Manuel Arias has worked in traditional building for 20 years and masters a whole range of techniques. Although he does all sorts of masonry, he specialises in timbrel (or shell) vaults and stairs, lime-based renders and decorative earthen or ceramic flooring and tiling.

He currently works… for the heritage arm of the company Freyssinet on renovation projects, as well as doing private new-build and refurbishment jobs. Further to his professional work, he is involved in various national masonry competitions.

The traditional tools he uses include the wooden floats and rubbing stones employed in the tadelakt plastering technique, scrapers for making stucco friezes, hot stucco irons made by himself, and stencils for forming cornices with lime mortar or new mouldings.

Manuel has worked chiefly in Seville, although he has also done jobs in Extremadura, Cádiz and Aracena (province of Huelva).