Solar Hot Water
Solar
Photovoltaic Panels
Condensing Boilers
Ground Source Heat Pumps
Hydropower
Wind Turbines
Biomass
Wood
Burning Stoves
Insulation
Carpentry
Lime Mortar
Strawbale
Building
Reclaimed Building Materials
Water Saving
Devices
Architecture
Non-Toxic
Paints
Ventilation
Draught
Proofing
Electrical
Systems
Gardens
Green Roofs
Rainwater Harvesting
Porous
Parking |
Lime Mortar
Lime has been used in building
techniques for over 5,000 years. Archaeological evidence shows
it to have been in existence for this time frame due to its
resilience, durability, and water resistant qualities.
The Romans used lime extensively
in their building programme in Britain, and refined its
application into mortars and plasters, which remained the
principal surface finish for buildings until after the First
World War, when cements took over this function. For this reason,
many historic buildings in the UK contain large amounts of lime
within their fabric, and an understanding of its merits and
application is crucial for the care of such property - important
if you are considering an ecologically-minded renovation of a
property built before the 1920s.
Lime as a building material
is now undergoing a revival of interest and application amongst
those who favour a more natural solution to building needs.
Lime, gypsum and clay are particularly suited to the
construction of straw bale houses or earth ships, where these
natural materials seal the straw or rubber creating a strong and
solid, yet flexible and breathable wall.
The application of Lime in
Building
Lime is in its original state,
calcium carbonate. It is anti-bacterial, resistant to
ultra-violet light, and will allow moisture to release from
surfaces from the inside out, rather than trapping moisture, as
some other modern coatings can do. It allows the moisture in,
but unlike other compounds, allows it out again.
When worked
into a plaster form, lime absorbs carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere and then forms a strong yet permeable coat of
limestone.
Lime plasters are known for being very slow-drying,
which allows them to gain strength over a few days, rather than
setting very quickly. This can allow the lime plaster to be
re-worked if necessary.
Re-using materials
In terms of embodied energy it is
generally better to repair and re-use, rather than replace,
particularly so in the case of heavy materials like masonry and
brick. Where lime has been used to bind things together, these
materials are much easier to clean and re-use at the end of the
life of a building.
So with good conservation
techniques, lime has an important part to play in reducing our
consumption of materials and energy.
Our plasterers
Green Refurb Ltd have specialist
plasterers trained in the use of lime mortar. |
