Artisan Plastering provides lime plastering services Northumberland and the wider North East for historic, listed, and traditional buildings across the region.. Every service we offer is chosen with the building in mind — the right material, correctly specified, sympathetically applied. Our lime plastering services include a number of systems detailed below.
Heritage Lime Plastering Services Northumberland
Traditional two and three-coat lime plasterwork for listed and historic buildings. Whether you have a 17th century farmhouse, a Grade II listed cottage , or a Victorian terrace, we specify and apply the correct lime system for your building. All work is carried out to conservation grade standard and is suitable for listed building consent conditions.
Hemp & Cork Insulated Lime Plastering A breathable, vapour-open insulated lime system incorporating natural cork or hemp aggregate. Genuine thermal improvement without trapping moisture or damaging historic fabric. We are an approved contractor for cork insulated lime plastering systems — one of very few in the UK.
Lime Plaster on Wood Wool Boards Where the specification permits, we use wood wool boards as a modern alternative to traditional lath. Wood wool provides an excellent mechanical key for lime plaster while meeting current building requirements. Suitable for conservation projects where lath and plaster is impractical.
Lath & Lime Plasterwork Traditional lath and lime plastering for projects where the original method must be retained. Carried out to full conservation standard using appropriate lime mixes and traditional lime plastering techniques.
Who we work with Our lime plastering services allow us to work alongside conservation architects, heritage surveyors, and historic building consultants, as well as directly with private owners of listed and traditional properties. We are a trusted sub-contractor to the National Trust.
To discuss your project call 07916 179604 or email info@artisanplastering.co.uk
Why Lime and Not Gypsum? — Common Questions Answered
Is lime plaster more expensive than gypsum?
Yes — and we won’t pretend otherwise. Lime takes longer to apply, requires considerably more skill, and the materials cost more. But on an old stone or brick building, comparing the two on price alone is missing the point entirely. They’re different products doing completely different jobs. The real question isn’t which is cheaper — it’s which is right for your building.
Why can’t I just use gypsum on my old property?
Think of gypsum on an old stone wall like a sponge that can never be wrung out. Old buildings built before around 1919 were designed to breathe — moisture naturally moves in and out through solid stone or brick walls. Gypsum seals that process off, trapping moisture with nowhere to go. Over time this leads to damp, spalling stonework, blown plaster, and in some cases serious structural damage. Cement render has exactly the same problem. Neither belongs on an old building. We regularly get called in to undo exactly this kind of avoidable — and expensive — harm.
Why does breathability matter so much?
Your walls have been managing moisture the same way for hundreds of years. The original lime plaster wasn’t just a cosmetic finish — it was a working part of that system. Replacing it with a modern airtight material disrupts the whole process. The damage doesn’t always show up immediately, which is part of the problem. By the time it does, it’s usually costly to put right.
Will lime plaster crack more than gypsum?
Actually the opposite. Lime is flexible — it moves with the building as it naturally settles and shifts with the seasons. Gypsum is hard and brittle, making it far more prone to cracking in older buildings that weren’t built to modern tolerances.
Is lime plaster better for the environment?
Yes. Lime reabsorbs CO₂ as it cures, making it one of the few building materials that is carbon negative over its lifetime. It’s durable, repairable, and completely compatible with the original materials around it. A well-applied lime plaster on a solid stone wall should last generations.
Does it matter what paint I use over lime plaster?
Absolutely — and it’s something that often gets overlooked. Covering lime plaster with a standard vinyl emulsion is like putting a plastic bag over it. All the breathability you’ve invested in gets cancelled out. We always recommend a breathable finish — limewash, mineral paint, or clay-based paint — to keep the whole wall system working as it should.
Is lime plaster a false economy?
We’d say gypsum on an old building is the false economy. The upfront saving rarely survives contact with the repair bill that follows. The right material, correctly applied the first time, is almost always cheaper in the long run.
