Upcoming Exhibition and Presentation at the Greater Philadelphia Historic Home Show

We’re very excited to extend an invitation to you to join us at the Greater Philadelphia Historic Home Show Show March 10-11 in Oaks, PA. Visit our display booth where we will be giving demonstrations and providing a complete package of resources for your historic building.

LimeWorks.us produces appropriate historic masonry repair materials for respective applications to ensure a long-term service life for the conservation of our region’s cultural heritage as represented by its vintage architecture.

Andy deGruchy, owner of LimeWorks.us will presenting on the importance of proper repairs for vintage masonry.

How to repair vintage masonry successfully the first time with in-kind repairs that don’t offend.

 Many historic homes that have had no restoration work are in better condition than others that have been repaired improperly. Learn from the fatal mistakes homeowners and professionals often make regarding historic buildings. Understand how damaging Portland Cement has caused headaches and sometimes irreversible destruction to countless historic homes built during the 18th, 19th and early 20th Centuries. Educated homeowners are able to properly repair their historic homes the first time. Come to this one hour presentation and learn how to embark on a successful repair campaign on your historic home.

Also, take a few minutes to listen to a recent interview Andy had with the National Center for Preservation Technology & Training. A few of the topics discussed include confusion surrounding lime terminology, the application of lime mortars, master stonemason Ian Cramb and our efforts here at LimeWorks.us to educate others on the importance of using lime.

Get a discounted ticket to the show.

Merry Christmas from LimeWorks.us

Limelight on historic Guanajuato, Mexico

We are thankful for your work as an associate in green building and historic building conservation. Every six weeks we plan to focus the limelight on a story that we think will strengthen the collective resolve to remain strong advocates of resource conservation. A snapshot video or “Spark Segment”, as we call it, is how we will put the limelight on highly skilled craftspeople, sharp engineers or creative designing architects and builders. A spark segment will celebrate their current work or the legacy of great works they’ve left behind. With each installment we hope to capture the essence of “movers and shakers”, (people, places and objects), that inspire us to continue pressing forward. We remain faithfully yours as advocates in this most sacred work.

This segment features the city of Guanajuato Mexico which brings us a sampling of authentic Moorish detailing found in its natural surround with an intact and rich cultural element. The inspiration to put the limelight on this region comes especially from the passion that is evident in the hearts of the people of this culture which has spilled out into their built environment. This is just one example of vibrant lime colorwashes and the conservation of regional heritage by people who care. Let’s continue to be that type of conservator in the areas where we exhibit our influence as professionals.

-LimeWorks.us (Linked-in : Blog : Facebook : Twitter)

Using Natural Hydraulic Lime in cold weather, FAQ Friday with Randy Ruth

As fall encroaches upon us with its cold weather, a question that is going to be popping up with more frequency is… Is it too cold to start or finish my project with NHL?

This maybe one the most difficult questions to answer, where the wrong answer can result in a lot of lost time and damage. The simple and safest answer is, do not perform work with NHL when temperatures will fall below 40 degrees Fahrenheit (including wind chill) for at minimum 7 days after placement of the mortar. Even following this model answer can result in frost damage of the mortar in some cases. So what is an applicator to do, to ensure that their work will last a reasonable amount of time? Well, care, caution attention to detail and patience is the answer.

If you can wait until spring to complete the project then you probably should to play it safe. If however, you absolutely need to complete the project before winter and do not mind playing with fire,  then tenting and heating the scaffolding is an option. Tenting and heating can cost a lot of extra money in labor and fuel, so obviously make sure that there is enough money budgeted aside to warrant this approach.

By completely encasing the scaffolding envelope with heavy-duty plastic and being sure to affix the uppermost part of the plastic to either the roof or its eve, one can create a tight enclosed space for heating. When using a heater make sure that it is in a safe place and slightly raised off the ground. You should refer to any local building codes to make sure that you are in compliance and most importantly safe.

Of course, good masonry practices should not be skipped over just because the work is tented in and heated. Damp curing with burlap is still recommended and when repointing work is being executed good compaction of the mortar against the background mortar is still a must.

There are a few other tricks available to the applicator that can help prevent frost damage. One is the use of air-entrainment in the mortar. Careful dosing of an air-entrainer can help but not eliminate frost damage due to improper curing practices. Adding air-entrainment must be done with caution, as too much air in a mix will make the mortar weak and friable. When using proprietary admixtures, proper testing should be conducted to make sure that there are no adverse side effects .

Lowering the water content of the mix and increasing mixing time will help reduce the amount of water available to freeze without sacrificing too much workability. The use of warm mixing water, preheated sand as well as preheating the masonry units will help slow the development of frost. Winter accelerators associated with working with Portland cement mixes should not be used, such as calcium chloride or any nitrates. Depending on the properties of the surrounding masonry units NHL 5 can be appropriate to use in a masonry mortar to help withstand frost, due to its faster setting time.

When in doubt about working in possibly freezing conditions or allowing recently completed work to be exposed to freezing temperatures, you should probably trust your gut and call it a season. Dancing with the weather can be costly and should be avoided.

-LimeWorks.us (Linked-in : Blog : Facebook : Twitter)

Wet Basements and Masonry… FAQ Friday with Randy Ruth

Basements are notorious for moisture problem. Mold can spread quickly and cause serious health problems throughout a home. Here is another frequently asked question from Randy Ruth about basement moisture and masonry.

Q: I am having moisture issues in my old stone farmhouse, especially in the basement and I’ve noticed a few places where mold appears to be growing. I was told it could be because of the masonry but I don’t understand how that’s possible?

A:  It should be noted that most old stone farm buildings were primarily build with lime mortar, especially before 1900. The source of for the lime used during its construction would have been local and probably made in a kiln on the side of a hill, by an experienced lime burner. What all this means is that the mortar between the stones would most likely be soft, with an affinity for water and have relatively good vapor exchange. Those characteristics are quite the opposite when compared to today’s Portland Cement based mortars.

Moisture from old stone walls can occur on the inside a building and can predominantly be evident in the basement. Accompanying the moisture can be mold, which can result in a decrease in indoor air quality and overall health. Such a problem should be addressed accurately and swiftly to minimize health risks. In order to identify an approach to this problem more information needs to gathered and thought about.

Was there any recent work done to the exterior of the building?

Sometime when a non-breathing sealer or cement render is applied to the exterior of an old breathing building, natural moisture inside the wall can become trapped. When moisture becomes trapped inside of a wall it will travel to the point of least resistance. Often times this is the interior of a wall resulting in excess moisture accumulating on the wall. The excess moisture, typically above 20% can create a breeding ground for bacteria so long as there is a food source.

If paper faced drywall was installed on the interior of the building accompanied by such exterior work, then the moisture can not only deteriorate the gypsum in the drywall but also give the bacteria a food source. The bacteria resulting mold on the surface can consume the paper face of the drywall.

Has the landscaping around the exterior of the building been changed?

Down spouting and improper detail to appropriate grading can also be a culprit in moisture ingress. If water is pooling in areas and not being carried away from the building appropriately, excess water can penetrate the stone wall to the point where it is noticeable and cause mold problems.

The point here is that something has probably changed in or around the building in recent years to allow excess water in the building. There are many different remedies for water ingress for historic buildings, all of which have some merit and may be appropriate depending on the specific issue. However, complete and proper excitation of a good remedy is always crucial to success for any project.

-LimeWorks.us (Linked-in : Blog : Facebook : Twitter)

Burning Lime, the Traditional Way

This is an incredible video that really shows the difficulties of burning limestone the old way. Stacking wood, limestone and coal in an old kiln these men go through the process using traditional methods to turn regular limestone into caustic burnt lime.

Deteriorating Brownstones- FAQ Friday with Randy Ruth

Fall is officially here. The leaves are beginning to change and its perfect weather for a bonfire and pumpkin pie! Randy has another frequent asked question to share, this one is about deteriorating brownstones.

Q: I have an old brownstone house and some of the stone have been falling off, what can I do to prevent further damage and fix the damage that has already occurred?

A:  When you have brownstone deterioration or any form of stone deterioration and want it to stop, you have to first identify the root cause. Sometimes it’s as simple as replacing downspouts or replacing roof flashing, to prevent further damage to the stone. Other times it can be a long complicated series of tests and empirical analysis. Depending on the cause of the deterioration of the brownstone, a number of solutions can be applied.

If the stone is only sugaring or sanding with light deterioration, then perhaps doing nothing for a maybe a year and watching the stone for further deterioration is sufficient. However, if the stone is in much worse shape with possibly a ¼ inch or more of stone loss, then some could be some very serious problems with the integrity of the stone.

Brownstone as with many different types of sandstone has bedding planes. These bedding planes in the stone tend to detach from one and other depending on how the stone was laid in the wall. Imagine a layered cake as the stone, with each layer on top of one and other. If the stone cake is put on its side there is a greater chance that moisture can get between the layers and cause delimitation and or exfoliation. This being a common problem associated with sandstone, a more detailed resource for classifying the type of stone loss you may have can be found here.

http://www.international.icomos.org/publications/monuments_and_sites/15/pdf/Monuments_and_Sites_15_ISCS_Glossary_Stone.pdf

It is always recommended that when fixing damage to stone that a qualified professional be brought out to see what the damage is and come up with an appropriate course of action. There are many different ways to approach fixing a stone like whether consolidation is appropriate is an appropriate first step or not. In my eyes, it is always best to honor the original detail of the stone and artisan who created it by only fixing what is broken. When patching stonework an important approach is to make sure that appropriate sympathetic patching materials are used. The use of impermeable materials can cause further deterioration of the stone by trapping moisture. This will result in a faulty patch that can accelerate deterioration to the adjacent stone.

-LimeWorks.us (Linked-in : Blog : Facebook : Twitter)

Techniques for Plastering a Wall, FAQ Friday with Randy Ruth

Q: I have painted drywall in my home and would like a lime plaster finish. How can I achieve this?

A: There are many ways to achieve a lime plaster finish over painted drywall. The first issue to address is who is going to do the work? If you hire a good plasterer then they should know how to approach this issue.  Even still, you could enlighten them with new products that they may not know about, that you have discovered in your research.  If you are a more do it yourself kind of person with some trowel experience than you might be surprised what kinds of finishes you can achieve with a little bit of practice on some 12” x 12” sample boards.

How you ultimately approach, this task is dependent on three major factors… budget, authenticity and texture. Depending on the budget allocated toward a lime plaster finish, a person can achieve a wide range of finishes. The polished mirror finishes often-associated Venetian plaster can but not always be associated with higher costs. This is due typically to higher materials cost and higher wage costs because of the skills required to achieve that level of finish. Speaking of wage costs it should be noted that ceiling applications are much more labor intensive, rightfully so and should probably left to a professional plasterer. A rougher coarser finish can hide slight imperfections in artisanship, thus it typically costs less than other finishes. Since we have now linked the relationship between budget and texture to how you can achieve a lime plaster finish over drywall, it is time to move on to authenticity.

Authenticity refers to the quality of the product. Is it lime, acrylic, or a blend? Sometimes authenticity does not matter however; with the ever-increasing customer demand for low or no VOC products, it may play a role in your decision-making. There are flexible “lime” plasters that have chemical additions as well as many acrylic based bonding agents available on the market. If you want a more real lime plaster system on your painted drywall, than LimeWorks.us has a solution for you.

You should begin with a clean sound surface, free of any soaps or detergents and of course with no pealing or flaking paint. A quality finish is only as good as the quality of what is beneath it. Then simply trowel apply Takcoat^TM evenly over the entire wall 1/16^th to 1/8^th inch thick. This will act as a transition coat from paint to plaster. Takcoat^TM uses hydraulic lime and natural additives to achieve a bond that can stick to glass, ensuring a good bond to the painted wall. Once the transition coat of Takcoat^TM has cured for a about 3 days, a second coat of lime can be applied to achieve the finish. Depending on the what the kind of finish is desired another coat of lime can be applied, or even three, four or five. It all depends on what you or the client wants.

If a rough finish or soft-sanded finish is desired than Ecologic® Mortar in either coarse or fine sand can be applied. If a fine polished, finish is desired than NHL 2 can be applied paper-thin in multiple coats to create depth to the finish, which is polished with black soap diluted with water.  all of the products mentioned  can be blended together to make the right finish for you or the client. Custom colors can be matched for you, or you can add your own iron oxide or natural lime proof pigments.

Because of all the case specific challenges, answers to this FAQ are just a basic overview. If you plan to tackle this issue head on, give a call or shoot an email to randy@LimeWorks.us. We can help you with choosing the proper products and application techniques.

-LimeWorks.us (Linked-in : Blog : Facebook : Twitter)

FAQ Friday, with Randy Ruth

This is the first in a series of blog entries that will feature mason, Randy Ruth. Randy is the lab technician at LimeWorks and receives lots of questions on masonry and the use of our materials. We will feature some of these questions each Friday in our FAQ Friday blog entry. First question…

• Q: I have an old stone basement foundation (house was built in 1900) and need to “re-point” or fill in holes in the basement walls.  Would your Ecologic mortar work? I am not sure that lime based mortar was used originally; would this still be OK or how can I tell if lime was used?
• A: “cement” was not produced in the united states until 1870 in Coplay, PA, only up until around 1910 was Portland cement starting to find its place in society as a masonry binder. Prior to 1910, most mortars used were based on either lime putty, Natural hydraulic quicklime or natural cement. Regardless of what the exact mix design was used to build your basement foundation, Ecologic® Mortar would most likely be suitable for repointing your old stone basement foundation walls as it would be sympathetic to the adjacent mortar mix by maintaining good vapor permeability. An easy way to determine if you have a lime based mortar, especially in stone construction, is to break a piece from the wall in visually inspect for any white nodules or specks. The white nodules are an indicator of what is called a “hot lime” mix and commonly found in stonework . Any presence of those nodules or specks suggests a high lime content mortar, and should thus be repaired with a comparable material.

Closed for Restoration

The New York Auxiliary Monument is currently closed for restoration in Gettysburg, PA. This is just one of the monuments which has incorporated materials from LimeWorks.us.

A few links with information on the monument…

http://www.gettysburg.stonesentinels.com/NY/NYstateAux.php

http://civilwarwiki.net/wiki/State_of_New_York_Auxiliary_Monument_(Gettysburg)