Why one should not use cement-based mortars and plasters to

repair a traditional building?

Noeen Fatma
A/2956/2016

Traditional buildings are made up of softer, porous and flexible materials. Hence these
buildings could operate on the principle of ‘breathing walls’ meaning they let the moisture
and air enter the mass of the wall and then let it evaporate when the weather conditions
are more favourable through air ventilation. However, the modern materials – cement-
based mortars and plasters in this case are hard materials, instead of letting water and air
percolate and later evaporate; these materials stop water right at the entry point or
surface. Hence when cement-based mortars are used to repair traditional building, a
fundamental difference in the nature of both materials come into play. The moisture
entering from one face of the masonry structure is trapped inside and is not allowed to
evaporate due to the watertight nature of the modern material; this gives rise to the
issues of rising damp, chipping of plaster and paint and could result in an overall decay of
the structure of the traditional building.