When using lime, it's important to take safety precautions and follow best practices for the task you're doing:
Wear protective equipment
Lime is alkaline and caustic, so you should always wear protective clothing, gloves, shoes, goggles, and a face shield. Don't wear contact lenses.
Keep water nearby
If lime gets on your skin or in your eyes, you should immediately flush your eyes with fresh water for several minutes and seek medical attention. You should also neutralize your skin with a mild acid, like vinegar or lemon juice.
Avoid frost damage
If you're working with lime in the winter, you should monitor the forecast and avoid working when there's a high chance of frost. Wind chill can also cause frost damage, even if the air temperature isn't very low.
Check for dryness
When plastering with lime, you should check the plaster regularly to make sure it's dry enough for another coat. You can test the dryness by pressing your fingernail into the plaster, and then your knuckle. If you can press in your fingernail but not your knuckle, the plaster is ready for another coat.
Dampen before repointing
When repointing with lime mortar, you should dampen the mortar joints and brickwork before applying the mortar.
Lime can also be used as a soil conditioner to help control soil acidity.
Always work in temperatures of 5°C and rising (it's 3°C for cement work) and not more than 30°C. Protect your lime work from direct rainfall, frost (under insulated haps) and from the rapid drying effects of sun and wind. If you notice your lime work is turning white very quickly, then it is drying out too quickly!
What happens if lime mortar is too wet?
Too much water increases the shrinkage and cracking occurs. All lime mortars should be used as dry as possible, and pressed very firmly into place.
MH Brick&Stone Restoration
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