Author Archives: byrnesurfaces

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About byrnesurfaces

conserver and repairer of historic surfaces

Cotswold Conservation Board Rural Skills Course – Lime Mortar for beginners.

Posted on September 23, 2013 by byrnesurfaces

21st and 22nd September. Another Cotswold Conservation Board lime mortars for beginners course, again held at the Ebworth Centre in the Cotswolds. By the efforts of another 6 wonderful students a little old one up one down stone cottage moved … Continue reading →

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Rendered DNA

Posted on September 29, 2012 by byrnesurfaces

During the spring I began the creation of a Modern modelled render – not pargetting, but neither strictly sgraffito. In actual fact not modelled at all but carved into the surface of the KRend render (a pity it wasn’t lime … Continue reading →

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Cotswolds Conservation Board Lime Mortar Course

Posted on September 3, 2012 by byrnesurfaces

Held on the 1st and 2nd of September at The National Trusts Ebworth Centre and conducted by myself. …….. and this is the site:  A derelict stone cottage circa 18th century. The course was organised by the Cotswold Conservation Board … Continue reading →

Posted in technical stuff, Training courses | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

A summary of limewashing a house

Posted on July 30, 2012 by byrnesurfaces

As with many render repair projects the main difficulty was the removal of the lichen and grime, unless this is done thoroughly then the limewash will not adhere satisfactorily, therefore the first task was to power wash the render and … Continue reading →

Posted in limewash, technical stuff | 5 Comments

looking at mortar mixes

Posted on May 7, 2012 by byrnesurfaces

Determining mortar mix ratios visibly. Imagine four snooker balls arranged in a pyramid, 3 on the bottom one on top. There is a small pyramid like gap in the middle of this arrangement. The volume of this gap can be … Continue reading →

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Pieces of Art

Posted on January 30, 2012 by byrnesurfaces

Following on from Stacks of Fun here is Pieces of Art. The elephant is my first attempt at lost wax casting – it was meant to be in bronze but my crucible broke so I made the best of a … Continue reading →

Posted in just having fun | 1 Comment

Limewash thoughts

Posted on November 21, 2011 by byrnesurfaces

I was asked if the roughcast render I was doing could be self coloured to avoid limewashing. This is a misunderstanding of the role of limewash especially where roughcast renders are concerned. Limewash is not actually a paint – it … Continue reading →

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Spring 2011 Struggling with lime in the frost

Posted on November 21, 2011 by byrnesurfaces

January 2011 was taken up with the monumental struggle against the conditions to render a rather nice extension. A hundred and twenty metres of lime stucco onto concrete block. Thin coats, lots of frost protection and some luck led to … Continue reading →

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Stacks of fun on Holiday

Posted on November 21, 2011 by byrnesurfaces

A number of stacks built whilst on holiday, mostly on the coast in Devon and Cornwall but also in Sicily and the Aeolian Islands, (Spot Stromboli in the background) and also the Azores. There is one built of cinders at … Continue reading →

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Owlpen Manor – Render Repairs

Posted on November 21, 2011 by byrnesurfaces

The following is a description of work carried out by JBLimeplastering at Owlpen Manor in Gloucestershire The masonry revealed by the removal of the cement render was very friable with missing elements. The building mortar used in the construction was … Continue reading →

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