Tembok Carpenter & Building Services
Lime plaster for internal walls
Lime plaster is an internal wall finish that allows moisture vapour to pass through it. For an older solid wall, the important question is which preparation and finishing system fits the existing construction.
Start with the wall, not a bag of plaster
An internal plaster specification begins with what is behind the surface. Brick, stone, timber laths and modern boards are different backgrounds, and a finish suitable for one is not automatically right for another. Existing layers may include earlier repairs, paint and hard patches. Before agreeing the extent of stripping, establish which parts remain sound and which have detached or deteriorated. Keeping usable original plaster can be preferable to removing an entire room because one section has failed.
Lime plastering also needs to sit within a wider moisture assessment. A stain beside a window, a cold corner and damp at the base of a wall do not necessarily share a cause. Rain entry, plumbing faults and ventilation issues should be considered before a new finish is treated as the solution. A breathable material can support the way a solid wall dries, but it cannot compensate for an unresolved source of water or an incompatible coating elsewhere in the build-up.
Preparation, coats and the finished room
The work can involve careful removal of failed material, preparation of the background and a suitable sequence of plaster coats. Edges around retained plaster require particular attention so a repair meets the existing surface cleanly. Corners, reveals and the junction with skirting can take more care than the broad flat wall. These details belong in the scope of work, especially where a room has decorative mouldings, exposed joinery or an uneven historic background.
Drying and curing affect the programme. Lime should not be treated as a quick substitute for another plaster simply because both produce a smooth surface. The proposed materials, background and conditions determine when later coats and decoration can proceed. Heating a room aggressively to hurry the finish is not a substitute for an appropriate curing plan. Discuss occupancy, ventilation and the timing of other trades so newly finished walls are not immediately damaged by follow-on work.
Internal plaster is not external render
Lime render protects the outside of a building; lime plaster finishes the inside. The materials are related, but exposure, background preparation and final treatments differ. If both faces of a wall need attention, define the internal and external work separately rather than assuming one specification covers everything. The existing lime rendering service covers the exterior. This page concerns rooms, reveals, local repairs and the coordination of plaster with an internal renovation.
Paint choice matters after plastering. An unsuitable finish can change the behaviour of a wall even when the new plaster has been carefully selected. Agree a compatible decorative system and the point at which it can be applied. Lime plastering cost depends on the amount of preparation, the condition of the background, the area and the detail involved, rather than wall area alone. A free site visit with Tembok provides the basis for a written quote that separates repairs, preparation and finishing.
Lime Plastering — frequently asked
What is lime plaster?
It is plaster using a lime binder, applied as an internal finish. The choice of mix, background and final decoration determines the wall system; specifying lime alone does not describe the whole job.
Can lime plaster go over plasterboard?
That depends on the board and the proposed system. A board-backed finish is not the same construction as plaster applied directly to an old solid wall. The background and material guidance must be checked together.
Must every old wall be stripped before lime plastering?
No. Sound retained plaster and local repairs should be considered first. Wholesale removal needs a reason, particularly where existing finishes or period features contribute to a listed building’s character.
What changes a lime plastering quote?
Removal, access, lath or masonry repairs, awkward reveals and the required finish affect the scope. Ask whether decoration and making good around skirting or fittings are included when comparing proposals.
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