# Lime Mortar



## Moo1 (Jan 6, 2011)

Hello everyone does anyone know where I may be able to buy Lime Mortar in Portugal. We live near Tomar and would be prepared to travel. Hope someone out there can help. :fingerscrosse


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Any builders merchant will sell lime to slake and make your own, plenty of recipes on web, should have added you can also search for argamassa de cal, Cimpor major cement producer sell it


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## Moo1 (Jan 6, 2011)

Thank you Canoeman I will try to get some to sort out the damp problem we have.


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## steve01 (Dec 8, 2010)

Hi, 
having lived in a 300 y/o pile of rock / earth and lime mortar in France.
Its not necessarily the solution - lime mortar is porous so potentially can let even more humidity through.
Depends on the type of damp - rising or otherwise.
The best cure for most damp after finding out the cause is increasing air circulation.

Post what you think the cause is and you might get some interesting answers


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## Moo1 (Jan 6, 2011)

Hi Steve 

Thanks for the reply. Not sure what is causing the problem but the wall affected used to be an outside stone wall and is now inside. The paint keeps peeling off the render that has been put on the wall and now the render is coming off therefore assume that the wall needs to breath more and that lime mortar might be the answer.

Hope you might have more of an idea about this.


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Outside as in? how it's become an internal wall will probably be your answer and how you tackle problem


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## steve01 (Dec 8, 2010)

Hi the paint peels off because it gets damp then dries out then peels off - this always happens on concrete / cement - you can paint it with a primer / damp block and it will help for a while , but it will do the same eventually.

two options really, chip it all off and use a lime /sand mix and use a paint specified for the job.
chip it off , tidy it up and put a stud wall in front of it - i'd personally recommend this, especially if its a kitchen / bathroom - leave a 3inch gapbetween the wall and the stud work, insulate - even if its internal and use the greenboard if its a kitchen or bathroom.
Best of luck


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## Moo1 (Jan 6, 2011)

Hi Steve

We have tried the primer and it didn't work. The wall is in the sitting room and we have also tried it with cal to help it to breath. I definately think we need to take the cement off as that too it now coming away. It could be that it was just too sandy and not enough cement. I think we may use the lime and sand first as to put another wall in would make it look really odd. 

Thanks for the info and I will let you know what happens.

Moo1


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