Pre 1900 farmhouse renovation

EJ Aza

Hi All,

I have read many of the construciton threads on this site but cannot find much information re hemp lime render. Does anyone have any experience?

We have removed all the lime render from upstairs in the property and need to redo/insulate. We want to keep it breathable.

The two options I have found at the moment are:

Re point with lime render and then hemp lime render
or
Re point, stud and batton add breathable insulation, breathable board and breathable paint.

There was no damp obvious in the house and it has not been lived in for a few years and all insulation we removed and render was ok.

All ideas are welcome.

Thank you

Calahonda52

http://www.josephlittlearchitects.com/content/lime-hemp-potential-solution-concrete-problem
will get you started, as will the rest of his site, there is another publication which I will try find.

http://www.brebookshop.com/search.jsp search for hemp, lime

BryanF

EJ Aza wrote: »

Hi All,

I have read many of the construciton threads on this site but cannot find much information re hemp lime render. Does anyone have any experience?

We have removed all the lime render from upstairs in the property and need to redo/insulate. We want to keep it breathable.

The two options I have found at the moment are:

Re point with lime render and then hemp lime render
or
Re point, stud and batton add breathable insulation, breathable board and breathable paint.

There was no damp obvious in the house and it has not been lived in for a few years and all insulation we removed and render was ok.

All ideas are welcome.

Thank you

What do you want to know?
Hemplime is cheaper but slower - dry-lining with breathable materials is quick but expensive

Both option require specification & details/junctions/ air-tightness etc to be worked out before hand. Very few builders are up to speed on these methods so best to seek specialist involvement at an early stage.

EJ Aza

I have Holmes and Wingates book, McAfee and also Shaffreys books to get me started too.

Basically looking for information on who thinks what is better long term? How easy is it to do it yourself and does anyone have any experience doing it / common pitfalls?

Has anyone done hemplime render to point, rough coat and then a smooth coat finish? What was it like for fixtures and fittings?

We are doing room by room. In the middle of extending the depth of the rafters to allow for increased insulation (Metac). And are looking at options for the walls before the plasterboard for the ceiling goes in. The walls will have to wait until the temperature rises a bit so we can start the wiring in the meantime.

A lot of people I have talked to just keep saying put cement render on it insulate and make it airtight but they won't listen when we say this is not what we want to do and ask them for the best breathable options.

If doing the stud and insulate method what's the best insulation to use?

Many thanks

Chisler2

EJ Aza wrote: »

I have Holmes and Wingates book, McAfee and also Shaffreys books to get me started too.

Basically looking for information on who thinks what is better long term? How easy is it to do it yourself and does anyone have any experience doing it / common pitfalls?

Has anyone done hemplime render to point, rough coat and then a smooth coat finish? What was it like for fixtures and fittings?

We are doing room by room. In the middle of extending the depth of the rafters to allow for increased insulation (Metac). And are looking at options for the walls before the plasterboard for the ceiling goes in. The walls will have to wait until the temperature rises a bit so we can start the wiring in the meantime.

A lot of people I have talked to just keep saying put cement render on it insulate and make it airtight but they won't listen when we say this is not what we want to do and ask them for the best breathable options.

If doing the stud and insulate method what's the best insulation to use?

Many thanks

Unfortunately the Irish vernacular skills of lime-rendering and stone-masonry are now rare as hen's teeth so you will have to search. Pat McAfee's book - which you have - is useful for theory. The forum rules preclude advertising names of agents or brands so I cannot post the fruits of my own searches here. If you P.M. me I shall pass on sources I've explored which might be relevant and useful.

BryanF

EJ Aza wrote: »

I have Holmes and Wingates book, McAfee and also Shaffreys books to get me started too.

Basically looking for information on who thinks what is better long term? [LIST=2]
[/LIST]How easy is it to do it yourself and does anyone have any experience doing it / common pitfalls?
[LIST=3]
[/LIST]
Has anyone done hemplime render to point, rough coat and then a smooth coat finish?
[LIST=4]
[/LIST]What was it like for fixtures and fittings?

[LIST=5]
[/LIST]We are doing room by room. In the middle of extending the depth of the rafters to allow for increased insulation (Metac). And are looking at options for the walls before the plasterboard for the ceiling goes in.
[LIST=6]
[/LIST] The walls will have to wait until the temperature rises a bit so we can start the wiring in the meantime.

[LIST=7]
[/LIST]A lot of people I have talked to just keep saying put cement render on it insulate and make it airtight but they won't listen when we say this is not what we want to do and ask them for the best breathable options.

[LIST=8]
[/LIST]If doing the stud and insulate method what's the best insulation to use?

Many thanks

1. As per my earlier post hemplime takes longer to dry out and so is better suited to getting it all done in one go
2. It's easy to do, cement mixer/ hemp/ lime/sand - but best to get
A. Construction details done before you start
B. Get some tuition on mixing, ratios & install (there are different variations depending on thickness for u-value required)
3. Lime plaster finish: I've seen both, rough plaster & smooth finishes
4. Hemplime typically will be battened so will mineral/hemp/sheep wool; calcium silicate/cork/ wood fibre boards could be screwed into but for heavier things most options will need batten support.
5. the options are listed above, decide on your system and work out the details on one room.
6. Only start wiring when insulation method is decided, and typically you'd install the insulation first.
7. Yes you'll get that. But there are good products & specialists out there, just google the materials listed above
8. You can use studs with both Hemplime & insulation batt products such as hemp/sheep/mineral wool. You need a vapour barrier with any of the wools. Calcium silicate or wood fibre board products can be fixed directly using mushroom fixing and then plastered.

EJ Aza

Bryan thanks for the detailed reply! Will start looking more into it.
I have seen companies over here that pour the hemplime between studs and remove the front board. I was however looking at a wetter render mixture and apply direct to the wall. I do not know much about either at the moment and there is a lot more info on lime render compared with hemp lime.

Chisler I sent you a pm.

:-)

BryanF

EJ Aza wrote: »

Bryan thanks for the detailed reply! Will start looking more into it.
I have seen companies over here that pour the hemplime between studs and remove the front board. I was however looking at a wetter render mixture and apply direct to the wall. I do not know much about either at the moment and there is a lot more info on lime render compared with hemp lime.

Chisler I sent you a pm.

:-)

So what thickness would this render mixture be?

Thermal conductivity of hemplime is .09wmk approx, hemplime has its Benefits its breathable, cheap'ish for self install and provides thermal mass. But it's not as good in insulation thickness (like for like with say: mineral wool/cellulose/wood fibre/calcium silicate (.04/5wmk) & of course the 'poly' (petroleum) based insulation a such as PIR/PUR (.02/3wmk) etc can be better again)

Refer to this thread from a few years ago
http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2056279105
no doubt the links are broken but Google the titles and you'll get there

EJ Aza

Thanks Bryan, had read that thread a few times some very helpful information. We were thinking 50-60mm if using hemplime. My friend used just lime render on her old property and it is not the warmest! I am not sure how well sealed or insulated it is though so this may account for it although the walls are very cold to touch.

We may think more about a dry lining technique with appropriate ventilation on external walls and then use lime render or hemp lime on internal to help hold the heat.

We stripped the property of all insulation both roof and walls and it is still warmer than what we thought it would be after three to four weeks so the direction of the property and the amount of sunlight it receives is having a major impact on heating the walls which are then retaining the heat.