Walls in this french house are mud and straw

[Shrapnel steve]

Good morning everybody. I’m living in a house in France, parts of which date back to 1770 I’m told. The majority of the walls on the ground floor are pretty sound, the plaster is bulging in places but it’s not too bad. The upstairs seems to be a different story. Most of the internal walls seem to have become separated from the main structure of the building along the edges where they meet. Equally around the doorframes where there are also gaps where the loose plaster has fallen off. This has revealed odd shaped strips of lath which are caked in a mix of what seems to be straw and mud. Subsequent layers of plaster on top aren’t fixed to much. I’ve knocked off the worst of it but I’m Intending to board over it. I’ll put mechanical fixings in as well where the timber uprights are. I’ve foamed up the gaps in the corners, has anyone any ideas on the best type of board adhesive to use ?
Obviously if I had the funds I’d employ some old boy to plaster it all using traditional methods, but he’d be €300 a day plus a labourer and I simply haven’t got it. Of course the upstairs looks like something out of Ukraine, and I’ve got her indoors on my case to get it done ASAP.

 

[Monkey Boy]

 

[Stewie03]

Save your self some money on materials, must be loads of farms around France pinch a few bales of straw and you can get mud and water from anywhere, BOSH

 

[Spitandpolish]

The boards need screwed, not adhesive.

 

[malc]

We call a house built like this a 'Rooks nest' it is all shat and sticks!

 

[raytheplasterer]

wattle and daub, you might be best off using dung instead of mud, it will provide more strength when dry.

 

[raytheplasterer]

smooth it off with a damp wooden float.

 

[Stevieo]

Good morning everybody. I’m living in a house in France, parts of which date back to 1770 I’m told. The majority of the walls on the ground floor are pretty sound, the plaster is bulging in places but it’s not too bad. The upstairs seems to be a different story. Most of the internal walls seem to have become separated from the main structure of the building along the edges where they meet. Equally around the doorframes where there are also gaps where the loose plaster has fallen off. This has revealed odd shaped strips of lath which are caked in a mix of what seems to be straw and mud. Subsequent layers of plaster on top aren’t fixed to much. I’ve knocked off the worst of it but I’m Intending to board over it. I’ll put mechanical fixings in as well where the timber uprights are. I’ve foamed up the gaps in the corners, has anyone any ideas on the best type of board adhesive to use ?
Obviously if I had the funds I’d employ some old boy to plaster it all using traditional methods, but he’d be €300 a day plus a labourer and I simply haven’t got it. Of course the upstairs looks like something out of Ukraine, and I’ve got her indoors on my case to get it done ASAP.

@ChrispyUK