Traditional lime plastering in Gloucester and across Gloucestershire. Working on granite farmhouses and other solid-wall property, we specify hot-mixed lime, lime putty and natural hydraulic lime to suit each individual wall rather than applying one standard mix to everything.
Sympathetic repair in Gloucester means matching what is already there — the aggregate colour, the coat thickness, the texture of the original float finish. We take samples from the existing cob before mixing so new work sits alongside old rather than standing out.
Gloucester and the villages around it retain a good deal of cob. Where that material is soft — as most traditional Gloucestershire walling is — the mortar and plaster must always be softer than the masonry, so it wears sacrificially instead of eroding the stone or brick face.
Solid-wall buildings in Gloucester were designed to absorb and release moisture. Lime keeps that cycle working; cement seals it in. That single difference explains why so many Gloucestershire homes develop damp after a modern refurbishment.
Once the survey is agreed, we protect the site, strip back the failed finish, and apply lime in successive coats with proper curing between each. In the wet, wind-driven rain typical of the South West we control drying with damp hessian or sheeting so the work carbonates evenly rather than cracking.
The jobs below are typical of the work we carry out on Gloucester property — the building types and problems vary, but the answer is always breathable lime rather than cement.
limestone rectory — Weather-facing walls of a limestone rectory taking the full force of the wet, wind-driven rain typical of the South West. We specified hot-mixed lime with coarse local aggregate, built up in generous coats, built the render up in generous coats and protected the work while it carbonated to avoid shrinkage cracking.
cob and thatch cottage — Cracked and cement-patched panels on a cob and thatch cottage in Gloucestershire. Failed infill was cut out, laths and staves renewed where rotten, and the panels made good in haired lime so the frame can move without splitting the finish.
stone-built chapel conversion — Peeling modern masonry paint on a stone-built chapel conversion in Gloucestershire. The impermeable coating was removed, minor render defects were patched in lime, and the elevations were finished in several thin coats of limewash.
Every property is different, so we do not publish fixed prices. Cost depends on the substrate, the number of coats, access and whether failed cement has to be removed first. We survey the property in Gloucester and provide a written, no-obligation quote.
Where damp is caused by trapped moisture in a solid wall — very common in older Gloucester properties — replacing cement or gypsum with lime allows the wall to dry out. We always identify the source of moisture during the survey before recommending work.
Yes. We take samples of the surviving mortar or plaster from the cob first, then match aggregate, colour and texture so the repair blends into the original rather than patching over it.
Yes, but it must be finished with a breathable product such as limewash, clay paint or mineral silicate paint. We advise on suitable finishes for each Gloucester project so breathability is not lost at the final coat.
Our lime plastering, render and pointing teams also cover these towns and cities close to Gloucester in Gloucestershire and the wider South West England area.
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