Friday 16 - Saturday 17 October 2026
\n \nDay 1: 9.30am - 5.30pm
\n Day 2: 9am
- 4.30pm
Join us for a hands-on intro duction to lime plastering – perfect for homeowner s and DIYers\, building custodians and specifiers.
\n \nOur course venue is the custom-desig ned plastering studio at the National Trust’s Heritage and Rural Skills Centre\, whe re you’ll have your very own plastering bay to pra ctice throughout the course. We also keep our clas ses small and friendly\, so you’ll have plenty of attention from our course team. Tutors Sean Wheatl ey and Michal Wolf are Master Plasterers with deca des of experience working with lime. They will be joined by Marianne Suhr\, a chartered building sur veyor and co-author of the SPAB's Old House Handbo ok\, with assistance from the Durrant & Daughter t eam.
\n \nIf you live in or care for an old house\, you’ll come away with the practical skill s you need to confidently tackle lime plaster repa irs in your own home.
\n \nThis introductory course is for any one interested in learning about plain lime plaste ring for their home or old buildings under their c are. We also welcome conservation officers\, herit age consultants\, architects\, building surveyors and other specifiers too.
\n \nBy the end of the course\, you w ill know:
\n \nSean has four d ecades' experience as a plasterer specialising in traditional methods\, materials and decorative pla sterwork. He is a SPAB Guardian on our Education a nd Training Committee and is a Master Plasterer of the Worshipful Company of Plaisterers.
\n \n < h4>Michal Wolf\, plasterer and conservator in lime \n \nMichal is a Master Plasterer of the Worshipful Company of Plaisterers and a founder of All Things Lime. He is passionate about tradition al methods of working and keeping the craft of lim e plastering alive.
\n \nMarianne is a chartered building survey or\, writer and broadcaster specialising in the re pair of historic buildings. Marianne is co-author of the SPAB's Old House Handbook and Old House Eco Handbook.
\n \nWith thanks to Jon and Lott ie Durrant for their assistance on this course. \n \n
The SPAB i s an IHBC-recognised CPD provider and attendance c ertificates for CPD are available on request.
\ n \nThis is a pra ctical course held in a workshop environment\, whi ch can be dusty\, cold and noisy. There are some u neven surfaces\, such as cobbles\, due to the hist oric nature of the building.
\n \nPlease bear in mind that the workshop demonstrations and activities will require standing.
\n \nAcc essible parking spaces are marked in the car park. Accessible toilets are available.
\n \nA nything we can do to make this event more accessib le for you? Please email education@spab.org.uk.
\n \nPhotos and filming: We may take photos or videos at this event to be u sed in future promotion\, including in print and o nline. Participants may take photos and short vide os for personal use\, with permission of the cours e leader and all other participants in frame. If y ou want to post on social media\, please message S PAB's Comms Team (press@spab.org.uk or @spab1877) for permission. If your material is good\, we migh t ask to share it with our followers.
\n \nAll bookings are subject to our Terms and Conditions.
\n \nPhoto credit: Ral ph Hodgson.
\n \nThis event is in associati on with the National Trust.
DESCRIPTION:Friday 16 - Saturday 17 October 2026\n \n \n \n Da y 1: 9.30am - 5.30pm\n \n Day 2: 9am - 4.30pm\n \n \n \n Join us for a hands-on introduction to lime plastering – perfect for homeowners and DIYers\, building custodians and specifiers. \n \n \n \n Ou r course venue is the custom-designed plastering s tudio at the National Trust’s Heritage and Rural S kills Centre (https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/vis it/oxfordshire-buckinghamshire-berkshire/heritage- and-rural-skills-centre)\, where you’ll have your very own plastering bay to practice throughout the course. We also keep our classes small and friend ly\, so you’ll have plenty of attention from our c ourse team. Tutors Sean Wheatley and Michal Wolf a re Master Plasterers with decades of experience wo rking with lime. They will be joined by Marianne S uhr\, a chartered building surveyor and co-author of the SPAB's Old House Handbook\, with assistance from the Durrant & Daughter team.\n \n \n \n If y ou live in or care for an old house\, you’ll come away with the practical skills you need to confide ntly tackle lime plaster repairs in your own home. \n \n \n \n Who is it for? \n \n \n This introduc tory course is for anyone interested in learning a bout plain lime plastering for their home or old b uildings under their care. We also welcome conserv ation officers\, heritage consultants\, architects \, building surveyors and other specifiers too. \n \n \n \n You will learn\n \n \n By the end of the course\, you will know:\n \n \n \n \n The basics of working with lime\, including slaking\, mixing and sand selection.\n How to safely work with li me\, including the correct use of tools and PPE.\n How to fix laths and other substrates you might encounter on the job.\n The correct technique for mixing and applying plasters\, including the base coat\, pricking up coat\, float coat and setting coat.\n When and how to use hydraulic lime.\n Ho w to repair lime plaster cracks.\n How to limewas h.\n \n \n You will need\n \n \n \n Please wear w arm\, comfortable clothing that you don't mind get ting dirty or damaged. We recommend you bring over alls or coveralls to wear if you can. Your arms sh ould be covered during the practical sessions.\n You will need to wear sturdy (flat and closed) foo twear for the practical sessions\, and bring a spa re pair of clean\, indoor shoes (flat and closed) for when using the classroom space. \n We will p rovide all necessary protective equipment\, but if you would prefer to wear your own gloves and gogg les\, please bring them. \n All tools and materia ls will be provided. If you would prefer to bring your own plastering tools – hawk\, trowel and wate r brush – please ensure they are labelled. \n \n \ n Tutors \n \n \n Sean Wheatley\, traditional plas terer\n \n \n Sean has four decades' experience as a plasterer specialising in traditional methods\, materials and decorative plasterwork. He is a SPA B Guardian on our Education and Training Committee and is a Master Plasterer of the Worshipful Compa ny of Plaisterers.\n \n \n \n Michal Wolf\, plaste rer and conservator in lime\n \n \n Michal is a Ma ster Plasterer of the Worshipful Company of Plaist erers and a founder of All Things Lime. He is pass ionate about traditional methods of working and ke eping the craft of lime plastering alive.\n \n \n \n Marianne Suhr \n \n \n Marianne is a chartered building surveyor\, writer and broadcaster special ising in the repair of historic buildings. Mariann e is co-author of the SPAB's Old House Handbook an d Old House Eco Handbook.\n \n \n \n With thanks t o Jon and Lottie Durrant for their assistance on t his course. \n \n \n \n Accreditation \n \n \n The SPAB is an IHBC-recognised CPD provider and atten dance certificates for CPD are available on reques t.\n \n \n \n Accessibility \n \n \n This is a pra ctical course held in a workshop environment\, whi ch can be dusty\, cold and noisy. There are some u neven surfaces\, such as cobbles\, due to the hist oric nature of the building. \n \n \n \n Please b ear in mind that the workshop demonstrations and a ctivities will require standing. \n \n \n \n Acces sible parking spaces are marked in the car park. A ccessible toilets are available. \n \n \n \n Anyt hing we can do to make this event more accessible for you? Please email education@spab.org.uk (mailt o:education@spab.org.uk). \n \n \n \n \n Photos an d filming: We may take photos or videos at this ev ent to be used in future promotion\, including in print and online. Participants may take photos and short videos for personal use\, with permission o f the course leader and all other participants in frame. If you want to post on social media\, pleas e message SPAB's Comms Team (press@spab.org.uk or @spab1877) for permission. If your material is goo d\, we might ask to share it with our followers.\n \n \n \n All bookings are subject to our Terms an d Conditions (https://www.spab.org.uk/content/book ing-terms-and-conditions).\n \n \n \n Photo credit : Ralph Hodgson.\n \n \n \n This event is in assoc iation with the National Trust.\n \n CATEGORIES:Course CALSCALE:GREGORIAN DTSTAMP;TZID=Europe/London:20261016T093000 DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20261016T093000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20261017T163000 LOCATION:Heritage & Rural Skills Centre\n Heritage & Rural Skills Centre\, Buscot and Coleshill Estate\n Swin don\, SN6 7PT\n United Kingdom\n URL:https://www.spab.org.uk/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=1430 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR