjoyed it frogeye 😁 Both coats should be about the same, but the float coat can be a bit wetter if you prefer, as you should already have a fairly flat surface to cover. Thanks for watching. All the best, John 😊

[@kimjenkins131]

Your tuition is very comprehensive, thank you... I do not have access to ready mixed lime plaster due to where I live.. please could you list the ingredients to create my own mix ? Thank you