Luton property owners come to us when a modern finish has failed. Cement render and gypsum plaster trap moisture inside clay lump and cob, and in the dry, cold easterly exposure of the eastern counties that shows up as damp patches, salt blooming and rotting timbers. We put it right with breathable lime across Bedfordshire.
Luton's building stock reflects the history of East of England, and clay lump, flint and timber frame are common and intolerant of cement. Applying gypsum or cement to these walls traps moisture; lime lets it evaporate freely, protecting the fabric of the building for decades.
Around Luton you will find timber-framed and pargetted cottages alongside later Georgian merchant houses. Both were built with lime, and both suffer when a modern impermeable finish is applied over the top — the moisture has to go somewhere, and it goes into the masonry and the timbers.
Lime is flexible, breathable and self-healing. On Luton properties built from clay lump and cob, it moves with the building instead of cracking away from it, and it protects the masonry rather than the other way round.
Every Luton job begins with diagnosis: identifying where moisture is entering before any plaster goes on. We then remove failed material, prepare the clay lump and cob, and build the lime up in coats, allowing each one to cure before the next.
Because clay lump, flint and timber frame are common and intolerant of cement, Luton throws up a particular set of problems. These are representative examples of how we resolve them in lime.
clay lump cottage — Consented repairs to a listed clay lump cottage in Bedfordshire. Sample panels were prepared for the conservation officer, mortar analysis informed the mix, and the historic surface was conserved and patched rather than replaced wholesale.
estate farmworker's cottage — Eroding masonry faces on an estate farmworker's cottage in Luton caused by hard cement pointing. We raked out by hand to the correct depth and repointed in a soft lime mortar matched to the original aggregate and colour of the clay lump and cob.
Georgian merchant's house — Owners of a Georgian merchant's house in Bedfordshire wanted warmer rooms without sealing the walls. We installed a woodfibre or cork-lime background and finished in lime plaster, improving comfort while keeping the wall vapour-open.
Yes — stripping failed cement render and replacing it with a breathable lime render is one of the most common jobs we carry out in Luton. It is usually the fastest way to resolve persistent damp in a solid-wall building.
We do. Lime repointing is a large part of our Luton workload — raking out hard cement pointing and replacing it with a softer, sacrificial lime mortar that protects the masonry face instead of eroding it.
External lime work is best carried out between spring and early autumn so it can carbonate before the first frosts. Internal lime plastering in Luton can be done year-round with adequate heating and ventilation.
Send us the details of your Luton property through the contact form and we will arrange a free survey. You will receive a written specification and quote with no obligation to proceed.
Our lime plastering, render and pointing teams also cover these towns and cities close to Luton in Bedfordshire and the wider East of England area.
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