About James’ Lime Works
I started out as a builders labourer and had my first experience with lime doing a re-pointing job on an old school house in Stroud. I was amazed at what an incredible material it was to work with and the finished job looked so good I couldn’t stop looking at it, it’s then I knew I wanted to learn more about lime and everything in between.
After working for two local building conservation firms I decided to set up my own company. Throughout my time there I was lucky enough to work alongside some great craftsmen and I was able to gain a great understanding of old buildings and how they work.
I truly care about what I do and I hope my work shows just that.
Feel free to give me a call or fill in the form and I’ll get back to you when I can
What we do
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Hemp Plaster
A simple mixture of hemp, lime and sand creates a natural, breathable insulating plaster.
Hemp is an incredible material to work with & in the last few years it has seen a surge in interest with more people finding about what a fantastic job it can do for your home.
Modern forms of insulation in older houses can cause condensation to occur (damp) therefore using a natural insulating plaster directly onto the stone/brick or onto a breathable wood fibre board allows for a far more suitable system in keeping with the needs of a traditional house.
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Traditional Lime Pointing
Look around the Cotswolds and you’ll sadly see lots of old houses repointed with cement.
The problems this can cause can be serious ranging from damp inside the home to the stone/brick actually rotting from within. Repointing with a soft lime mortar allows the wall to breathe & stop water ingress and maintains the health of the stone/brick for many more years.
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Traditional Lime Plaster
Using old school techniques that have worked for years. Lime, sand and horse hair.
Lime is a lovely material to use, it is very forgiving, and changes the feel of a room completely.
Most problems with old houses result from inappropriate use of modern building materials which prevent your house from 'breathing' - things like cement and gypsum plaster, emulsion paints and tanking.
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Window Restoration
We can restore both timber & metal windows back to their former glory at a fraction of the price of replacements.
The secret to timber longevity is linseed paint. Linseed paint has been used throughout Scandinavia for centuries, the wood doesn’t rot and the iron never rusts.
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Building & Landscaping
We specialise in lime but we can turn our hand to other trades too.
Take a look through the pictures of different projects we’ve been involved in.
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Damp Consultation
Tanking, sealing & injecting are all terms from the damp industry that have no place in old properties.
Using these forms of ‘damp proofing’ can cause serious issues within your home as you’re fighting against the process of how old buildings work, they need to breathe, both inside and out!
The use of cement & gypsum plaster in old properties are one of the main causes of damp as you are effectively sealing the wall and keeping the moisture in there.
Tackling the cause rather than treating the symptoms is the way to go.
“He showed a passion for old building techniques and the finished wall far exceeded my expectations.”
Johnathan Burges, Chalford
“James has great knowledge and helped me understand what was wrong with my old, damp cottage. We both look forward to getting you back in for the next project .”
Martin Goode, Stroud
“James showed real care and attention to detail when lime plastering our cottage, we wouldn’t hesitate to have him back.”
Lindsey Stuart
, Nailsworth
