Buying a Victorian Home and Lime Plaster
Victorian properties were generally built with Flemish bond brickwork, which would have been pointed with lime
mortar. Over time the use of cement mortar became popular and many Victorian houses were repointed with cement mortar.
The use of lime mortar on Victorian properties
Flemish bond bricks are a soft brick and the use of lime mortar, which is also a softer, more pliable substance, allows any penetrating dampness/water to dissipate out through the bricks. Cement mortar is a much harder, more brittle mortar. It prevents the walls from 'breathing'/being water vapour porous meaning that dampness may occur in your Victorian house, plus it often causes the face of the Flemish bond bricks to spall.
The solution is to remove the cement mortar and replace it with lime mortar. This is a slow process which will take a long time, carried out over the warmer/summer months. Often you will find the cement mortar will fall out over time as it is a brittle susbstance. We would always recommend you find the oldest, most experienced bricklayer you can, who has years of experience working with lime mortar, as they will better understand the use of lime on a Victorian building.
