03/09/2026
This late-1800s property has its original solid stone external walls, approximately 500mm thick.
Originally, these walls would have been built and pointed using lime mortar, evidence of which can be seen in certain areas.
At some point in the past, the original lime pointing has been replaced with a much harder cement-based mortar.
In several areas, the cement pointing has cracked, become loose and fallen away completely.
Traditional stone buildings were designed and built to manage moisture much differently in comparison to more modern buildings.
Lime mortar is softer and more permeable than cement, allowing moisture within the wall to move through the joints and evaporate naturally.
Cement mortar behaves very differently. Being harder and less permeable, it can restrict that movement of moisture and, over time, contribute to deterioration of the surrounding stone and pointing.
Replacing inappropriate cement pointing with a suitable lime-based mortar helps the wall return to a more compatible way of managing moisture.
It’s not about making an old building behave like a modern one.
It’s about understanding how it was originally built, and using materials that work with the building, rather than against it.
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