Lime plastering is the majority of what I do, and it’s what I’ve been doing since I was a teenager. Based in Much Wenlock, I work across Shropshire and into the surrounding counties from Shrewsbury and Telford to Ludlow, Church Stretton, Bridgnorth, and Oswestry;- carrying out traditional lime plaster work on period homes, listed buildings, and heritage properties that deserve materials matched to how they were built.
Modern plasters and lime simply don’t belong on the same wall. Gypsum traps moisture, cement is too rigid, and neither will perform the way an older building needs them to. A properly applied lime plaster system compromising of a scratch coat, float coat and finish coat, allows the wall to breathe, manages moisture naturally, and when done right, will outlast anything a bag of board finish could offer.
As a specialist Shropshire lime plasterer, every job I take on gets the same approach: assess the substrate properly, prepare it correctly, use the right materials for the building, and take the time each coat needs. There are no shortcuts with lime, and I wouldn’t want to take them.
If your property has solid walls, a history of damp issues, or you’ve had modern plaster applied and it’s not performing, it’s worth a conversation. I’m happy to look at what you’ve got before you commit to anything.
You can contact me on 07904449728 or email me at naturallyplastered@gmail.com
Shropshire is full of solid-wall buildings, from stone cottages, timber-framed farmhouses to Victorian terraces that were built long before cement or gypsum existed. These buildings were designed around lime from the ground up, and that matters when it comes to repairs and restoration. Introducing modern materials into an older wall doesn’t just look wrong; it can cause real, lasting damage.
The core issue is breathability. Solid walls manage moisture by allowing it to move through the fabric of the building and evaporate. Lime plaster works with that process. Cement and gypsum don’t — they seal the wall, trap moisture behind an impermeable surface, and create exactly the kind of damp problems that owners of older properties often spend years trying to solve.
Flexibility matters too. Older buildings shift and settle, particularly in areas like Shropshire where properties built on clay soils or rubble foundations have been doing so for centuries. Lime plaster and mortar can accommodate that natural movement. Harder, more brittle modern materials can’t — they crack, they fail, and they take the masonry with them.
For a traditionally constructed Shropshire property, lime plastering isn’t a heritage preference, it’s a practical one.
Three-coat lime plaster systems using traditional non-hydraulic lime mortars.
Improve comfort and thermal performance of older properties whilst maintaining breathability.
Traditional stone repairs, rebuilding stonework and masonry conservation in Shropshire.
Breathable repointing for stone and brick buildings using appropriate lime mortars.
If you’ve never had lime plaster work done before, it can feel a little unfamiliar, especially when you realise it’s nothing like a plasterer arriving and skimming a wall in an afternoon, in and out in a flash. Lime plastering is a multi-coat system, and each coat needs time to cure before the next goes on. That patience is exactly what makes it so durable. Here’s what the process typically looks like on a traditional Shropshire property.
A coarse, thrown-on base coat used on very uneven or porous substrates — particularly rough stone walls. It creates a key for the next layers above and evens out the worst of the surface variation before any buildout work begins. This coat is left to carbonate for around a week in normal conditions before the next steps begin.
Deep hollows, missing sections and uneven areas are built up first – this is the ‘dubbing out’. The scratch coat, the first ‘layer’ of plaster then goes over the whole surface, forming the structural base of the plaster system. It’s keyed in a diamond shape pattern while still green to help the next coat (the float coat) bond. There is usually a small gap of time between dubbing out and applying the scratch coat to allow the dubbing out to set and carbonate properly.
Applied once the scratch coat has cured sufficiently, the float coat brings the wall to a true, flat plane. This is where the real skill lies, getting the surface level and consistent before the finish goes on. That being said, depending on the ‘plumbness’ and level of the walls of the property, how flat and true you wish your walls to be is entirely up to you. If you prefer a slightly vernacular ‘wonky, old cottage’ finish that is fine too. Upon the initial quote and site visit, we can discuss the finish and end result you are looking for. Some clients even leave the float coat as the final coat if seeking an ‘olde worldy’ finish. The float coat is rubbed up traditionally with a wooden float with nails slightly protruding the surface of the float to scour a slight key into the float coat ready for the final skim coat to bond to.
The final layer. Applied thin (usually 2mm, 3mm at most)and worked to a smooth or textured finish depending on the building and your preference. This is what you see and decorate but everything beneath it is what makes it last. The ‘finish’ of lime plaster does tend to vary, depending on the property/background masonry at times as well as features surrounding the plaster such as beams etc. A difference in finish is always to be expected when working with natural materials however I always aim for smooth and flat. This is all part of the charm that makes lime plaster such a great choice for your property.
Whether you’re dealing with failing plaster on a solid stone wall, a period property that’s been wrongly skimmed with gypsum, or a full internal renovation that needs a proper breathable finish throughout — lime plastering done correctly makes a lasting difference. Every job is approached with a genuine understanding of how these buildings perform, what’s gone wrong, and what a sympathetic lime plaster system will do for the wall long term.
From listed cottages and stone farmhouses to Victorian villas and timber-framed properties, I carry out traditional lime plastering work for homeowners and property custodians across Shropshire who understand that older walls need materials that work with them, not against them. Covering Much Wenlock, Shrewsbury, Ludlow, Tenbury Wells, Hereford, Powys, Bridgnorth, Telford, Church Stretton and the wider Shropshire area.
Sensitive repairs and traditional lime work for protected and historic properties.
Breathable lime mortars and repairs designed to work in harmony with traditional stone construction.
Helping maintain the character and performance of Shropshire’s historic rural buildings.
Traditional materials and craftsmanship suitable for buildings of historic significance.
Experience working with lime-based materials appropriate for places of worship and historic community buildings.
Supporting sensitive restoration projects where preserving original fabric and breathability is paramount.
If you’re looking for lime plastering, lime pointing or stonework repair in Shropshire then please feel free to get in touch via the form below.
Every property and every job is a unique story, requiring an in-person survey to enable us to give you the best advice. To arrange a tailored on site quote, please use the form below or give us a call to get in touch.
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From replacing incorrectly applied gypsum plasters on a townhouse in Shrewsbury to restoring beautiful farmhouses in Market Drayton and renovating small cottages in Bridgnorth, I’ve been kept busy lime plastering just about everywhere in Shropshire. Here’s what some of my clients have said..
Choosing the right lime plasterer for a traditional building isn’t just about finding someone who can apply a finish coat. Older properties need someone who understands how solid walls behave, why breathability matters, and how a properly built lime plaster system should be specified, prepared and applied from the substrate up.
At Naturally Plastered, lime plastering is the core of what I do. Every internal lime plaster job, whether it’s a single damp room in a listed cottage or a full property renovation is approached with the same attention to substrate preparation, material selection and curing time that the work demands. No shortcuts, no incompatible materials, no rushing coats that need time to carbonate.
The result is lime plastering that performs the way it should: breathable, durable, and sympathetic to the building it’s protecting.
Most plasterers will say they offer lime as a side-line, an occasional job taken on alongside modern gypsum and cement work. Lime plastering in Shropshire is all I do. I’ve spent years focused specifically on traditional lime plaster systems, the buildings they belong in, and the techniques required to apply them correctly on solid-wall properties that need materials matched to how they were built.
From traditional three-coat non-hydraulic lime plastering on listed cottages and stone farmhouses to heritage renovation work across Shropshire and the surrounding counties, every project benefits from that single-minded focus. I work closely with some of the UK’s most respected traditional building material suppliers — including Ty-Mawr Lime, Cornish Lime and Best of Lime ensuring the materials used are always appropriate for the substrate, the building age, and the specific demands of the job.
Specialising in lime plastering rather than treating it as an add-on means I can give genuinely informed advice on material specification, preparation and application, not just turn up and get the plaster on the wall. For the older properties of Shropshire, that level of knowledge makes a real difference to how the finished work performs.
Lime plastering throws up a lot of questions, especially if you’ve only ever dealt with modern gypsum or you’re trying to get your head around the difference between lime putty, hydraulic lime and everything in between. Below I’ve answered the questions I hear most often from Shropshire homeowners considering lime plastering for the first time. If yours isn’t covered, give me a call – I’m always happy to talk through what your walls actually need before any work is committed to.
It depends on the building and the substrate, but for most internal work on traditional Shropshire properties I use non-hydraulic lime putty plaster — the softest, most breathable option and the closest to what would have originally been used. For more exposed or damp-prone areas, a natural hydraulic lime (NHL) may be more appropriate. Material selection is always based on what the wall actually needs, not what’s quickest or cheapest to apply.
Occasionally, but rarely without preparation work first. If the existing plaster is gypsum or cement-based, it needs to come off — applying lime over incompatible materials creates bonding and moisture problems that will cause the new plaster to fail. If there’s original lime plaster that’s still sound and well-keyed, it may be possible to work over it with appropriate preparation. I’ll always assess what’s there before recommending an approach.
es, and it’s one of the most common jobs I carry out on older Shropshire properties. Gypsum is impermeable and has no place on a solid stone or brick wall — over time it traps moisture, causes damp patches and can accelerate masonry decay. Removing it and replacing with a properly specified lime plaster system often resolves long-standing damp issues that no amount of ventilation or treatment has fixed.
A traditional lime plaster system is three coats — scratch coat, float coat and finish coat — sometimes preceded by a harling coat on particularly rough or uneven substrates. Each coat serves a specific purpose and needs adequate time to cure before the next is applied. Cutting it down to one or two coats to save time is a false economy — the build-up is what gives lime plaster its durability and performance.
Yes, but the paint choice matters. Lime plaster needs to breathe, so it should only be decorated with breathable finishes — traditional limewash, mineral silicate paints, or breathable distempers. Sealing cured lime with a standard vinyl emulsion defeats the purpose entirely and can cause the same moisture-trapping issues you were trying to get away from. I’m happy to advise on suitable finishes as part of any project.
The common signs are hollow-sounding areas when tapped, cracking that follows the lath lines beneath, plaster that’s pulling away from the wall, or persistent damp patches that don’t respond to surface treatment. Older lime plaster does have a lifespan, particularly if it’s been subject to moisture ingress or incompatible repairs over the years. In some cases selective patching is sufficient — in others a full replaster is the right call. I’ll give you an honest assessment either way.
Getting a good match takes experience and the right material selection — aggregate type, particle size and application technique all affect the final appearance. On a listed building or a property where visual continuity matters, I take the time to assess the existing finish and work to replicate it as closely as possible. It won’t always be invisible, particularly on very old or unusual finishes, but a sympathetic match carried out properly is far less intrusive than a patch of modern plaster.
The general rule is: if your building was constructed before around 1920, it almost certainly needs lime. Properties built with solid stone or brick walls — rather than cavity walls — are designed to manage moisture through the fabric of the building. Sealing them with modern impermeable materials causes moisture to build up, leading to damp patches, peeling plaster, and even structural damage. If you’re seeing recurring damp, crumbling plaster, or efflorescence (white salt deposits) on your walls, there’s a good chance modern materials are the culprit. I’m happy to discuss what you’re seeing before you commit to any work.
Both. Not every job needs a full strip and start-again — sometimes a room has isolated areas of failure that can be cut out and patched correctly without touching the rest. Where the existing plaster is predominantly sound and the substrate is compatible, targeted repairs are a perfectly valid and cost-effective approach. The key is making sure any repair is done with compatible materials and proper preparation, otherwise you’re just deferring the problem.
Take a look at more of my recently completed projects throughout Shropshire on my portfolio page.
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Traditional Lime Plastering and Heritage Lime Pointing Services for Shropshire’s Older Properties.
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