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Writer's pictureEdwin Lugg

Making, using and specifying hot lime mortars: Scottish Lime Centre workshop (Fife)




The training facilities at Merryhill are excellent! Its set in a beautiful location. On approach you can see 3 or 4 drystone walling training areas also available at the Scottish Lime centre.


The hot lime course started with a slideshow with background and technical knowledge needed. This element I found to be extremely interesting and useful (the hot coffee was too).


Lunch was offered with the course. A great opportunity to discuss and connect with other attendees


This followed with the practical session. The group discussed the importance of weighing out each element required to make a hot lime mortar mix. This is crucial! Once the mix was prepared we moved on to an area to apply our hot lime mortars on some existing walls within the training centre. This was done with mortar previously prepared, as you should not apply a "hot" lime mortar directly on to the fabric of a building. If you attend this course you'll understand why. Once cured we learned how to finish the applied mortar.


Key knowledge taken away from the course:


  • Health and safety when preparing and using

  • Historic preparation and understanding the lime binders available in the UK

  • Importance and benefits include workability, adhesion, performance and quantities of your mix

  • Selecting the right binder - crucial!

Things to consider when lime mortar pointing: substrate type and conditions related to strength. Permeability related to the strength.


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