Plasterwork
Plasterwork specialists here work in lime and other traditional plasters on the walls and ceilings of period buildings, and on ornamental work: cornices, ceiling roses, mouldings and fibrous plaster. Traditional plasters breathe with the building; replacing them with modern gypsum or cement-based systems traps moisture and commonly causes the damp problems they were meant to cure. Typical commissions range from repairing lath-and-plaster ceilings and re-plastering solid walls in lime, to running new cornice to match existing and conserving decorative schemes. Use this category for both plain lime plastering and decorative repair.
What this category covers
- Lime plastering of solid walls, internally and externally
- Repair of lath-and-plaster ceilings
- Cornices, ceiling roses and run mouldings matched to existing
- Fibrous and ornamental plaster manufacture and repair
- Conservation of significant decorative schemes
A P Heritage Lime Plastering
A P Plastering is a heritage plastering firm based in Melton Mowbray, ...
Andrew Churchman Ltd
BULDING CONTRACTOR: Andrew Churchman Ltd is a long-established company based in Belper, ...
Artisan Plastercraft Ltd
Artisan Plastercraft manufactures and restores decorative plasterwork for commercial and residential clients, ...
Bakers of Danbury Ltd
Bakers of Danbury is a privately owned building contractor established in 1878 ...
Bespoke Construction & Joinery Solutions
Bespoke Construction & Joinery Solutions (BCJS) is a building contractor based in ...
Between Time Ltd
Listed Buildings Specialists • Lime plastering, renders, washes and pargetting • Timber ...
Cliveden Conservation Workshop Ltd
SCULPTURE, STONE AND MATERIALS ANALYSIS / SCULPTURE, STONE AND BRICK SERVICES / ...
Getting plaster right in an old building
Confirm what is on the walls now. Buildings constructed before about 1919 were almost always plastered in lime, and any re-plastering should generally match: lime on solid walls, haired lime on lath. Gypsum skim over old lime, or cement-based “renovating” plasters, are the most common modern mistakes and both cause trouble later.
Distinguish plain work from decorative work. Many good lime plasterers do not run cornices, and ornamental fibrous work is a separate workshop trade; check which the firm actually offers.
Ask about mixes and curing. Lime plaster needs the right sand, appropriate hair or fibre, and time between coats; a plasterer who talks about programme pressure and additives may be planning to treat it like gypsum.
For ceilings, ask whether the existing plaster can be consolidated from above rather than pulled down; original lath-and-plaster ceilings are increasingly valued and often saveable.
Questions to ask
Why use lime plaster instead of gypsum in a period property?
Lime remains vapour-permeable and slightly flexible, so solid walls can release moisture and cope with movement. Gypsum and cement plasters are harder and far less breathable; on old walls they trap moisture, fail by blowing off, and can push damp elsewhere.
Can a damaged ornamental cornice be matched?
Yes. A specialist takes a squeeze or profile from the surviving section, cuts a running mould or makes a fibrous mould, and runs or casts new lengths to match. Short repairs are done in situ; longer runs are usually cast in the workshop.
Do lath-and-plaster ceilings have to come down?
Rarely. Sagging ceilings can often be consolidated by cleaning the backs of the laths and re-keying with plaster or modern conservation fixings from above. Wholesale removal loses historic fabric and is usually the more expensive route once making good is counted.
All 38 businesses listed under Plasterwork
- A D Holden APC West Sussex
- A P Heritage Lime Plastering Leicestershire
- Alba Plastercraft Hampshire
- Andrew Churchman Ltd Derbyshire
- Artisan Plastercraft Ltd Kent
- Bakers of Danbury Ltd Essex
- Bespoke Construction & Joinery Solutions Monmouthshire
- Between Time Ltd Hertfordshire
- Cliveden Conservation Workshop Ltd Berkshire
- DRB Lime Plastering Hertfordshire
- Eco-Renovation Hertfordshire
- F E Stacey & Co Wiltshire
- G J Plaster Mouldings Surrey
- HarriDec Ltd Essex
- Hirst Conservation Lincolnshire
- Inner Plastering Solutions Cambridgeshire
- Inspire Building Specialists Ltd Oxfordshire
- J P Ladell Suffolk
- JH Building Restoration Ltd Cambridgeshire
- Lime Plasterers Lancashire Ltd Lancashire
- Lime Repair Ltd Somerset
- Limestone Oak Ltd Hertfordshire
- MD Plastering & Historic Conservation Essex
- Mike Wye Limited Devon
- Natural Finishes Ltd Lancashire
- Oak & Lime Ltd Suffolk
- Old Stone & Timber Ltd
- Oliver & Sons Heritage Restoration West Sussex
- Organic By Design Cambridgeshire
- R J Rowley Specialist Restorer of Historic Buildings Leicestershire
- Rickards Period Plastering Ltd Suffolk
- Ryedale Plasterers Ltd North Yorkshire
- Spencers Builders Ltd Gloucestershire
- Sussex Lime Plastering West Sussex
- The Oak Blokes East Sussex
- The Wessex Conservation Company Somerset
- Traditional Heritage
- Unity Lime Products Ltd Buckinghamshire
Directory information is provided to help visitors identify potentially relevant specialists and suppliers. Inclusion does not constitute a recommendation, approval or guarantee by Tuscan Foundry Products. Please check current services, credentials, availability and suitability directly with each business.