DIY solutions that stand the test of time, manufactured in Romania. “What did old houses use to look flawless, not like these new ones?”

Romanians who are renovating, restoring or building their own houses are looking for alternatives to the new methods of painting, whitewashing or plastering. People are dissatisfied with what is on the market and want to make things like the old days, beautiful and winning in the battle with time.

They share their advice and experiences in specialized groups for community help and thus discover with surprise old techniques and methods that are still manufactured in Romania.

On the Facebook group “Moved to the country – Life without a clock”, a woman from Timișoara is looking for a slightly older, but more durable, solution for plastering the house she owns. She says that the decorative paint used on any step is subject to dirt and mold, so she would prefer another plaster.

“I want to plaster and finish the outside of the house. From what I've noticed in the neighbors, this modern decor is a dust/mildew magnet and after 5 years or so it looks terrible. I fell in love with the old style, how houses were built in the 50s with some kind of cement. I really don't know the technique, but in the Vâlcea area I saw some in a shade of gray-beige with a sprinkling finish. They are some 40-50 years old and have not been whitewashed and still look beautiful. I put a picture as an example, if someone can tell me what material is used, mix, etc. to come out in that genre. At my maternal grandmother's, the house is from 1950, made in dark gray cement plaster with white borders. She looked flawless and never got lime on it. Now he makes them decoratively and they look like hell“, Stefania wrote asking for the help of members of the virtual community.

House with new plaster SOURCE Facebook “Moved to the country – Life without a clock”

What are the plasters used to renovate the houses of our grandparents

Internet users quickly found solutions. One of them would be the restoration lime, which is manufactured in Romania at Turda, called “Rofix NHL5”.

– “It would be ideal not to use modern plasters based on cement, with this lime you also eliminate the risk of moisture. It is finished with a compound from the same company and can be painted with washable lime, available commercially“

– “We have had the house sprayed with white cement for about 30 years and it looks very good”

– “The decorative plasters of 60-70 years ago, which are still beautiful today, were based on stone dust and white cement, in which a little mica dust was added to give shine and was applied in a “shell” pattern of tree” or sprinkles of different sizes. It was even applied to interiors and was executed with a “comb teeth” pattern. This type of plaster cleans very well with a pressurized water jet. Now there are ready-made mixes, but I don't know how good they are. Cheers to all the best”

“My grandparents had 2 houses. One made in 1980 and one in 1992. Both were finished on the facade with a plaster made of white cement, lime, very fine sand. I couldn't say the proportion but I know that was applied with a stick broom by hitting it with a stick or forearm so that the tin splashed onto the facade. It was a difficult and painstaking technique, but if I had pictures I would show you what the houses look like after about 45 and 30 years. As. No sign of mold or cobwebs forming on the surface. There are certainly more modern materials, possibly with the same result, but I have doubts about the lifespan. It's sad to see houses that after 2-3 years look like they have 150″

House with old and resistant plaster SOURCE Facebook “Moved to the country – Life without a clock”

There were also voices that defended the modern decorative plaster, which would wash very easily if needed.

“The silicone decoration can be washed whenever you want!”, someone shows.

“Decorative plaster is not a mold magnet unless it has been applied incorrectly. It can be a dust magnet if, after it has been applied, you start another construction site next to it, or if you choose a model with many striations and a color on which dust is . It lasts quite a while, but is worth the price if used by a skilled craftsman and not a Dorel. A cheaper version, just as resistant, but still with a skilled craftsman, is not made with lime because it will crack, but with cement and stone dust. For a look similar to the one in the picture, you can use shades from a palette of high-quality exterior paints in the gray range. Good luck with that”, recommend someone else.