extension – saving The Old Brewhouse

Adding an oak terrace

We needed something to connect the big glass doors with the pond, so we built an oak terrace cum patio.

It was to be an irregular shape because of the pond, so we drew it exactly, levelled the ground and dug nine post holes, into which were inserted short lengths of 100×100 mm fence posts, bedded in concrete. Continue reading “Adding an oak terrace”

Ready for landscaping

The finished extension after limewashing — The finished extension reflected in the pond, after limewashing

We have nearly completed our seven year project to convert and extend an old farm service building. We’ve made the minimum possible changes to the old building so we can preserve the history of its fabric, including the clay in its walls, while turning it into a comfortable home. Continue reading “Ready for landscaping”

Pros and cons of a breathable alternative to limewash – Keim

One of the conditions for listed building consent was that the colour of the extension must match the yellow ochre limewash of the old building, so the simplest way to do that would be to use the same limewash mix again. Hollins, the architects, instead specified Keim in the listed building consent application, a mineral paint which has been on the market for well over 100 years, and was developed in Bavaria as a more durable substitute for limewash. I’d never heard of it before, but a web search shows it is widely known.

Brushing on Ingleby's 3-coat tallow limewash — Brushing on Ingleby’s 3-coat tallow limewash

Keim is claimed to last 15-20 years at least, and the company says there are some examples 100 years old. Continue reading “Pros and cons of a breathable alternative to limewash – Keim”