Lime Plaster for Period Homes in Manchester

Short answer. Most of Manchester's Victorian and Edwardian houses have solid brick walls that need to let moisture pass through, so lime based finishes such as lime plaster, Marmorino and limewash suit them well. Zavoré supplies these Italian lime finishes tinted to your colour and sends its own applicators from Birmingham to install them. If your home is listed, speak to your council's conservation officer about listed building consent before booking any internal work.

For every decorative finish we install in Manchester, from Venetian plaster to limewash, gilding and murals, see our decorative finishes specialist in Manchester page.

Would you rather have it done for you? Our own applicators provide decorative plaster installation across the UK, including Venetian plastering in Manchester.

Why older Manchester houses need walls that breathe

Manchester grew quickly in the nineteenth century, and a large share of its older housing comes from that time. Red brick terraces fill suburbs such as Levenshulme, Chorlton and Didsbury, and there are bigger Victorian villas in many parts of the city. Most of these homes were built with solid brick walls and no cavity.

A solid wall deals with damp by letting moisture move in and out through the brick and the plaster. The original plaster inside was usually lime. When modern plaster or plastic based paint is put over it, that moisture can get trapped. Over time this can show up as damp patches, flaking paint or plaster that turns soft and crumbly.

Trades people call a material "breathable" when water vapour can pass through it. Lime is breathable, which is the main reason it is the natural choice for these walls.

Lime finishes that suit a Manchester period home

• Lime plaster. Used to repair or replace damaged backing coats, built up in layers so it works with the old wall rather than against it.
• Marmorino. Lime mixed with fine marble dust and trowelled to a smooth stone look. It can be left matt or finished to a soft sheen, and it suits living rooms, halls and stairwells.
• Limewash. Lime thinned with water and brushed on in several thin coats. It gives a soft, chalky colour that varies gently across the wall.
• Clay plaster. Another breathable finish with an earthy, natural feel that works well in bedrooms.

Cornice, coving and ceiling roses

Many Manchester terraces and villas still have their original plasterwork. Cornice is the decorative moulding where the wall meets the ceiling. Coving is a simpler curved version, and a ceiling rose is the round moulding in the centre of the ceiling.

These details often suffer from years of thick paint that fills in the pattern, cracks from old leaks, or sections lost during rewiring. Zavoré fits, matches and restores cornice, coving and ceiling roses. Missing lengths can be made to match the existing profile, and clogged detail can be cleaned back so the original shape shows again.

Listed homes and consent

Greater Manchester has many listed buildings and a number of conservation areas. If your home is listed, listed building consent can be needed for internal work, including replastering walls and altering or replacing original mouldings. Ask the conservation officer at your local council before you book. That means Manchester City Council for homes in the city, or your own borough council in places such as Stockport, Trafford or Salford.

How a Manchester job is planned

Zavoré's applicators travel from Birmingham and book Manchester work in planned blocks of days. Lime needs time to set between coats, so the order of work is agreed at the start. Before that, you can see your colour on a sample board trowelled in the finish you have chosen.

To start, order a sample board in your colour, call 07592 929191 or email sales@zavore.co.uk. You can read more about our work in the city on our Manchester page.

Questions we get asked

Can Marmorino go over old lime plaster?

Usually yes, as long as the old plaster is sound. Loose or hollow areas are repaired first so the new finish has a firm base.

Is limewash as tough as modern paint?

Limewash is softer than modern paint and can mark if rubbed. The good news is that it is easy to touch up with another thin coat.

Can you match a cornice that is partly missing?

Yes. Zavoré matches and restores cornice, coving and ceiling roses. Photos of the existing moulding help us plan the work.