So to get a durable floor you may need to cure it for some period of time with controlled moisture levels and avoid letting it dry out completely.
Lime plaster floor.
Even in the 1 4 in.
In recent years it has become more popular because it is more environmentally friendly than cement.
Ancient lime plaster often contained horse hair for reinforcement and pozzolan additives to reduce the working time.
Compared to cement plaster lime plaster is less brittle and cracks much less requiring no expansion joints as a result.
To this are added retardants such as keratin natural or sodium citrate manufactured.
One more thing to note.
The elevated ph of the lime in the plaster will also act as a fungicide.
First i slapped up two coats of concrete so there would be a inch seamless base for the lime plaster to build upon.
Be mindful however that gypsum plaster floors may well contain some later cement repairs.
Mold will not grow in lime plaster or on nearby wood.
Lime plaster is a type of plaster composed of sand water and lime usually non hydraulic hydrated lime also known as slaked lime high calcium lime or air lime.
Thickness used in this house it s possible to sculpt outside corners to give a softer look to what will become rock hard walls.
When set lime plaster becomes an extremely hard and solid mass that is extremely durable.
Then came the wait.
Lime plaster has been used for building since before the use of cement.
This involves absorption of co2 from the air and it happens faster when the lime is damp not soaking wet.
Lime plaster and mortar hardens by carbonation.
Lime ash is generally no longer available so repairs and reconstruction are usually done using a mixture of lime putty coal ash gypsum class a hemi hydrate fine casting plaster unburnt loamy clay and burnt crushed tile.
Finally after all that it was time to do what i love best the plastering.
The plaster used in this process is simply a mix of type s mason s lime limestone sand and water.
If it s the original lime plaster it s nearly 130 years old so it may be wiser to take it back to brick start with a blank canvass if you do go back to brick don t forget to wear a respirator mask for the dust jack make sure there s plenty of ventilation also.
Concrete s not a pretty project it s sloppy and it made a mess of both a floor and me.
It is very nearly liquefied rock that is troweled onto the walls.
In 2 addition unlike with concrete or cement the surface of a gypsum plaster floor is scratched easily with a sharp knife and rings when gently tapped.
So think of it this way if a stone floor is a 10 an oak plank floor a 7 to 8 then a cob floor is about a 3 to 4 in the way of hardness.
Laying a new floor.
Traditional non hydraulic hydrated lime only sets through carbonatation when the plaster is kept moist and access.