

PROJECT JOURNAL
Lime hemp plaster
Replastering bedroom walls with breathable lime plaster

Two external walls in this small bedroom were taken back to brick and replastered using lime plaster, with a breathable separation layer used to deal with an area of old soot contamination.
A vertical band of soot contamination remained on the masonry where an old flue had once been. Removing it manually would have taken a considerable amount of effort with no certainty that all of the contamination could be removed.
Instead, I fixed woodwool board over the affected area to create a breathable separation layer before plastering.


The walls were built up with two coats of lime hemp plaster. The first coat was left with a key before a second coat was applied and ruled to bring the walls back into shape.
Once firm enough, the second coat was compacted and floated, leaving a suitable surface for the final lime putty finish.


The finish was applied in two coats and sponge floated as it began to firm up, before a final light pass with a steel trowel to leave a smooth finish while retaining some of the natural movement in the surface.

The completed lime plaster, still drying.


