Durability of Traditional and Modified Limewashes final ......8 1/2 cups Niagara lime putty mixed with 5 cups hot water. Let stand 12 hours. Graymont Niagara lime putty Wash H Check

Durability ofTraditional and Modified Limewashes

Mary F. StriegelSarah M. Jackson

Who is NCPTT

• Legislation• Location• Federal Agency• Programs• Materials Research

Established by congress in 1992• The legislation created the Center, a

Board, and a Grants program• NCPTT advances the application of

science and technology to historicpreservation.

• Working in the fields of archeology,architecture, landscape architecture andmaterials conservation, the Centeraccomplishes its mission through training,education, research, technology transferand partnerships.

• Legislation• Location• Federal

Agency• Programs• Materials

Research

Natchitoches, Louisiana• Legislation• Location• Federal


Research

Northwestern State University• Legislation• Location• Federal


Research

Lee H. Nelson Hall• Legislation• Location• Federal


Research

Part of the National Park Service• Legislation• Location• Federal


Research

Four major program areas

• Archeology and Collections• Architecture and Engineering• Cultural Landscapes• Materials Research

• Legislation• Location• Federal


Research

NCPTT Materials Research• Legislation• Location• Federal


Research

Cane River Creole National Historical Park

Durability Study

• Definitions• History• Manufacture• Uses• Application• Popularity

Limewash

What is Limewash?

• Limewash is asimple type ofmatt paint madefrom lime andwater, with orwithout additivesor pigments.

•• DefinitionsDefinitions•• HistoryHistory•• ManufactureManufacture•• UsesUses•• ApplicationApplication•• PopularityPopularity

History of Limewash• Lime itself has a long

history and was used byEgyptians as early as 4000BC.

• Limewash was importantin the 17th and 18th

centuries• The waning of Limewash

was a result of– The introduction of

Portland Cement in 1824– the development of

modern more durablepaints, and

– the rise in cost of labor


Manufacture• Limewash is made

from lime andwater.

• The processinvolves threemain steps.– Burning Lime– Slaking Lime– Preparing Wash

with or withoutadditives


Burning Lime•• DefinitionsDefinitions•• HistoryHistory•• ManufactureManufacture

–– BurningBurningLimeLime

–– LimeLimeCycleCycle

–– AdditivesAdditives

•• UsesUses•• ApplicationApplication•• PopularityPopularity

Lime Cycle•• DefinitionsDefinitions•• HistoryHistory•• ManufactureManufacture





Additives•• DefinitionsDefinitions•• HistoryHistory•• ManufactureManufacture





Add BrillianceWashing BlueBiocideClove OilHumectant, EmulsifierAlumHumectant, EmulsifierSaltImproved resistanceCaseinWeather-proofingRaw Linseed Oil

Binder andwaterproofing

TallowBasic covering mediumLime

FunctionAdditive

Uses• Applied to

– Adobe– Brick– Waddle and Daub– Plaster– Wood

• A breathable coating• A protectant• A consolidant• An insect repellent• An antiseptic


Application• Surfaces are brushed

down to clean thendampened normally witha hand-pumped spray

• Limewash is appliedthinly

• Three or four coats arethe minimum needed

• Each coat is allowed todry thoroughly thendampened beforeapplying the next coat.


Popularity• Limewash popular in the

17th and 18th centuries inAmerica

• It was used to whiten thewalls of homes andapplied annually.

• By the mid 19th century, itwas used mostly on fencesand the exteriors ofcottages, barns and otheroutbuildings.

• It was largely replaced bythe development of otherpaints.


Details of the Study

Substrates

Epoxy

Weathered Wood

Rough-sawn New Wood

HandmadeBrick

ModernBrick

Sample Preparation

Sample Preparation

Limes

• Graymont “Ivory Finish Lime”Hydrated Lime

• Graymont “Niagara” Mature LimePutty

• Virginia Lime Works Lime Putty• Mississippi Lime Architectural Lime

Putty

Recipes

Mix parts A & B inequal parts. Viscosity 17seconds at 70 degrees in#4 Ford cup.

Mix 8 1/2 cups VirginiaLimeworks with 4 3/4cups hot water.

1lb. Table salt, .5 oz alum,1/3 cup unsulphuredmolasses, 1/12 tsp laundrybluing. Mix in 2 1/2 cupshot water.

Virginia Limeworks limeputty

Wash C


Mix 8 1/2 cups Niagaraputty with 4 cups hotwater. Let stand 12hours.

1lb. Table salt, .5 oz alum,1/3 cup unsulphuredmolasses, 1/12 tsp laundrybluing. Mix in 3 cups hotwater.

Graymont Niagara limeputty

Wash B


4 1/4 cups hydrated limemixed with 4 1/2 cupshot water let stand 12hours

1lb. Table salt, .5 oz alum,1/3 cup unsulphuredmolasses, 1/12 tsp laundrybluing. Mix in 2 1/2 cupshot water.

Graymont Ivory hydratedlime.

Wash A

MixPart BPart ALime

Recipes

Mix parts A & B inequal parts. Viscosity 17seconds at 70 degrees in#4 Ford cup. Add 4 tspSchmincke BindingMedium per 1 cup oflimewash.

8 1/2 cups of puttymixed with 2 1/4 cupshot water. Let stand 12hours.

1/3 cup unsulpheredmolasses, 1/12 tsp laundrybluing, ¼ tsp clove oil.Mix with 1 1/2 cups of hotwater.


Wash F


8 1/2 cups of putty limemixed with 2 1/4 cupshot water. Let stand 12hours.

1/3 cup unsulpheredmolasses, 1/12 tsp laundrybluing, ¼ tsp clove oil.Mix with 1 ½ cups of hotwater.


Wash E


4 1/4cups of hydratedlime mixed with 2 1/2cups hot water. Letstand 12 hours.

1/3 cup unsulpheredmolasses, 1/12 tsp laundrybluing, ¼ tsp clove oil.Mix with 1 ½ cups of hotwater.

Graymont Ivory hydratedlime.

Wash D

MixPart BPart ALime

Recipes

Check viscosity 17seconds at 70 degrees.For each 1 cup oflimewash, add 2tablespoons of Edison.

8 1/2 cups Virginia limeputty with 5 cups hotwater. Let stand 12 hours.


Wash I


8 1/2 cups Niagara limeputty mixed with 5 cupshot water. Let stand 12hours.


Wash H


4 1/4 cups hydrated limemixed with 7 1/2 cups hotwater. Let stand 12 hours.

Graymont Ivory hydratedlime

Wash G

MixPart BPart ALime

Recipes

Applied to handmade brick and weathered wood.

Applied to handmade and modern brick.

Check viscosity 12seconds at 70 degrees.

Add sufficient water toachieve mix requirements.(We added 21 cups ofwater)

8 1/2 cups MississippiLime Co. Lime Putty with26 cups of hot water. Letstand 12 hours.

Mississippi LimeCompany Lime PuttyWash N


Add sufficient water toachieve mix requirements.(We added 15 cups ofwater)

8 1/2 cups Niagara limeputty mixed with 5 cupshot water. Let stand 12hours.

Graymont Niagara limeputtyWash M


Add sufficient water toachieve mix requirements.(We added 2 1/2 cups ofwater)

4 1/4 cups hydrated limemixed with 4 1/2 cups hotwater. Let stand 12 hours.

Graymont Ivory hydratedlimeWash L


8 1/2 cups Virginia limeputty with 5 cups hotwater. Let stand 12 hours

Virginia Limeworks limeputtyWash K

MixPart BPart ALime

Limewash Application

Testing Methods

• Documentation• Color Change• Solids Measurement• Artificial Weathering• Abrasion• Adhesion

Documentation• Documentation• Color Change• Solids

Measurement• Artificial

Weathering• Abrasion• Adhesion

Colorimetry• Documentation• Color Change• Solids


Weathering• Adhesion• Abrasion

Solids• Documentation• Color Change• Solids



Artificial Weathering• Documentation• Color Change• Solids



Adhesion• Documentation• Color Change• Solids



Abrasion• Documentation• Color Change• Solids



Results

• Handmade Brick• Modern Brick• Weathered and Rough-sawn

New Wood• Epoxy

Results on Handmade Brick

Worst

Best

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

Rating

NNNL

FBM

I, GHN

CMD, LB

FEA

KGIC, G

HIIC

ELF, HKN

DDAB

LCED, G, I

BKKDF, H

ABC, E, GHM

MAMFA, E, K, L

QUV-Abrasion

AbrasionQUV-Adhesion

AdhesionQUV• Handmade Brick

– Results– Before QUV– After QUV– Comparison

• Modern Brick• Weathered and

Rough-sawnNew Wood

• Epoxy

Results on Handmade Brick• Handmade Brick



Rough-sawnNew Wood

• Epoxy




Rough-sawnNew Wood

• Epoxy




Rough-sawnNew Wood

• Epoxy

Results on Modern Brick• Handmade Brick• Modern Brick


• Weathered andRough-sawnNew Wood

• Epoxy

H

I

E

D

G

F

K

C

B

A

Abrasion

C

F

A

G

E, I

B

D, H

K

QUV

FKH1Worst

IBI2

CC3

KE4

GA, E, GG5

HDA6

DCB7

AFD8

EHF9

BIK10Best

QUV-Abrasion

QUV-Adhesion

AdhesionRating




• Epoxy




• Epoxy




• Epoxy

Summary of Handmade and ModernBrick

• Wash B, made from Graymont Lime Putty and containingsalt, molasses, alum, and laundry bluing, performed thebest on both handmade and modern brick.

• However, the salt has the ability to recrystallize in thepores of brick which we saw in the samples. Thus we donot recommend this wash.

• Wash M, a basic Graymont Niagara lime putty and water,performed second best on handmade brick. It has not yetbeen tested on Modern Brick.

• Alternatives may include– Wash K, containing Virginia Limeworks Putty and

water, which performed well on both handmade andmodern brick

– Or Wash D or Wash E made with different limes butcontaining Casein and clove oil

Results on Weathered Wood andRough-sawn New Wood

• Handmade Brick• Modern Brick• Weathered and

Rough-sawnNew Wood


• Epoxy

NNN1Worst

L, M, NML, NMM2

LML3

FFC, IB4

B, CHHLA5

AEABC6

IID7

D, HCCFF, G8

IDDGH9

FGGA10

GABH11

EBEED, E, I12Best

QUV-Abrasion


AdhesionQUVRating



Rough-sawnNew Wood


• Epoxy



Rough-sawnNew Wood


• Epoxy



Rough-sawnNew Wood


• Epoxy

Results on Epoxy Fills

GED1Worst

EDE (w/o)E (w/o), G2

D, G, E (w/o)E (w/o)E (w/o)GD3

EDGEE4Best

QUV-Abrasion


AdhesionQUVRating


Rough-sawnNew Wood

• Epoxy– Results– Before QUV– After QUV– Comparison

Results on Epoxy Fills• Handmade Brick• Modern Brick• Weathered and

Rough-sawnNew Wood



Rough-sawnNew Wood



Rough-sawnNew Wood


Summary of Results on Wood andEpoxy

• None of the limewashes we tested were durable onour wood samples.

– There were only three coats of limewash applied to allwood samples.

– Since these samples were more textured, more coatsmay be needed to adhere better to the surface.

• On wood samples the primer may be beneficial dueto the cell structure of the material.

• Wash E, containing Graymont lime putty, casein,molasses, clove oil, and laundry bluing, was the bestperforming limewash on wood. It also performedwell on epoxy.

Further Testing Needed

• Applying heavier coats of limewash• Applying a greater number of coats

of thin coats• Look at the effects of temperature

and humidity on carbonation• Look at Pozzalonic additives• Look at effects of a primer on the

limewash and the substrate

Further Reading

• Ashurst, John &Nicola, Practical BuildingConservation/English Heritage TechnicalHandbook, Volume 3, ‘Mortars, Plasters &Renders.’ Gower Technical Press, 1988.

• Schofield, Jane, Lime in Building, Black DogPress, 1995.

• Holmes, Stafford & Michael Wingate, Buildingwith Lime, a practical introduction, ITDG,2002.

Acknowledgements• Marcy Frantom, Quality Finish• Max Turner, Quality Finish• Eric Ford, Cane River Creole National Historical

Park• Laura Gates, Cane River Creole National Historical

Park• Greg Dugan, Cane River Creole National Historical

Park• Norman Weiss, Columbia University

Acknowledgements• Lina Burina, Louisiana School for Math, Sciences

and the Arts• Renaldo Webb, Louisiana School for Math, Sciences

and the Arts• Jansen Smith, Louisiana School for Math, Sciences

and the Arts• Shelly Hines, Louisiana School for Math, Sciences

and the Arts• Tye Botting, NCPTT• Jason Church, NCPTT• Cole Stevens, Northwestern State University• Eric Broaddus, Northwestern State University

Contact Information

• Mary F. Striegel– Chief, Materials Research– NCPTT– 645 University Parkway– Natchitoches, LA 71457– [email protected]– 318/356-7444– 318/356-9119 fax

Contact Information

• Sarah M. Jackson– Research Assistant, Materials Research– NCPTT– 645 University Parkway– Natchitoches, LA 71457– [email protected]– 318/356-7444– 318/356-9119 fax

Questions?

Documents

Durability of Traditional and Modified Limewashes final ......8 1/2 cups Niagara lime putty mixed with 5 cups hot water. Let stand 12 hours. Graymont Niagara lime putty Wash H Check