Help Center

ABOUT US The Founders - The Start of the Company In 1993 Nigel and Joyce Gervis purchased Tŷ-Mawr, a run-down farm in the heart of the Brecon Beacons...

Since establishing in 1995, Ty-Mawr Lime Ltd has made an enormous contribution to resurrecting the use of traditional building materials in Wales. We...

A business is born The potential for expansion was obvious and what started off as a temporary solution for a one-off renovation project soon germinated...

Ty-Mawr Lime Ltd has made an enormous contribution to resurrecting the use of traditional building materials in Wales and has become a market leader in...

About Us – reducing our environmental impact When we started the business in the 1990s, our core principle was to produce high quality traditional building...

Established in 1995, by husband and wife, Nigel and Joyce Gervis, Ty-Mawr Lime Ltd has made an enormous contribution to resurrecting the use of traditional...

To see our guide on the the History of Tŷ-Mawr, which includes, photos, maps and artefacts found at Tŷ-Mawr please follow the link below.

Established in 1995, Ty-Mawr Lime has become a market leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of natural building materials and systems, providing...

  The Lime Cycle The lime cycle shows the stages from quarrying the limestone through to the production of mortars and plasters for...

Lime has been used as the binder in mortars, plasters, renders and paints for thousands of years. The oldest sample of lime plaster that we are aware...

Caring for buildingsThe importance of lime mortars, plasters and paints in caring for old buildings has now been well documented, this is because...

There are many types of building lime on the market. It is crucially important to understand their differences and the way in which they perform...

It is important for the well-being of the building that the most appropriate lime product is chosen. Every situation needs to be carefully assessed e....

Guidance for Protecting Lime work all year round As with all good building practice using any mortars, plasters/renders and paints, protection should...

Mortar is a mixture of sand or aggregate and binder (lime or cement) that is most often used to build brick or block walls. This mixture creates a workable...

Its breathable! Lime mortar is highly breathable allowing water to pass through the building thereby avoiding a build-up of moisture within the fabric...

Ty-Mawr’s mortars have always been manufactured as hot lime mixes.  We have perfected hot mixes over the last 20 years producing high-quality mortars...

Application Type of Lime Notes Pointing Tŷ-Mawr Premixed Lime Mortar (External/Internal) The time of year and...

More than likely it is an earthen mortar or ‘stabilised soil’ dug straight out of the ground outside your house. This may have been mixed with some quicklime...

Dating mortar accurately is very difficult unless it is obviously something like a black ash mortar which was prevalent in the 19th and early 20th century...

Preparing the Mortar Do not add water - a premixed mortar when purchased may appear too dry. It must be ‘knocked-up’ (the process of chopping, beating...

Preparing the mix Mix the lime and aggregate by volume (check the specification for exact mix ratio for the job or refer to the table below), measuring...

We are often asked if our lime mortars can be used with a conventional pointing gun. The answer is that you can with certain machines, usually the forced...

Crumbling or failing mortar can be caused by a number of reasons: Failing mortar can usually be attributed to a lack of carbonation of the lime within...

Plastering or rendering is a method of using a coating similar od sand and lime over the existing brickwork/stonework. The difference between them is ...

Why choosing lime plaster/render might be the right decision for your next project: Historical Significance: Lime plaster/render has been used for ...

Ty-Mawr’s plasters and renders have always been manufactured as hot lime mixes.  We have perfected hot mixes over the last 20 years producing high...

  Base Coat Top Coat Ty-Mawr Lime Hemp Plaster 1 x 6mm Fine Hemp 1 x 6mm Fine Hemp Or 50:50 Fine Hemp : Superfine Mix Optional...

  Base Coat Top Coat Ty-Mawr Fat Lime Plaster 2 x 9mm BaseLime (with fibres) 1 x 3mm coat of Superfine/Woodfibre...

  Base Coat Top Coat Ty-Mawr Fat Lime Plaster 2 x 9mm BaseLime (with fibres) 1 x 3mm coat of Superfine/Woodfibre...

Internal Plaster Options onto Masonry (Stone/Brick/Block)   Base Coat Top Coat Ty-Mawr Fat Lime Plaster 2 x 9mm...

  Base Coat Top Coat  Secil Isovit Lime (Dry Hydraulic Premix) 2 x 5-6mm Isovit Lime(5mm Mesh between coats) 3mm REABILITA Cal...

External Plaster Options onto Cob/Rammed Earth/ Strawbale   Base Coat Top Coat Ty-Mawr Fat Lime Plaster 2 x 9mm...

External Plaster Options onto Lath   Base Coat Top Coat Ty-Mawr Fat Lime Plaster 2 x 9mm BaseLime (with fibres) ...

We have a range of aggregates available that can be used across all applications including; pointing, plastering, rendering and screeding. We are continually...

Depending on the size and location of your project, supplying the aggregate from our yard in the Brecon Beacons can significantly increase the delivery...

Guidance for Protecting Lime work all year round As with all good building practice using any mortars, plasters/renders and paints, protection should...

Paint in its simplest form consists of a binder, a solvent and a pigment. The binder allows the pigment (colour) to stick to the surface, whilst the solvent...

Firstly the word ‘breathable’ is not very helpful as buildings don’t actually breathe! – We tend to use the term vapour permeable. Measurements of vapour...

Lime work should be finished with a vapour permeable paint, traditionally this would have been a limewash. Limewash has been and is still used throughout...

Can I make my own Limewash? You can make your own limewash in a number of ways: Buying our lime putty and watering down and whisking to the consistency...

Please see the table below to see which surfaces are suitable and the number of coats required. If there is a background that isn’t available in the table...

What is a distemper? Distemper is a decorative paint and a historical medium for painting pictures. Distemper is an early form of limewash, used...

This will depend on atmospheric conditions including ventilation, temperature and humidity as well as any background moisture within the substrate which...

Casein is a protein found in milk, commonly used in various applications such as adhesives, paints, and even in some food products. Casein is added to...

A shelter coat limewash is a specialized type of limewash, that contains a fine aggregate, that is applied as a protective layer over an existing limewash...

Linseed oil is often added to the final limewash coat for several reasons, primarily to enhance its durability, water resistance, and adhesion to surfaces...

The general advantages of wool insulation against glass or mineral fibre quilt products would be:- Environmental issues, using a renewable resource to...

Thermafleece CosyWool passes the BE EN 11925 Ignitability test and has a Class E Euroclass rating as is the case for other natural fibre insulation. ...

Does sheep’s wool have an odour? The wool in Thermafleece is cleaned by a scouring process that removes almost all wool grease and dirt but it doesn...

The wool we use contains a borax based fire retardant and does not require the addition of an insecticide. Hemp fibres are not susceptible to moth attack...

We are often asked if locally produced small quantities of wool can be treated and processed by Ty-Mawr and its suppliers to produce Insulation? The manufacturer...

“All the wool used in Thermafleece comes from British flocks. They are registered British Wool licensees. All wool is purchased through the British...

Plastic is necessary for packing quilted natural insulation.  At present there is no alternative material available that provides adequate protection...

Why is there the amount of packaging on our insulation?   Plastic is necessary for packing quilted natural insulation. At present there is no alternative...

From the 1st April 2022, the VAT rate on Energy Saving Materials will change. The 5% rate applied to the installation of certain energy materials in ...

Choosing a Board Schneider Board Application Brief Description Wall 180 External Walls External Wall Insulation for Timber Frame Constructions (Suitable...

Solid walls are simple in their construction and the way they are designed to protect themselves. They rely on moisture being able to move through the...

The majority of solid walled buildings in this country are built of brick or stone and tend to pre-date the 1930s. For brick-built buildings, if the wall...

To save energy and improve the internal comfort level – heat will always flow from a warm area to a cold one. Therefore, the colder it is outside, the...

In the following articles, we present our options to insulate solid wall buildings whilst allowing them to maintain vapour permeability, as requested ...

Coming soon ...

Tŷ-Mawr’s Internal Wall Insulation Systems are also part of our range of sustainable building solutions. In addition to their thermal and acoustic performance...

  500mm Solid Wall (appropriate external protection from driving rain is essential when undertaking internal wall insulation – please ...

  500mm Solid Wall (appropriate external protection from driving rain is essential when undertaking internal wall insulation – please ...

  500mm Solid Wall (appropriate external protection from driving rain is essential when undertaking internal wall insulation – please ...

  500mm Solid Wall (appropriate external protection from driving rain is essential when undertaking internal wall insulation – please ...