Having access to materials that are easy to apply regardless of the different types of interior substrates present (and there can be many) is key. But how can you be sure to deliver a harmonious texture and look?

For the project described here, the contractor (specialised in lime, hemp and air lime renders) stepped in during the second phase of the renovation project. Some of the decisions concerning substrates had already been taken by the time they stepped in.

Although some lime substrates were kept, particularly in the entrance hall, most of the walls had been covered with ceiling-high plasterboard panels. In addition, stonework framed the doorways and other openings, which highlighted the building’s value.

The project owner had very tight time schedule and wanted to be able to move into his new house quickly. That was the reason for some of the choices made early on, which did not necessarily fit in with what he had imagined.

The project owner’s desire to use lime for his interior was, however, top of his wish list. As a result, a solution had to be found for applying lime to the new substrates used. The obvious solution would have been paint products, but this type of finish was inconceivable for the project owner. It was certainly a paradoxical situation, but a solution had to be found.

Meeting Manuel Barbaux provided the key to unlocking the problem. He suggested a range of options in line with the owner’s wishes. He offered material solutions focusing on the quality of the raw materials, durability and indoor air quality.

When it came down to it, the presence of different substrates was a deciding factor in the final choice of materials. For example, for the stripped load-bearing walls, Barbaux Bâtiment applied a dubbing out coat made of Tradical® Bâtir formulated with air lime plus local sand. A finish was then applied consisting of a Tradical® Décor ready-to-mix air lime render trowelled down smooth thanks to its particle-size distribution.

One of the main advantages of this air lime render was that it was also used on most of the modern BA13-type plasterboard substrates, with little preparation work required. The end result is a harmonious use of materials.

The Barbaux Bâtiments team knows all the ins and outs of using this very smooth render, which has a creamy texture and thus a workability that can be easily adjusted to make it simple to apply. It has a longer drying time, which makes it easier to adjust the thickness as work progresses and provides high performance.

You can start living in your room that has been restored using Tradical® Décor the very next day!

What about hemp render?
Hemp render was totally new to the project owner. It can be seen in its all its glory in one of the rooms used as a home gym, where it was applied in its natural colour.

The overall aim was to create a healthy and cosy atmosphere, with natural pigments used for the colour scheme (Manuel Barbaux).

It all had to match with the decorative items dotted around the living space.

Interview 1/2 et 2/2 de Manuel Barbaux le 05 09 2018 : BCB Tradical^®

• Pourquoi rénover un intérieur à la chaux aérienne…l’expérience de Barbaux Bâtiment.
• Portrait express de Manuel Barbaux : un entrepreneur pour qui le biosourcé est vecteur de développement et de pérennité de son activité. article 2/2

Nota : Photos ©LezardsCreation.fr

• Barbaux Bâtiment – 2001 Route de Xertigny, 88370 Plombières-les-Bains – www.barbaux-batiment.com
• BCB Tradical^®: contact@weber-tradical.com

Examples of hempcrete homes and buildings

This apartment is located at the heart of Ecusson, a district in Montpellier that is naturally damp. The old render was removed and replaced by a beautiful white stucco made with Tradical^® H 98 lime, using a specific home-made recipe developed by Luce Borel, who specialises in this type of plaster work. Air lime is mixed with talcum powder and marble powder with different particle sizes and then applied in four coats. The last coat is burnished to give this natural stucco its smooth and shiny look. The atmosphere inside was transformed and now has a resolutely calming effect.

During the preparation phase, the irregularities in the stone walls were dubbed out using a traditional lime render, made with Tradical Bâtir, to obtain a perfectly flat surface.

• Stone walls
• Brick partition walls

• Tradical^® Bâtir lime was used to resurface walls (dubbing-out coat)
• An even undercoat of Tradical^® Décor was applied
• A stucco-style finishing coat of Tradical^® H 98 was applied
  In four coats
  • Marble powder with different particle sizes
  • Talcum powder in the last coat
  • Tradical^® Régulateur de Porosité (porosity-reducing primer) on the brick partition walls before applying the undercoat

• Project owner: M. Arlendi
• Artisan decorator: Luce Borel (Evolution Déco)
• Architect: Claude Marre

BCB Tradical^®: contact@weber-tradical.com

More about hempcrete homes and buildings renovated by BCB Tradical

The clients wanted to replace the old wallpaper in their house with a decorative render that would give the place a fresh look. The artisan decorator immediately suggested a lime render, for its purity and the fact it could be applied to a whole range of substrates. Tradical^® Décor came out top of the list.

The builder began by filling in the small cracks in the walls to obtain flat, even surfaces. He then applied a Tradical^® porosity regulator to the plaster before applying a single 3 to 5 mm coat of lime render.

The render is pure white in colour. The clients, who were new to lime, were very satisfied with this new render.

• Concrete or plaster partition walls
• Interior render
• Ready-to-use lime render, Tradical^® Décor, applied in a single 3-5 mm coat

• Project owner : Stan Hoovers
• Artisan builder : Denis Siegendaler

BCB Tradical^®: contact@weber-tradical.com

More about hempcrete homes and buildings renovated by BCB Tradical