More Chaux Questions !

[Alex H]

I have read all the advice on the forum, but none of it seems to match our situation.

We have stripped our kitchen walls of plaster painted in a very attractive bright blue (!) back to the stone and removed most of the clay used as a filler.

We think that the stones used are too dark to point around and will make the kitchen darker than we would like. You can see from this www.alenda.freeserve.co.uk/house5_4.html but bear in mind the existing chaux is making the stones a lot lighter than they really are.

Our theory is to fill in the mortar with chaux and then plaster over the top.

Is this a no-no (I understand the walls are supposed to breath) or is it accepted practice ?

If not can I get really light chaux to plaster with ?

[Alexis]

Chaux breathes which is why it is recommended.

I don't see a problem with plastering with it.

Others might

[zeb]

Put on your plastic goggles and rubber gauntlet gloves, mix chaux with water

in bucket until you have a thick paste, slap on wall doing a small area at a

time using water to get a smooth finish over the stones. When you've finished

the wall, start again but mix a runnier paste and apply with brush or rubbergloved

hands over the top. Build up the coats (or not) until you are happy with the thickness.

It will be brilliant white and when you get fed up with that you can paint it with

a coloured lime wash.

Love your photos, especially the chest of drawers with the jaunty leg.

[Alex H]

Perhaps I was not too clear in my original question - when I said plaster over the top I meant with normal plaster (not chaux).

This is because we have an area of the wall which has a layer of concrete as the final coat, however, it does not completely cover the wall. So I am trying to find a method that will allow me to blend in the top coat fairly seamlessly and plaster (normal) seems to fit the bill

Any comments ?