Barrel-Vault Lath & Plaster Restoration

The Brief

A period property in East Kent had a barrel-vaulted lath and plaster ceiling where the original lime plaster had failed and was coming away from the laths. The owners wanted the ceiling restored properly, keeping as much of the original fabric as possible and using traditional materials so the old building could keep breathing. This is exactly the kind of heritage work Tom specialises in, so the answer was a like-for-like restoration in lime rather than a modern patch-up.

What We Did

The restoration ran in careful stages:

• Stripped the failed plaster: The loose and failed plaster was carefully taken back to the timber laths across the full curve of the vault, working section by section to protect the sound areas around it.
• Repaired the laths like-for-like: Rotten laths were cut out and replaced with new timber laths to match the originals. Everything that was still sound stayed exactly where it was.
• Applied the scratch coat: The first coat of lime plaster was pushed firmly through the gaps between the laths to form the keys that hold the whole ceiling up, then scratched to give the next coat something to grip.
• Built up the float coat: Once the scratch coat had cured, the second coat was applied and ruled to bring the curve of the vault back true.
• Finished with the setting coat: A fine lime setting coat was trowelled up by hand for a smooth, even surface that follows the barrel shape properly.
• Let each coat cure naturally: Lime cannot be rushed. Each coat was left to cure for 7 to 10 days before the next went on, which is what gives a traditional ceiling its strength.

The Result

The barrel vault is back to how it should be: a solid, breathable lime ceiling built the same way as the original, with the historic laths and beams retained wherever they were sound. Because the whole build-up is lime rather than modern gypsum, moisture can move through the fabric naturally, which keeps a building of this age healthy for the long term.

Job Duration: Several weeks from strip-out to final coat, with 7 to 10 days of curing time between each of the three lime coats.

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