About

This started as a sort of work journal of the work of me, John Byrne, Artisan lime plaster in which I wanted to convey the technical problems I faced, my solutions and the philosophy behind my decisions. However it has grown a bit outside that a bit so that it now contains ideas, tips, information and asides. pictures of what I do outside plastering and work, info about my own recipe finishing plaster which you can buy and links to other sites.

I started as a drystone waller and hedge layer many years ago. I learned the basics of those important skills on the West Pennine Moors

and when I moved to the Cotswolds I practiced them diligently as a professional waller and hedger, although I soon dropped the hedging.  Then I discovered lime mortar. I moved into building repair and conservation and worked on most of the National Trust properties in Gloucestershire, initially conserving and repairing the walls at Chedworth roman villa, I was soon repairing almost anything masonry or plaster orientated from decorative ponds, through walls and up to chimneys.  I even rebuilt the HAHA at Hidcote.

Slowly I moved into plastering, but not before having served time rendering, I made a big contribution to the revival of roughcast renders in the Cotswolds and it became my main business, now I try to concentrate more on interior plastering and have devised my own recipes.

I have only ever used lime plaster – no multi finish etc, no portland cement, just lime in all it’s forms.

I now live in Appledore, in North Devon and spend a lot of spare time exploring the coastline and it’s many abandoned lime kilns.

I also instruct on lime workshops and for 15 consecutive years travelled up to York university to teach on a lime week they ran every year.

This blog is a way of passing on a few things I discover along the way, I hope you find it useful.