The research paid off - you really know what you're doing - looking like a pro. Same with your editing & film making. Love your music choices. You, sir, are a craftsman 🙌 Glad that you left the opening for nesting birds 😊
Great work and research beforehand. Well done. I love your keen attention to safety with the goggles and mask. Lime is very unforgiving to the eyes and lungs.
Really like when you did the first wall with the lime mortar the little stone that was in the mortar when you brushed away to get it into the fine cracks and crevices around the larger rocks has a very pretty look to it. I understand you said that you’re gonna cover this over. It looks beautiful. You did such a great job closing up those small windows and the chard piece of wood was probably done to preserve the wood. It’s called Shou Sugi Ban it’s an Ancient, Japanese wood burning. Thank you
Beating the mortar into the joints during setting using a brush is called 'chomping', at least here in Cornwall. This is done to counter any shrinkage as the water dissipates. It's usually best to wait until the joint is touch dry on the surface, else the brush will pick up the lime and spread it over the face of the stone.
I'm so glad to hear the new roof and chimney repairs have stopped the water leaking into your gable end and common wall. That is big progress. 👍 It would be great if you would give us an update on the the relative humidity in each major space. Viewed from the front of the house; 1) The attic on the left 2) the attic with the gable end. 3) the second floor of the "barn" 4) the second floor of the house. 5) the ground floor of the barn 6) the ground floor of the house. Summed up with any "trends" you have observed. 😊 I will suggest a "churn brush" for tamping your pointing into the joints. It has stiff Tampico bristles, a much larger head and a long handle. Much easier on the muscles and joints and does a fine job. 👍
Timbers were chard first to stop wood boring insects, which explains why the lintel is in reasonable nick. Love your videos, life's a constant leaning curve.
charred wood is old time practice to supress mildew and dry rot. I do not think char wood stops insects. I have been wondering what old timers use to prevent insects from attacking wood. some people suspected some type of oil or wax.
Looks like you are going to do a great job there . The bits you have already done, look really good. That lintel looked well dodge, glad you filled in that window.
Hi , the restoration couples RU-vid channel has some great content on lime motor repointing. From their old house couple of years ago . Worth a watch is you have found it yet ! 👍🏻
La pierre est un matériaux minéral et froid. Je recouvrerai le tout en enduit à la chaux. Voir chaux-chauvre pour avoir un ressenti chaleureux.Et aussi moins galère a jointoyer. Bon courae .
I would suggest you mix the lime mortar dryer and keep wetting the wall and use a narrow trowel to really push the lime into the joints , you can also ball it in your hand and throw it into deep joints and flush it up afterwards , also let the ingredients mix for a good half hour it really makes a difference
If you are making concrete (I realise you are not) then the water to cement ratio is key to strength. Cement or Ordinary Portland Cement will be stronger the less water you use, but you need water for workability. Like your lime mortar, OPC is a hydraulic cement and will cure quite happily underwater. Cement is essentially lime with clay. So while I have never worked with lime, I would think the same applies that the water to lime ratio has a big impact on strength. For what it's worth I would use a much drier lime mortar mix. This would be much easier to ram into the joints and would make brush clean up much easier after a partial curling on the lime mortar.
Perhaps a piping bag makes more sense, rather than a trowel. Let the bag do the work, filling in the cracks, then use a smaller trowel to push the lime mortar into the back and smooth the mix. I'm not sure if you're meaning to put a render on top of the stones but using a piping bag is tidier if you plan to leave them unfaced.
roof requires air circulation. unless you have planned some opening for the roof, those two windows is possible key for circulation... but windows currently are in wrong location. (under roof beam)
Did you consider framing in windows into those openings? I always look for ways to bring in more natural light. Overall excellent - keep in keeping on!
Looks like it is going well Lewis. You're definitely learning. A VERY tedious, though quite Zen job to repoint all those stone walls. That said, by the time you get around to the outside you should be well-practiced and have it down to a science.
Curious the difference between this mix and the slaked lime mix , sometimes with hemp, that the Make Grow Do people use. Is this more of a structural mix ? Eric.
That wooden lintel has probably been burnt deliberately before it was fitted. It's a technique that goes back to the bronze age of charring timber to prevent rot and insect damage.
Look up m.ru-vid.com he is restoring stone cabins in the Italian Alps and uses a special machine that pumps the lime motar in between the stones. It is time saving and a brilliant bit of equipment to use for such a huge project. Good luck!! 🥰
