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  • louisa_ :)louisa_@mastodon.social
    Oct 21, 2026, 2:48 PM

    Been on a free short course this afternoon, to learn about pointing (👉👈👆) with lime mortar. It was organised by the Bradford Heritage Action Zone project, and presented by the founder of a local lime mortar supplier/manufacturer (Womersley's).

    There was a LOT of info to absorb but it was great to be able to ask questions, as well as practise the technique under someone's experienced eye. Lots to think about now - then lots of pointing to do!

    And we got given tote bags at the end 😄

    A small section of stone wall to be used as a teaching aid. It is about 1.2m by 80cm, and raised off the ground by a wooden structure. The stone is cream coloured, like much of the stone used for buildings around Bradford and West Yorkshire. Fresh lime mortar is in-between the stones. The middle section of the top mortar row is particularly well pointed, as if the person who did it is some sort of pointing savant.
    A black tote bag sitting flat on a wooden table. The tote has illustrations printed on it - line drawings of some prominent buildings around Bradford City centre. At the bottom is a url: Bradford.gov.uk/haz
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  • Juditharoundthehills
    Oct 21, 2026, 3:50 PM

    @louisa_ I've learned a little bit about lime mortar when I was part of a bothy maintenance work party a few years ago.

    I don't remember much of the detail but something I took away is how traditional builders understood how a building was almost a living breathing organism. Yes, we need it to be warm and weather proof but it needs to be able to breathe.

    Clever stuff.

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  • louisa_ :)louisa_@mastodon.social
    Oct 21, 2026, 4:13 PM

    @aroundthehills yes, that was a key point early on: if your house was built to breathe, it needs to breathe.

    Inside, I don't think we'll go the whole hog and rip out all the plasterboard etc that is in good condition, but we'll consider insulated lime plaster when we fully redo the coolest/dampest room in the house (living room) at some point.

    Externally, I think pointing our house & garage is going to be a multiple year, as and when, project for me. Going to do hidden bits until I improved 😉

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  • Juditharoundthehills
    Oct 21, 2026, 4:20 PM

    @louisa_ You should be quite good at it by the time you finish the house. 😁

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