Lime mortar render for bay window - making good the wounds of time

To patch repair one side of the bay window render, we've decided to try out using some of the leftover NHL5 lime readymix. It's the same stuff that was used to build the front and back garden brick walls. We're using EcoRight 500 Eminent, but there are various manufacturers on the market. 

The render needs to be in place before the metal railings are fixed back onto the wall. 

Mixing the lime readymix was suitably easy - I found that a bucket and small shovel worked best. 

Mixing lime mortar (1)

Mixing lime mortar (2)

Below you can see the part of the bay window, where the cement render had come off. Cement render is terrible stuff. It traps moisture behind the render, causing the bricks to deteriorate over time (through the winter freeze-thaw cycle). In this case, we ended up with a lump of cement that sounded hollow. Of course there was quite some damage to the brickwork behind, as the cement had taken the top layer of brick with it. Sorry, no photo - couldn't bear looking at it for too long. 

So this image shows the first coat of NHL5 lime render already in place. I scratched it while it was still 'green' (i.e. fresh) and dampened it down, before putting on the second coat. We decided to leave the first coat to go off hard. Alternatively, the second coat can be applied while the first is still green, but I was sceptical the green coat could take the weight of a second coat. 

Lime mortar scratch coat

Here, I'm applying the second coat. 

Strictly speaking, experts say you should be using a wooden trowel, but I couldn't quite work out how to work it, so I'm using a standard metal one. Also, I'm finding the little bucket trowel very useful to get into the small areas (this is a patch affair after all, not a nice big flat wall). 

You can still see the level differences between leftover cement mortar on the left. I estimate we'll need another coat to make the join between the two flush. 

Another coat was needed and the finish is excellent. A limewash over the top and you would hardly know it was a repair. Eventually, we might supply you with a photo of it.