Comments on: Five Important Details for Working with Natural Hydraulic Lime http://www.strawbale.com/working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime The World's Leader in Straw Bale Education Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:54:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Andrew http://www.strawbale.com/working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime/comment-page-1#comment-25961 Andrew Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:25:14 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/five-important-details-for-working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime#comment-25961 I try to press back and burnish all of the cracks I see 24 hours after application. After that time, you can't do much to fight what shows up. Long term maintenance is more about watching for large cracks and repairing them once you feel they risk penetration to the bales. You will get some cracking, but it's the big ones that are a potential problem. If you have to fix them, you'll need to lime wash or plaster the entire wall to hide any burn marks from the repair, so it's not something you'll want to do often. With proper installation and application, you won't need to do a lot of repair work. I try to press back and burnish all of the cracks I see 24 hours after application. After that time, you can’t do much to fight what shows up. Long term maintenance is more about watching for large cracks and repairing them once you feel they risk penetration to the bales. You will get some cracking, but it’s the big ones that are a potential problem. If you have to fix them, you’ll need to lime wash or plaster the entire wall to hide any burn marks from the repair, so it’s not something you’ll want to do often. With proper installation and application, you won’t need to do a lot of repair work.

]]> By: Jared http://www.strawbale.com/working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime/comment-page-1#comment-22366 Jared Sun, 09 Aug 2009 00:53:21 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/five-important-details-for-working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime#comment-22366 After building an even smaller practice structure, I'm presently building a small straw bale house in Kansas and finishing it with NHL. I've found the info on the website and in the DVD to be quite helpful but would like more information on maintenance and repair of the plaster. It seems as though Andrew, Ridge, or Anna may be able to help. For instance. 1. How small a crack in the brown coat should be repaired in the manner described by Anna before applying the finish coat? Are some cracks fine enough to not worry about? 2. How should one go about doing regular maintenance and repair of cracks over the lifetime of the building. (the finish coat is already on at this point of course). thanks After building an even smaller practice structure, I’m presently building a small straw bale house in Kansas and finishing it with NHL. I’ve found the info on the website and in the DVD to be quite helpful but would like more information on maintenance and repair of the plaster. It seems as though Andrew, Ridge, or Anna may be able to help. For instance.

1. How small a crack in the brown coat should be repaired in the manner described by Anna before applying the finish coat? Are some cracks fine enough to not worry about?

2. How should one go about doing regular maintenance and repair of cracks over the lifetime of the building. (the finish coat is already on at this point of course).

thanks

]]> By: Ridge http://www.strawbale.com/working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime/comment-page-1#comment-20096 Ridge Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:53:34 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/five-important-details-for-working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime#comment-20096 follow up to Anna, over- troweling can cause blisters in the plaster coat, blisters are areas that have not made a bond to the previous coat of plaster most likely due to not applying enough trowel pressure in the first place and then troweling over that area again soon after. a film of water has developed between the two plaster coats. these can be scraped back and allow to dry for a few minutes then come back and trowel on fresh plaster. Lime plaster requires a slow set also. follow up to Anna, over- troweling can cause blisters in the plaster coat, blisters are areas that have not made a bond to the previous coat of plaster most likely due to not applying enough trowel pressure in the first place and then troweling over that area again soon after. a film of water has developed between the two plaster coats. these can be scraped back and allow to dry for a few minutes then come back and trowel on fresh plaster. Lime plaster requires a slow set also.

]]> By: Andrew http://www.strawbale.com/working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime/comment-page-1#comment-8700 Andrew Sat, 07 Feb 2009 06:07:09 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/five-important-details-for-working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime#comment-8700 Running bond is the idea of staggering joints when stacking bales. Picture a brick wall or a house made of Legos. Contact Jim at www.PALimeWorks.com about the plaster and let him know I sent you. You can use my vendor code to get a discount on your purchase. Once you decide to purchase, contact me and I will give you the code. Running bond is the idea of staggering joints when stacking bales. Picture a brick wall or a house made of Legos. Contact Jim at http://www.PALimeWorks.com about the plaster and let him know I sent you. You can use my vendor code to get a discount on your purchase. Once you decide to purchase, contact me and I will give you the code.

]]> By: andrew kinslow http://www.strawbale.com/working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime/comment-page-1#comment-8693 andrew kinslow Sat, 07 Feb 2009 02:36:02 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/five-important-details-for-working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime#comment-8693 whats running bond? whats running bond?

]]> By: andrew kinslow http://www.strawbale.com/working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime/comment-page-1#comment-8687 andrew kinslow Fri, 06 Feb 2009 23:53:48 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/five-important-details-for-working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime#comment-8687 where can i get nhl in oklahoma? where can i get nhl in oklahoma?

]]> By: Anna Curnow http://www.strawbale.com/working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime/comment-page-1#comment-8641 Anna Curnow Fri, 06 Feb 2009 05:58:59 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/five-important-details-for-working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime#comment-8641 I don't know if this is helpful or what others have experienced... but I've noticed that the hairline cracks tend to appear in the second coat where there is a tiny air pocket between the two coats. This can happen if your arms are tired or your tools are not great. So I've learned to only plaster for about 3 hours a day - that's enough for my little arms. Every time I try to do one more little strip of wall at the end of the day, that's the spot where I get a few little cracks. Having said that they seem easily resolved by carving them out in a wedge until there is no evidence of the instability and then wetting and refilling..... it seems to work for us.... We can't get NHL here in New Zealand. So I've used Hydrated Lime which gets soaked in water for at least 36 hours until it forms a lime putty. That seems to work fine. Anna I don’t know if this is helpful or what others have experienced… but I’ve noticed that the hairline cracks tend to appear in the second coat where there is a tiny air pocket between the two coats. This can happen if your arms are tired or your tools are not great. So I’ve learned to only plaster for about 3 hours a day – that’s enough for my little arms.

Every time I try to do one more little strip of wall at the end of the day, that’s the spot where I get a few little cracks.

Having said that they seem easily resolved by carving them out in a wedge until there is no evidence of the instability and then wetting and refilling….. it seems to work for us….

We can’t get NHL here in New Zealand. So I’ve used Hydrated Lime which gets soaked in water for at least 36 hours until it forms a lime putty. That seems to work fine.

Anna

]]> By: Andrew http://www.strawbale.com/working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime/comment-page-1#comment-5769 Andrew Sun, 19 Oct 2008 00:59:08 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/five-important-details-for-working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime#comment-5769 The plaster should not be applied when it is below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature cannot drop below freezing within the 72 hours immediately following the application of the plaster. Dry, hot weather is also difficult for the plaster. It is best to aim for moist, warm days when the air is humid if possible. The plaster should not be applied when it is below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature cannot drop below freezing within the 72 hours immediately following the application of the plaster. Dry, hot weather is also difficult for the plaster. It is best to aim for moist, warm days when the air is humid if possible.

]]> By: Trevor http://www.strawbale.com/working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime/comment-page-1#comment-5714 Trevor Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:21:38 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/five-important-details-for-working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime#comment-5714 is there a more prefered time of year (or even time of day) to be working with this material, i live in the north east and do not have the hot nice weather year round as you might have guessed is there a more prefered time of year (or even time of day) to be working with this material, i live in the north east and do not have the hot nice weather year round as you might have guessed

]]> By: Andrew http://www.strawbale.com/working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime/comment-page-1#comment-5557 Andrew Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:37:25 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/five-important-details-for-working-with-natural-hydraulic-lime#comment-5557 1. It is best to let the plaster dry slowly. In fact, misting the walls to keep them moist is best. A dehumidifier would be the opposite of what you want. 2. If the walls are not properly wet down prior to the plaster application, the plaster can separate from the walls. On the other hand if the walls are too wet (running surface water on the walls) the plaster can separate as well. Finally, if the plaster is not applied properly, for example not pushed into the bales with enough force, it can fall off the walls under its own weight. 1. It is best to let the plaster dry slowly. In fact, misting the walls to keep them moist is best. A dehumidifier would be the opposite of what you want.

2. If the walls are not properly wet down prior to the plaster application, the plaster can separate from the walls. On the other hand if the walls are too wet (running surface water on the walls) the plaster can separate as well. Finally, if the plaster is not applied properly, for example not pushed into the bales with enough force, it can fall off the walls under its own weight.

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