Listed Buildings Need Lime Rendering, Pointing & Plastering
Lime mortar is a material that has been used throughout history and has dated back to ancient Rome and Greece. Historical and listed buildings need lime rendering, pointing and plastering because this is what traditional builders and older buildings originally used. Lime mixes are largely made through the combination of natural materials such as lime, sand and water.
What's the difference between lime mortar and modern day cement?
Lime mortar usage has declined rapidly over the years since modern day cement has been introduced. This is mainly because modern day cement is quick to set and stronger than lime mortar. However, modern day cement is not a very good option for any type of historical and listed building and can potentially cause many problems.
Why is lime mortar better for older buildings?
Using lime mortar on historical and older buildings is significantly better than modern day cement. Firstly, using lime to complete services such as repointing, rendering, plastering, etc, helps maintain the integrity and ascetically pleasing sight of an old building.
Secondly, lime as a material is soft and very porous which allows the building to 'breathe', reducing the amount of trapped moisture and therefore preventing leaking and damp problems. Not only this but it can cause the premature deterioration of old brickwork because of modern day cement isn't flexible or porous. For example, our team at Sure Build Restoration recently completed a job repointing traditional lime putty on an old listed cottage in Somerset.
Lastly, using modern day materials on listed or historical buildings can get people in trouble if the correct permission hasn't been given. Please check local authority regulations on alterations and changes for listed buildings for more information. We can give our advice and free consultation on this if you have any questions.
Why is repointing lime traditional lime putty important?
When you leave the traditional or original lime pointing in place it will slowly start to deteriorate over time. This is largely due to the fact that lime is a porous material which allows water to pass through, speeding up natural erosion processes. This can lead to problems within your property such as damp problems, rotting and weakening surrounding brickwork, supporting beams (in some cases), etc. As a result, repointing traditional and original lime putty is important to help eliminate these problems in the future.
How Can We Help?
Our team of historical and listed building experts at Sure Build Restoration can help with any type of old building repair or restoration project. We can help with a whole range of services, such as lime plastering, lime rendering, lime pointing, structural repairs, chimney repairs, roof repairs and re-roofing, lead work and all types of repairs for historical and listed buildings in Somerset.