Basics of Binders in Mortar

Above: Matching a red mortar

Now that we understand the basics of mortar and the basics of how sand works within the mortar, we are ready to cover the basics of lime

Categories of Binders

Man has been building masonry structures for a long, long time.  Over time, several categories of binders emerged as superior in their performance for mortar, plaster, and stucco.  These categories are natural lime putty, natural hydraulic lime, Portland cement, and natural cement. Of the four types of binders, three of them are hydraulic except for natural lime putty, which is non-hydraulic. 

Let’s get clear on the terms

Natural Lime Putty is made from high-calcium limestone.   Natural lime putty reacts with carbon dioxide to harden.  If kept away from the air “carbon dioxide” it will never set. It is the most flexible and the most vapor permeable. Limestone that is 98%+ calcium makes the best lime for lime mortars.

Natural lime hardens with a very different chemical process than hydraulic binders. Although it is not as quick to use as hydraulic binders, its working properties are excellent for all kinds of mortar, plaster, and stucco.

Natural Hydraulic Lime the term hydraulic means that it hardens under water.  is also made by burning impure limestone that contains some clay.  It has a higher calcium content than cement, but still sets up relatively quickly.  The hardness and flexibility depends on the amount and type of clay in the natural deposit. 

Portland Cement is the newest kind of binder and the most widely understood because or it’s scientific formulation.  Instead of burning a natural mineral deposit, amounts of different minerals are brought in according to a recipe. Its advantages are clear: predictable, fast-setting and hard.  It is quite poor on flexibility or vapor permeability.  Beginning with limestone, add chemicals and minerals to a complex manufacturing process and the final result is Portland cement.  The final product is only 60-67% calcium.  It is the most energy-intensive to manufacture and has the shortest life as a finished product.

Natural Cements are made by burning limestone that has a relatively high clay content (around 20%).  The result is hydraulic cement that is very durable, fast-setting, and more vapor permeable than Portland.

The graphic below is helpful to see the differences between the types of binders. The center circle represents natural lime. We start with “pure lime” because natural lime is comes from pure calcium carbonate limestone. When limestone is burned, the carbon is forced out, leaving calcium oxide. Reintroduce water in the slaking process, and it becomes calcium hydroxide, or lime putty.

By adding sand to the putty and exposing it to the air, the carbon dioxide comes back in from the air as the water leaves.  This chemical process, called carbonation, actually turns it back into stone.  This time, instead of being pure limestone, it is calcareous sandstone because of the addition of sand!  Depending on the quality of the lime putty, the finished product is highly breathable, flexible and strong.

Of the four different binders, Natural Lime Putty is the least energy-intensive to manufacture, and absorbs carbon-dioxide from the air, making it the “greenest” of the binders.  However, each of the binders has its place in construction and restoration, and becoming familiar with all four as valuable building materials will help tradesman and designers create greater longevity for the future.