How to finish window lintels?

[WetWales]

Hi all,
What would you do? How would you finish these windows lintels?

I’m unsure if we should leave both of the bottom faces exposed and try to lime plaster between the lintels , which would need some sort of fixing either left over wood wool board, or even chicken wire / mesh for the lime to fix too

Or should we cover the bottom faces entirely with lime and just the room facing side of the lintel exposed ?

I’d like to do the first option but unsure… any advice or experience welcomed!

 

[Kearn]

They’ve certainly been historically lathed and plastered. I could see the appeal of leaving the front timber exposed, but the one behind and above window itself is nothing aesthetically.

Fixing - nail laths/wood wool board across the gap to the underside of the timber - they don’t need anything above to fill the gap. If you leave the front exposed, it looks like it may be lower set anyway, so attach lath or woodwool to the rear edge.

 

[a twig]

Crikey, I thought that was my old house for a second! I'd agree with Kearn, although I was lazy and used wood wool boards which I skimmed over rather than lath and plaster.

 

[aockenden]

Your window build is super similar to ours as well. We fixed a stainless steel mesh / lath across the entire depth of the reveal to cover all 3 lintels and then plastered over that lath with a hemp-lime mix. We left the internal face of the inner-most lintel exposed inside the room.

 

[CliffordPope]

Our formal rooms and bedrooms all have framed wooden panelling all round the embrasures, the back rooms just have lath and plaster.