A TIMELESS MATERIAL

Lime has been used as a binder in construction for millennia. The frescoes of the Neolithic village of Catal Hoyok on the Anatolian plateau, dating from the 6th century BCE, are testaments to this noble material.

All ancient civilizations, whether they be Western (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, etc), Latin American (Inca, Maya), or Asian (Chinese, Mongols), Byzantine or Muslim used lime mortar in construction but also in other various domains such as agriculture, textiles, medicine...

All those nations, spread to the four corners of the world, succeeded in integrating this material into their building techniques, resulting in masterpieces such as the Pont du Gard in Nimes,France the Colosseum in Rome, the Great Wall of China...

Research for new materials and experiments with lime and mortars resulted in the creation of a new material which binds quickly, lasts longer, and is waterproof. The industrial production of cement was launched in Portland, England in 1824, heralding a decline in the use of lime.

The new criteria and the reconstruction following WWII accelerate the use of this new material that appears to incorporate all the necessary qualities, thereby wiping the memory of lime from the collective consciousness. The savoir-faire, training, and mastery of this noble material are relegated to the past.

Happily, the rising awareness of the '60s for the need to preserve old buildings and the law Loi Malraux for heritage protection, restoration of buildings and historical neighborhoods, will bring back the use of lime that, little by little, will once again be restored to its rightful place.

Cement is too waterproof and rigid and incompatible with old buildings of brick, stone, and wood. On the other hand, lime can be a decorative material which provides elasticity, insulation, porosity as well as favoring the esthetic attributes of various constructions. Lime has been used in plastering techniques such as the Tadelakt .decorative technique. Attelier Pittoresque offers the opportunity to buy lime and zellige by completing the request form.