C. Strunk Inc

05/27/2026

Knowledge…..

CEMENT & GYPSUM ARE KILLING SOLID WALL HOMES.

Most old properties were never designed to be sealed up with modern impermeable materials. They were built to breathe.

When cement plasters, gypsum plasters, modern paints & modern dense materials are introduced into traditional solid wall buildings they trap moisture inside the structure. That trapped moisture then leads to condensation, black mould, blown plaster, cold walls, damaged masonry & unhealthy living environments.

We see it constantly.

Walls that can no longer manage moisture. Moisture with nowhere to escape.Homes becoming colder, damper & less healthy year after year.

Traditional lime plaster works completely differently.

Lime allows moisture to naturally evaporate back out of the building rather than trapping it inside. It helps regulate humidity levels within the home creating a far healthier living environment.

Lime is also naturally alkaline meaning it creates an environment mould struggles to survive in. Combined with proper breathability this can massively reduce condensation & mould issues within old properties.

Solid walls NEED natural materials.Not cement.Not gypsum.Not tanking systems.

Just because modern materials are common does not mean they are compatible with traditional buildings.

If your home suffers from trapped moisture, mould, blown plaster or cold damp walls then the materials on your walls may be the problem.

We are now taking bookings for INTERNAL LIME PLASTERING works for JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2027.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch.

05/22/2026

05/12/2026

‼️ ⚠️ TECHNICAL POST ⚠️ ‼️

🔥Below is a very short snippet of some very basic lime chemistry:

Why Lime Mortar Is Vulnerable to Dissolving

Pure Carbonating Lime mortar is made from calcium hydroxide that slowly carbonates over time and turns into calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), the same material as natural limestone. This gives the mortar its breathability and flexibility — essential qualities for historic masonry.

However, calcium carbonate reacts with acid including weak acids. One often overlooked acid is called: carbonic acid (H₂CO₃), which forms when carbon dioxide dissolves in water:
CO₂ + H₂O → H₂CO₃
CaCO₃ + H₂CO₃ → Ca(HCO₃)₂ (soluble calcium bicarbonate that leaches away)

Put into plain language: The water molecules that are in rain drops, fog, moisture in the soil, etc, have both a positive and negative ion which are constantly attracting electrically neutral carbon dioxide molecules. When a water molecule and a carbon dioxide molecule combine, they create a new substance called carbonic acid (H₂CO₃).

Carbonic Acid is what actually dissolves the lime in your historic lime mortars and plasters.

Adding pozzolan to the carbonating mortar will create a more durable mortar for consistently wet and damp locations. The recipes are simple but complex.

This picture shows remnants of original striping. The brick was lime washed red then someone with patience went back and painted the mortar joints white. It was very common throughout Lancaster County PA

05/21/2025

The performance of Hercules 1L Portland Cement……..

03/04/2025

Check this out….

This video shows the destruction that de icing salts and sealers do on a modern brick building built in the 1970's. Already bricks have been replaced, and re...

12/25/2023