24/10/2023

Why Use Lime?

Lime allows buildings to breathe

Lime and Cement

Mortars
AR. Ramil B. Tibayan M.A. C.H.S
University of Santo Tomas – College of Architecture
In the search by architects and
conservators for building materials
sympathetic to traditional
construction, lime was found to be
one of the most important. Lime
binders are promoted by the Society
for the Protection of Ancient Buildings
(SPAB) for repairs because lime is
vapor permeable and allow buildings
to breathe. This reduces the risk of
trapped moisture and consequent
damage to the building fabric.

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Why Use Lime?

Why Use Lime? Lime allows buildings to breathe
Lime allows buildings to breathe

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Why Use Lime?

Lime allows buildings to breathe
Cement plasterwork, dark spots
indicates trapped moisture

White salt deposits on surface

due to evaporation
(efflorescence)
Adobe wall plastered with cement. Note the badly
deteriorated adobe stones
Deteriorated porous building
materials (pulverized) due to
moisture and efflorescence

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Why Use Lime? Why Use Lime?

Experiment Experiment
1. Get a Zucchini, Summer Squash or You will notice that liquid accumulates on the
Eggplant (any of the 3 vegetables. Slice surface of the vegetable. This process is known
the vegetable in half. as disgorging. Salt absorbs excess liquid inside
the vegetable, like salt crystals (efflorescence) on
2. Sprinkle the cut surface of the surfaces of porous building material.
vegetable with salt
3. Wait for 15 to 20 minutes and see what
will happen.

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Why Use Lime?

Why Use Lime?
Lime renders can assist drying out by
evaporation
Dense and impermeable renders (plastering or
paletada) can trap moisture within the building
fabric. Trapped moisture is often the agent for
various decay mechanisms. Dense renders
(such as cement) used in conjunction with
softer materials or on weaker backgrounds can
cause serious problems by creating local
stresses.
Lime renders can assist drying out by
evaporation
High calcium lime renders allow evaporation and
reduce the risk of trapped moisture and decay. In
simple terms, the greater the extent of pure lime
and permeability the better this is for the
building. This needs to be balanced with
durability, however, and some reduction in
permeability may be necessary to obtain
adequate weathering qualities, hence the
advantage of feebly hydraulic limes for external
use.

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Why Use Lime?

Lime renders can assist drying out by evaporation Why Use Lime?
Lime provides a comfortable environment
Porous and open textured materials such as
lime plasters help to stabilize the internal
Brick Wall (deteriorated
humidity of a building by absorbing and
due to trapped releasing moisture. This makes for a more
moisture) comfortable environment and reduces
surface condensation and mold growth.

Cement rendering
(plaster)

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Why Use Lime?
Lime contributes to a healthy environment
Lime is caustic and has been extensively
used, often in the form of limewash for its
disinfectant qualities. Lime is also used for
water purification. Lime mortars, plasters,
renders and limewash have been used to
create hygienic surfaces and improve
comfort conditions within buildings for
thousand of years.
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In Summary
Lime mortars and plasters are:
- Weather proof. Not waterproof, thus protecting the building
without sealing it.
- Do not attract moisture. They are not a ‘wet’ material, and so
don’t need to be covered with a waterproof barrier in order to
protect other materials around them.
- Deal with moisture effectively. They can hold excess moisture
from the atmosphere in humid conditions without becoming
‘wet’ and then release it slowly back as humidity drops.
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In Summary
On the other hand, cement is:
- Not permeable. Creates a sealed surface that does not allow
vapor passage.
- Rigid. Requires expansion joints to allow for natural earth
movement without cracking.
- Hard. A great property in the right place but often cement is
too strong for the materials that it is used with.
- Waterproof. Completely seals mortar joints or walls.
- Attracts moisture. Other materials around cement need to be
protected from it as it holds water and can cause rot to
develop.
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In Summary
Lime mortars and plasters are:
- Permeable. This means that vapor can pass through them at an
almost imperceptible level, which is healthier option for
inhabited buildings as it regulates humidity.
- Flexible. Porous building materials such as adobe and brick laid
with lime can move as the earth moves through changing
seasons, without cracking or causing instability. There is no
need for expansion joint. Soft Plasters and mortars should not
be harder/stronger than the backing surface to which they are
applied
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In Summary
Lime mortars and plasters are:
- Proven over centuries. The Romans used lime very effectively
for many applications including major engineering projects
such as bridges, domes, suspended floors and heated floor
slabs. The earliest known use of lime is 4000 years ago.
- Reduces greenhouse gas effect. Over its lifetime, due to the
cycle of lime changing from limestone to quicklime and back to
limestone again, most of the CO2 released during the
manufacturing process is re-absorbed during the lifetime of the
plaster, thus being close to carbon neutral.
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Case Study
Fort Pilar, Zamboanga City
Declared as a National Cultural Treasure by the National
Museum
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 24/10/2023

Case Study
Fort Pilar, Zamboanga City
Condition before restoration
Case Study
Fort Pilar, Zamboanga City
Condition before restoration
Eroded brick wall due to
loss of plasterworks
(paletada)

Inappropriate
restoration using cement

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Case Study Case Study

Fort Pilar, Zamboanga City
Condition before restoration
Remnants of original
plasterwork (paletada)
Fort Pilar, Zamboanga City
Condition before restoration
Original rendering
(paletada)

Cemented portion
Badly deteriorated
brickwork due to
exposure to elements Plant boxes adds
moisture to masonry
structures

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Case Study Case Study

Fort Pilar, Zamboanga City
Condition before restoration
Cement plasterwork
Trapped moisture (dark
spots)
Fort Pilar, Zamboanga City
Condition before restoration
Deteriorated corner
stones due to trapped
moisture

Detached plastering
made of cement

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Case Study
Fort Pilar, Zamboanga City
The proper conservation of the brick walls of the
structures within Fort Pilar requires the re-
application of plaster, known in the Philippines as
paletada. Ample evidence that the structures had
originally been plastered was found in archival
images as well as in many remnants that still
existed. The general loss of this plaster layer was
responsible for the severe deterioration of the
brick walls through time. (National Museum, 2014)
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Case Study
Fort Pilar, Zamboanga City
The corner stones or quoins of
the structure would be restored,
seriously damaged portions of
the walls would be repaired, and
lime plaster and wash would be
applied to restore the historic
appearance of the structures.
(National Museum, 2014)
Before and after
restoration
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