Category Archives: Uncategorized

Having spent time wondering what sort of trowels might have been used in antiquity, not having seen any in any of the many museums that I have been in, I simply reasoned that some might have been made from copper … Continue reading →

Not all sheds need be built of timber, not all sheds need be clad with timber. I decided to build a shed from old pallets and I decided to render it with cob – earth, stones and straw – so … Continue reading →

This cottage had a cement render which was cracking. It turned out that it had been applied over thick to the cob without any attempt to anchor it to the dusty surface of the cob so that it was just … Continue reading →

For some reason felt floats are not widely used. They are difficult to find so I thought I would make my own. I find it really useful for smoothing mortars with a high lime content. Being felt it grips the … Continue reading →

the difficulty with this ceiling was that the floor joists were so bent in the middle the new ceiling could not be made flat – the two alcoves governing the level of the ceiling edge. But by carefully compromising and … Continue reading →

Occasionally an interesting job comes along; in this instance just a little limewash order but the colour had to match a rather bright green nylon fabric, the colour is close to a bright green apple. It was certainly not within … Continue reading →

http://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/mythmix/mythmix.htm This article by Gerard Lynch was published in 2007. It’s been ten years and still the ready mixed lime mortar producers haven’t fully taken it on board. The most enlightening statement for me is this: “under analysis, the majority … Continue reading →

start with a bare wall, loose material removed, brushed down and lightly wetted . apply plaster around the edge like a frame ; i got the left hand one flat then some horizontal ribs to project the levels to the … Continue reading →

These are the only plastering trowels I use.  Starting at 9 on the clock: a medium sized Jigane laying on trowel,  next a little really flexible polishing trowel, at the top a larger jigane, recently used for laying on the … Continue reading →