It is important to use a properly specified Lime Mortar for re-pointing and repairing your property.
Lime mortar is highly breathable. This means it allows moisture and condensation to evaporate, ensuring the walls remain warm and dry.
Lime Mortar is flexible. Old buildings can move significantly over the course of a year. Especially if made of timber, built on clay soil or in extremes of weather. Lime mortar allows the building to move as it should without cracking. Incredibly, proper lime mortar can repair itself autogenously (self heal) if any cracks should appear.
Cement is neither flexible or breathable. It resists any movement until it inevitably cracks and cannot self heal. Such resistance to movement can cause historic structures and materials to fail catastrophically. Liquid water can penetrate cracks unable to dissipate.
Wet walls can cost 50% more in heating bills. Spalling Bricks, Wet and Dry Rot, Condensation, Mould, Salt Damage and poor living conditions are major issues caused when inappropriate materials trap moisture.
We can work with You or Your Conservation Officer. If You own a Listed Building or You are situated in a conservation area. We ensure all materials and methods satisfy appropriate requirements and consents.
Hot Mixed Lime and Lime Putty Mortars ensure the most appropriate finish for Your building*
If Your property was built prior to ~1920, has solid walls, timber framing, soft fired bricks or cob then it likely requires Lime and NOT cement to function properly.
We also also deal with structural repairs e.g. lintel replacement, crack stitching and brick replacement. We can accurately match historic mortars and bricks.
*We might use NHL (Natural Hydraulic Lime) where a quicker set or higher compressive strength might be of genuine benefit e.g. structural openings, new build work or exposed locations. We always carefully consider the application.