Lime putty mortars have been always been a key part of architectural traditions. With its sophisticated techniques they are the culmination of centuries of innovation in construction and decorative arts. Even today traditional lime mortars can easily compete with any modern alternative on quality, versatility and price, but their remarkable beauty remains unmatched.
Our lime stucco is crafted from the best materials nature has to offer and contains nor requires any additives. The combination of pure white lime, white marble sands and carefully chosen naturally occurring pigments allows for a wide variety of colours and textures, delivering a wide range of finishes of unique depth and radiance.
It all starts with choosing the best lime stone or calcium carbonate, a common mineral found all over the world. The lime stone used for our plasters is taken from deposits of the Ebro basin in Northern Spain because of its bright white colour and its high calcium content.
The stone is mined, fragmented and heated and then immersed in water (slaking) for a minimum of six months. During the slaking process the lime and water react to form a liquid paste called lime putty, containing 97% liquefied calcium carbonate.
This ancient process, already described by Vitruvius around 40 BC and perfected through modern technology, gives us the ideal material for our lime plasters.
The lime putty is then mixed with our marble sands and mineral pigments in different proportions to make the different lime mortars that, when applied together, will fit exactly to the colour, texture and technical specifications of your project.
Careful application of the mortars in multiple layers determines the final smoothness of the finish. Ranging from a natural marble-like gloss of the waterproof plaster, the silk and refractive shine of the fresco finish to a soft, bright matte of a floated plaster.
A variety of special effects can be achieved. By using different colours for the last layers, colourful effects emerge that resemble marble stone. Through cutting the wet plaster base relief drawings can be created. Adding mica flakes to the finishing layers gives a golden or silver sparkle to your wall.
When the mortar dries, the lime putty slowly returns to its original state of lime stone and an extremely durable plaster remains that is highly water resistant or even waterproof if required.
The first day after application, the lime plaster needs to dry slowly. When the plaster dries too fast cracks might appear. To prevent this, let your walls dry with minimal air flow by keeping doors and windows closed and switching any mechanical ventilation off if possible.
After the first 24 hours the drying process can be sped up by ventilation or drying machines. Avoid doing any additional installations until the walls have completely dried.
Lime plasters have a slow hardening process. To prevent your walls from damaging, try to be extra careful around the plaster in the first few weeks. After that your stucco will harden slowly to eventually reach the hardness of lime stone.
Artisan Stucco lime plasters can be washed and are antistatic. You can clean your wall with a sponge and water if needed.
Waterproof plasters in your bathroom should be cleaned regularly to avoid lime deposits from the tap water. Use a green sponge and green soap without acidic ingredients. Apply a new layer of wax once a year to keep the wall protected and shiny.
Always avoid anti lime cleaning products and cleaning agents that contain lemon or vinegar. These chemicals will damage your walls as they dissolve the calcium carbonate in the plaster.
Do not use high pressure water guns for cleaning. Extreme humidity from leakages will damage your wall in the long term.