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| history What is lime?  Limestone (calcium carbonate), when burnt in a kiln, loses carbon dioxide and becomes quicklime (calcium oxide). On contact with water, it combines with it, producing great heat, to form slaked lime (calcium hydroxide), also called lime putty or pure lime. This gradually takes up carbon dioxide again from the air and changes back to calcium carbonate. This ‘setting’ is called carbonation. Lime putty mixed with sand makes mortar. Pure Lime which is also known as: air lime, because it hardens on exposure to air
fat lime, from its consistency in putty form
non-hydraulic lime, it sets through air and not through water
A brief history of lime  Thought to be amongst the first frescoes made by man the Lascaux caves in South-Western France are of natural iron oxide pigments applied onto damp cave walls of high calcium content (Lime stone), dating back back as far as 16,000 years. For more than 7,500 years burnt lime stone has served as the principal cement - or binder - in mortar, plaster, render, and lime wash. The ancient peoples who inhabited Jerico in the jordan Valley made a plaster from lime and unheated crushed limestone. The plaster was used to cover walls, floors, and hearths in their homes. Dating back 6,000 years to the days of ancient Egypt they used a lime/gypsum mix to plaster the pyramids at Giza. Ancient Grecian builders used fine lime plasters in creating the Parthenon and Roman builders used it extensively throughout their empire in their homes and temples. 
During the 14th century in England , artisans, using trowels, applied decorative lime plaster to the exterior of timber-framed structures. After fire destroyed London Bridge in 1212, King John passed a law that all shops along the Thames should be lime plastered and lime washed inside and out as lime has fire proofing qualities. Many of these beautifully crafted ancient buildings still stand today and the lime mortars, plasters and lime paints used have proven themselves as extremely durable and resilient. Modern cement or Portland cement was developed by Joseph Aspdin, a mason/bricklayer, in Britain in 1824. He made it from artificial hydraulic lime similar in properties to the material known as Roman Cement which was patented in 1796 by James Parker. The name is derived from its similarity to Portland stone, a type of building stone that was quarried on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England.  Despite the widespread common use of lime up until the end of World War II , the popularisation of Portland cement reversed the ages-old tradition of utilising natural lime mortars. As industrial progress gained steam, a population boom demanded that buildings go up faster and faster. With the large scale rebuilding projects during the 1950's, 60's and 70's in European cities the fate of lime was sealed. A newer, quicker-setting, more modern building material was needed to replenish the lost building stock, waving goodbye to the fussy, over-detailed houses of before and heralding a new era of functionality and clean lines. However, as we now know society is increasingly paying the price for its hurry-up-and-get-it-done approach to building. Many structures using non-permeable cements are cracking and failing before our eyes. And finally we are seeing a return to the old traditional ways of building, this turnaround has come about through a need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, to re-cycle and re-use perfectly acceptable building materials, to responsibly sustain our planets natural resources and to lesson the damage that large scale construction is having on the globe. | |
| Benefits Unlike solvent based petro-chemical household paints, mineral and plant-based paints do not 'off-gas' harmful VOC's in our homes. 
You can feel the health benefits as soon as you walk into a home with natural products; the air seems cleaner, less toxic, less sterile and there is a sense of freshness that only natural products can bring. | | Sustainable and the Environment Lime is both re-cyclable and bio-degradable and is an essential ingredient in any modern or period home, to help create a naturally healthy living environment. 
Household paints are between 10%-30% solvent based, and can not be recycled or broken down when taken to landfill. Mineral and plant-based paints are completely compostible. | |
| Advice
We are always happy to offer free advice over the phone or via email. An initial site visit can also be arranged to discuss your requirements. Please contact us on the following numbers or check out our Useful Info page:
Mobile:     07966 131145 info@limework.co.uk | |
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