The Benefits of Lime

There are sound arguments for using lime mortars in new build, relating to both performance and ecological issues. These include:-

• It allows masonry to be recycled when the building comes to the end of its life. There would be no supplies of second hand bricks if old buildings hadn’t been built with lime

• Using lime based mortars and plasters reduces the need for expansion / movement joints

• It re-absorbs some of the CO2 given off during the firing process when it sets

• It enables low energy, sustainable materials such as water reeds, straw, hemp, coppiced timber and clay to be used as construction materials as the lime breathes and keeps them dry

• Aesthetically, lime has contributed massively to our townscapes by enhancing the beauty of the materials used in construction.