Lime Ash Floors
Lime ash floors were made with the ash residue of lime kilns. They were usually laid over a bed of reeds laid on wooden laths fixed to the joists. They were a clever composition as they are flexible enough to cope with minor movement in the building, they are breathable, they are much warmer to walk on than a concrete floor, and they look good.
If you are fortunate enough to still have lime ash floors in your house it is likely that at some time they will need repair. Damage can occur for a number of reasons:
- Failure of the laths due to water or insect damage.
- An inadequate previous repair.
- Breaking caused by structural changes such as removing a wall.
- Lack of care in making holes for plumbing or electrical supply.
- Cracking caused by significant movement of the house or simply through wear and tear.
Lime is now generally produced on a factory scale and the original raw material for making lime ash floors is not available. Therefore there is no such thing as a ready-made repair mix.