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Lime Rendering FAQs

People who are thinking about having an older property refurbished often want to know which renders are best. Top of the list in most lime renders faqs concerns the appropriateness of lime renders for old buildings.

Q. Why is it advisable to use lime renders on old buildings?
A. Older properties were constructed differently to today’s buildings and they had a natural movement that allowed them to shed rainwater and to breathe or allow moisture to which collects in solid wall buildings that do not have a damp course to evaporate through the external wall. Lime renders are softer and porous, unlike harder cement renders, and this quality allows older properties to continue to breathe.

Many home owners tend to think of cement as a traditional render. One of the more common lime renders faqs is why lime renders are often considered better than concrete.

Q. What is wrong with cement mortar?
A. Cement mortar is much harder than lime and more prone to cracking; harder coatings often don’t adhere to the wall underneath quite as well as softer lime renders. Cement should not be used on older properties as a render because this can cause a buildup of damp in the substratA. Cement renders can trap moisture and this eventually damages the very walls that they are supposed to protect.

The general public is not always conversant with different types of render and another of the lime renders faqs is from people who want to know what materials are needed for lime renders and how the materials are mixed.

Q. What do I need to make a lime render and how do I mix the materials?
A. As lime renders are again increasing in popularity, especially among those people who want to refurbish and older property, most building and construction websites will provide a breakdown of the materials you need ot make a lime render – lime putty is the most important ingredient – and how much sand and water are needed to make the right kind of mix.

People who are not familiar with building and construction terms get worried when they hear the word quick lime as they tend to think of it as a dangerous substance, which it can be in certain circumstances. Other people have not heard of quick lime and some lime rendering faqs are on this subject.

Q. What is quick lime?
A. Quick lime is simply the basic ingredient used in the making of lime putty, which is the most essential part of a lime rendering mix. Quicklime is simply limestone or chalk that has been burned in a kiln.

If people are not familiar with lime renderings and what constitutes quick lime they probably don’t know much about lime putty either. Lime renderings faqs lists often contain queries about lime putty.

Q. What is lime putty?
A. Lime putty is quick lime that has been slaked or soaked in water and the resulting material is also known as fat lime or non-hydraulic lime.


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