Hello again all.

I have just moved into a 1892 cottage which has lath and plaster walls and ceilings. These need to be smoothed out, holes and cracks repaired etc so I can paint. Should I just get rid and get it re plastered or should I touch it up and get the rooms skimmed or just use a primer of some description and paint??

While I'm here the house is oviously cold and leaky due to solid walls and no air tightness to talk of. Is there any insulation that wont loss me space, the rooms are already small. Also if i do get rid of the lath and plaster would there be enough space to fit a little insulation before replastering/plasterboards? ( I don't really want plasterboards due to charcter of the house)

Thanks

Agu

Hey Tony,

It's a solid brick wall and I don't really want to change the appearance of the house which I think happens if you do it externally

Ok, how much extra space would I need??

Thanks Tony.

Do you know anything of the best way to do my Larth and Plaster walls

Wjat take them out completly and then just lime plaster?

Do not destroy any historic fabric. But you are allowed to remove th 'r' to reveal the genuine lath.

If the plaster's just cracked but is otherwise still bonded to the laths, then a few coats of limewash will consolidate the surface, fill the cracks and also act as a very ecologically sound finish. Otherwise keep the laths and replaster with lime plaster.
I wouldn't worry about making the house air-tight. That sort of structure was meant to breathe to control moisture, and if you make it aritight you lay yourself open to all sorts of damp and condensation problems. For sure, get rid of drafts and gales, but stop short of sealing the place up or using impermeable materials.

Cherish the lath and plaster of your internal partition walls. You can hack off any loose bits, retaining the laths if unbroken, and patch-repair with new haired lime plaster, and fill dents with fine lime finish plaster.

Connectedly, I've had a little success removing vinyl emulsion from lime plaster by using a belt sander running at low speed. The object is then to use clay or other 'breathable' paint so that the plaster can act as a buffer for moisture in the air.

If you want to preserve the integrity of the building leave the lath and plaster is my advice. We are hacking off relatively smooth modernish (circa80 years old.) plaster and replacing with lime for the more bumpy look. Hard lines from plaster board and perfect hard render make a historic building look and feel like motorway motels.

Enjoy the history and look to the windows (e.g. secondary glazing) and ceiling (insulation) to make it warmer if need be.