Embracing the makers: Lime and decorative plastering

Heritage plastering is a creative craft, and it’s spreading into the mainstream. This episode, host Lee Jones heads to South Derbyshire to meet a master of this traditional art, the highly skilled Philip Gaches.

Philip – who’s been undertaking and teaching decorative plastering for 44 years – discusses the relevance and benefits of lime plastering in 2023. Philip tells us its creative and financially rewarding, plus a bunch of other reasons it’s worth adding it to the ol’ skillset.

Jacobean, Elizabethan – find out what’s behind these niche plastering processes.

Did we mention Phil’s plastered some of our favourite palaces and his sons have even followed him into the trade?

Also on this episode, Terry Smith’s tip of the trade and the latest construction news with Freya Coleman.

Links from the show

Find out the dates for all our live events www.toolfair.info

Read features and news online, or sign up to our newsletter at www.probuildermag.co.uk to receive our digital edition. (Remember, a print copy of the magazine can be found on the trade counters of all good builder’s merchants.)

Find out about training courses with the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) 

More about Philip’s family business can be found here Gaches Plastering.

Send your news stories to Lee Jones, ljones@hamerville.co.uk Or if you have a ‘Tip of the trade’ in you, record it on the voice recorder App on your phone, and send it to pb@hamerville.co.uk

Improving the Efficiency of Home Heating. To read the guide, visit www.hhic.org.uk.