The Lime Green Plaster Blog » Green Construction

Pozzolanic Hydraulic Lime

Authenticlime — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 23:40:18 +0000

A type of lime that has been used in construction since ancient Roman times is now covered by an ASTM International standard. ASTM International Committee C07 on Lime has approved ASTM C1707, Specification for Pozzolanic Hydraulic Lime for Structural Purposes. The new standard is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee C07.02 on Specifications and Guidelines.

Read more here ASTM International Standards

Greening of Mortars with Pozzolans

Quote from ASTM.org

“Growing interest in sustainable building has created a strong interest in fly ash and other coal combustion products (CCPs). Emergence of agencies like the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Coal Combustion Products Partnership (C2P2) of the USEPA has accelerated this trend. Their primary goal is sustainable development, focusing on environmental and social concerns. More than 30% of the 100 million tons of coal combustion products produced in the U.S. annually are being beneficially used in such things as manufactured stone, ceramic tile, shingles, concrete, aerated cellular concrete blocks, concrete blocks, stuccos, and mortars. The use of CCPs positively impacts the environment. Specifiers, contractors, and industry need to recognize that environmental stewardship today affects our children tomorrow. The features and benefits recognized in pozzolanic mortars reach beyond the technical, environmental, social, and sustainable aspects of this mortar. They signal future generations to track, improve, and develop mortars beyond any of our current technology”

Natural Hydraulic Lime (NHL) is seeing a worldwide comeback

Hydraulicity & Properties

Hydraulicity is the property of a binder to harden in contact with water.

Hydraulicity is produced by burning a limestone containing silica, alumina and iron oxides which above certain temperatures combine, totally or partially, with the Calcium Oxide. The resulting silicates, aluminates and ferrites give hydraulic properties to the product. Today as in the past, natural building limes are obtained by burning and slaking limestone and the more or less hydraulic character of the finished product is directly related to the percentage of calcium silicates, aluminates and ferrites formed during burning. The composition of the Earth crust shows the predominance of silica and its presence is almost inevitable in all limestone deposits.

Read the rest of the article here ST. Astier Lime mortars

Cement Stucco’s are Evil !

There I said it….but until the majority of home buyers and builders realize the benefits of hydraulic lime base coats and finishes we will be stuck with cement and acrylic stucco in North America…where time is money friends!

Evidence shows that lime has always been and will remain a practical, sustainable, healthier and greener alternative to cement, worthy of far more widespread use across the building industry.

Until the time the consumers realize these benefits, the ST. Astier NHL will remain relatively expensive,and cement will continue to be used as base coats for exterior stucco’s,which is a shame

Authentic Plaster FX from Vancouver BC. is working hard, exposing local builders to Natural hydraulic lime stucco’s, and venetian plaster finish coats such as Intonachino and Tadelakt. Discerning homeowners, architects and the exterior envelope engineers will look closely at the beauty and functionality of Hydraulic Lime plaster exteriors.

North American Interior Designer Discovers Tadelakt Lime

Authenticlime — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 23:40:16 +0000

Up beat Vancouver interior designers are always looking for cool plaster wall finishes, Looks like San Francisco Bay area designer Kit Golson is very upbeat,checkout the use of Tadelakt lime on her design blog Chic Provence .

More pictures Kit ! the red and gold back splash is a stunning example of Tadelakt Lime Plaster.

“I had never seen anything like it before, and rarely have since I had stumbled upon one of the oldest and most treasured plaster finishes in the world. The art of tadelakt is 4,000 years old, and comes from Morocco.

The tadelakt process is deceptively simple. A natural powder paste is applied to the surface, then polished with a smooth stone. This is repeated seven times. Finally, the surface is sealed by rubbing with a black olive oil soap”

Read the rest of the blog here  Chic Provence

Interior Tadelakt of the Villas of L’Amandier

Authenticlime — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 23:40:09 +0000

Check out this web blog about the Villas at L’Amandier in Marrakech there are plenty of photos with Tadelakt lime plaster either being applied,or already finished in the background. Personally I find it interesting to see the Tadelakt being applied in its native setting,all of the interior walls are finished with Tadelakt lime,and then protected using “savon noir” (black olive soap) Apparently there are more photos on the way, as some of the Villa’s have been completed ….if your looking for ideas for your interior, you like Moroccan architecture,or you want to buy a villa in Marrakech! …check out this blog!

Mikaela Fenton-Jones sent me this email of her personal account of Tadelakt lime plaster in Marrakech, and included updated shots of the interior of the Villa’s.

Thank’s Mikaela!

The lucky new buyers of these villa’s should give Maryam a shout from My Marrakech Lifestyle and interior design Blog, for some inspiration in furnishing there newly acquired abode

“The Moroccan art of Tadelakt plaster is one of those building traditions that has thankfully survived the test of time and is not, as so many other traditional trades and skilled practices are, dying out with a reduction in the knowledge pool. It is alive and kicking in Morocco. Now, I am by no means an expert in tadelakt, but I love that fact that it is ubiquitous here in Marrakech; it’s historical ‘ birthplace’ . I also love the fact that it transcends the luxury décor/functional divide and is just as widely used in public hammams (steamy bath houses) as the most trendy of boutique hotels The beautiful rounded edges and curves achieved on showers and bathubs, allow for the most indulgent of designs and the natural pigments used produce a wide variety of colours. See for example a couple of the bathrooms at the fabulously bohemiem Riad El Fenn in Marrakech”

“We are in the process of building an exclusive villa community, L’Amandier, in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains . Our British architect set out to blend a contemporary design with the traditional Moroccan materials and he chose Tadelakt for all the interior walls. He was absolutely right, because in my opinion, Tadelakt gives an overall impression of depth and warmth. It seems to both reflect and absorb the light and gives the feeling that the walls have somehow organically grown into the design of the house”

Assuming it is skillfully applied, Tadelakt is durable (although be careful of corners; rounded edges advised), waterproof, and stunningly beautiful…

Making lime plaster and mortar,a lost art

Authenticlime — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 04:24:07 +0000

The World is our Oyster

Check out this video from the Colonial Williamsburg video library showing the building and history behind a lime rick .

As the rick burned, temperatures of at least 1800 F were were obtained. This is essential if the conversion from calcium carbonate to calcium oxide is going to occur. Ricks were constructed with several tiers of logs supporting layers of smaller logs then covered with the oyster shells.

There are worldwide examples of historic Lime ricks, these were found in close association to shell middens, which are strewn along the eastern seaboard of the USA, with some examples here in western Canada,with further examples worlwide.

The world-over you will see the use of the sir name “Lime-burner” or points of interest called “Limeburner point” “Lime burner bay” or pubs called “The lime burner” or “Limeburners Arms” these are all in reference of the old trade of burning limestone or in this case oyster shells to make lime plaster, mortars, tabby cement and concrete.

Shell or lime middens are a whole different topic to which I am no expert,but I find the subject interesting none the less.

Shikkui Plaster ( Shirokabe) the traditional Japanese lime plaster, is manufactured in much the same way, from the millions of pounds of oyster shell produced from the consumption of oysters in Japan….albeit in a more modern type of lime kiln.

Shikkui Plaster is made of slaked lime , seaweed extracts and natural plant fibers and other aggregates. Has been widely used throughout Japan for both internal and external wall and ceiling finishes of houses, temples and castles, for over one thousand years.

The hydraulic lime used in the technique of Tadelakt plaster was/is manufactured in much the same way ,in ground pits or pit kilns, with palm fronds as fuel to burn the limestone local to Marrakesh.

The renewed interest in the use of Lime Plasters,Venetian plasters and lime based mortars and paints is beginning a revolution.

Lime Plaster, high in alkalinity and very breathable provides healthy environments, excellent luminescent, reflective light, and simply a beautiful surface wall finish for any home.

Lighthouse Sustainable Building Center

Authenticlime — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 04:24:02 +0000

Authentic plaster fx was recently invited to install both Intonachino lime plaster to the new entrance to the lighthouse sustainable building center,and an American Clay Marittmo finish supplied by greenworks building supply to the interior seating area. The sexy lime green plaster entry is inviting to say the least.

Light House Sustainable Building Center is a non profit society dedicated to advancing sustainability in British Columbia’s built environment.

Inside lighthouse you find information for everything from bike racks to greenhouses, flooring, refrigeration, air quality, building envelope and green energy,and of course lime and clay plasters.

Lighthouse is located at 2060 Pine Street in Vancouver, BC.

Tadelakt Seamless Monolithic Finish

Authenticlime — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:59:11 +0000

Tadelakt is a morroccan finishing technique, the word “tadelakt” comes from the Arabic verb “dlek” which means to rub, knead or caress.

Tadelakt

Tadelakt plaster is a beautiful natural material that can enhance elements of the modern day home. With a texture and patina unmatched by any interior or exterior lime based plaster available on the market today,resembling honed stone and often referred to as looking like like leather. It is a mineral-based polished hydraulic lime plaster Authentic Plaster FX is the leading installer of Stucco Italiano’s Tadelakt lime plaster and stucco in Vancouver BC in Western Canada.

Tadelakt plaster is becoming an extremely popular alternative to traditional wet area materials such as limestone and ceramic tile . Tadelakt functions extremely well in wet areas and can form a seamless, monolithic finish to kitchen back splashes, bathroom, shower and powder room areas. Made from natural hydraulic lime, quartz and marble. Tadelakt is naturally white in color and can be pigmented to varying intensities using natural color earth pigments creating spectacular intense patinas .

After black olive soap is applied, Tadelakt plaster finish becomes very durable, water resistant and repellent.

It is applied by hand and is compressed to a dense smooth finish, The olive soap (a fatty acid) penetrates the Tadelakt, then reacts with the lime creating a water-resistant surface.