Cotswold Lime Building - Why Lime?

Cotswold Lime lime products are more vapour permeable than modern materials. They allow movement of water vapour to air. Lime mortar draws the moisture out of brickwork, stonework and blockwork, reducing the time it takes to dry after rain and thus reducing the risk of chipping. Lime renders will allow any moisture that enters to escape, flowing through the render instead of trapping the moisture behind, causing breaks in the building work.

Buildings that use cotswold lime can, at the end of their useful life, be taken apart and the materials can be used again, reducing the amount of subsequent production needed. Lime mortars, renders and plasters can be crushed to make aggregate for new mortars, renders and plasters. Brick and block production creates huge amounts of carbon dioxide so minimising this is good news for the environment. Lime products also absorb carbon dioxide during curing, preventing harmful gases from damaging our ozone layer.

Cotswold lime building products will absorb movement in buildings, such as expansion, without cracking. A lime mortar is designed to be the weakest part of a wall so if there is a violent movement the mortar will break, not the bricks or blocks.