An Introduction to Plain Lime Plastering

Event details

An Introduction to Plain Lime Plastering

21 - 22 April 2023
Heritage Skills Centre, Coleshill Home Farm (National Trust), Coleshill, near Swindon, SN6 7PT
£495 per person  * FULLY BOOKED - please sign up to the waiting list *
 

Bursaries, generously provided by the Worshipful Company of Plaisterers, are available
£100 per person bursary place 

"The course was extremely practical, which was brilliant and exactly what we needed as working plasterers" - course participant (2021). 

"A complete understanding of the process of mixing and applying lime plasters.  It was brilliant." - course participant (2022). 

We are delighted to return to the Heritage Skills Centre, Coleshill, for our third year of popular lime-themed courses in association with the National Trust. This practical course covers the mixing and application of lime plaster to lath, masonry and modern substrates, which includes pricking up and base coats, float coats and setting coats. It provides a brief introduction to running a cornice in-situ.

Course participants may have practical plastering skills, and experienced plasterers used to working in gypsum will particularly benefit from the course. We also welcome anyone interested in learning about plain lime plastering for their home or old building(s) under their care.

The lead tutors, Sean Wheatley and Michal Wolf, are knowledgeable lime plasterers with decades of onsite experience.

Spaces are limited - advance booking is recommended.

The SPAB is an IHBC recognised CPD provider and attendance certificates for CPD are available on request. 

Although we cannot guarantee it, previous course participants have had success in gaining a CITB short course grant (code: GET2226) towards the cost of this course fee. Please visit the CITB website for further information.

This a is a two-day course. Refreshments and lunch are provided.  Accommodation is not included.   

"Courses like this are vital to build up the skills and knowledge of the best ways to repair, maintain and care for historic buildings" - course participant (2021).

"Really good balance of practical and theory, and delivered in an engaging manner and setting." - course participant (2022).

Programme (subject to minor changes): 

Day 1 
09:00  Registration 
09:30  Welcome + Health & Safety briefing
09:45  Introduction to lime - slaking, mixing and sand selection
11:00  Practical session - group split into two:
Group A: Fixing laths and alternative substrates
Group B: Mixing plasters
11:45  Lunch
12:30  Practical session - group split into two:
Group A: Mixing plasters
Group B: Fixing laths and alternative substrates
13:15  Practical session - applying base coats and pricking up coats
14:00  Refreshment break
14:15  Practical session - applying base coats and pricking up coats
15:00  Preparation for Day 2
15:15  Presentation of projects
16:30  Close

Day 2
09:00  Registration 
09:15  Practical session - applying float coats 
10:30  Practical session - applying setting coats
11:45  Refreshment break
12:10  Practical session - lime wash and hydraulic limes explained
13:00  Lunch
13:45  Introduction to running a cornice in-situ
14:35  Practical session - further practice on coats
15:30  Clear up
16:00 Close

You may also be interested in our follow-on course: An Introduction to Ornamental Lime Plastering, 9-10 June 2023.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): 
The course will take place in a workshop. Delegates should wear suitable clothing and sturdy footwear. PPE (hi viz, goggles, gloves) and all tools and materials will be provided. Delegates are welcome to bring their own goggles and gloves if they wish. 

Bursary: 
*APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED*
A couple of bursary places are available on this course at the reduced fee of £100 per person. Bursaries will be given to plasterers, or plastering students, seeking to develop their lime plastering skills in their early career and require this financial assistance. The SPAB is committed to eliminating discrimination and encouraging diversity in the sector. We particularly welcome applications by people from backgrounds underrepresented in building conservation. 

Bursary places are made possible through the generous support of the Worshipful Company of Plaisterers. 

To apply for a bursary place on this course, please email us at education@spab.org.uk to tell us:
- how long have you been a plasterer?
- what is your previous experience of plastering?
- what courses have you previously attended?  
- how do you think a place on the course would assist your career?
- about your need for the bursary. 

Please attach a short CV which tells us a bit more about you – your background, interests, and any training and/or work to date. 

If you have any questions before you apply, or would prefer to apply in another format, please email us at education@spab.org.uk marking your message “Plain Lime Plastering Bursary”. The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Tuesday 31 January 2023. Applicants will be contacted about the outcome of their application as soon as we can after this date. Please do not book a place on the workshop online if you intend to apply for a bursary. 

Accessibility:
Please contact us if there are any adaptations we can make that would make the course more accessible for you. We would be happy to have an informal chat about the course and possible access issues before you book. 

Lead Tutors:

Sean Wheatley - traditional plasterer
Sean has worked as a plasterer for 40 years - initially with modern materials and for the last 30 years he has concentrated on traditional methods, materials and decorative plasterwork. He has also been involved in the preparation of reports, surveys and methodologies regarding the conservation and restoration of historic plasterwork in listed and historic buildings. Sean is a master craftsman of the Worshipful Company of Plaisterers.

Michal Wolf - plasterer and conservator in lime
Michal is the founder of All Things Lime, a small but dynamic company which helps owners of traditional buildings and national charities to look after their historic buildings. Michal believes in a positive and sensible approach towards caring for historic buildings, and is also interested in traditional methods of working and keeping the craft alive by researching and using different lime plasters (such as chalk lime and hot lime). Michal is a master craftsman of the Worshipful Company of Plaisterers.

Booking Terms & Conditions

Founded in 1877 by William Morris and his fellow campaigners, the SPAB was established to champion a careful and sensitive approach to old building care. Today, the SPAB Approach offers a well-tested basis for practical decision-making within the building conservation field. We also encourage excellence in new design to enrich and complement the built historic environment. We train new generations of architectural professionals and building craftspeople to maintain and manage our precious stock of historic structures. We celebrate success through awards, and hand on knowledge to all who seek it. We are an international charity, with branches in Ireland and Scotland and members worldwide. 

Images credit: Jon Durrant and Abigail Lloyd