Tag: Old Construction Materials

Mortar’s Secrets from Ancient Craftsmen

In the olden days, when they were busy constructing buildings, there was a key player on the construction site – the “mortar maker.” Think of them as the master chefs of construction. Their job was to create the perfect blend of ingredients to make strong and reliable mortar. It was a bit like crafting a secret recipe for a delicious meal, but instead of flour and spices, they used ingredients like eggs, blood, and even cheese.

These recipes were often passed down through the generations like treasured family secrets, and they added an air of mystery to the whole construction process. The mortar maker’s role was crucial because the success of the entire building hinged on their skills.

Mixing it Up in the 15th Century

Fast forward to the 15th century, and they were experimenting with “historical” additives in Europe, all inspired by ancient Roman techniques. The Romans were the pioneers who added elements like wine and olive oil to their mortar. It’s almost like spicing up your favorite dish with a dash of something special.

Now, when it came to these additives, they were often used without any scientific basis – more like offerings to the construction gods. Some might say it bordered on superstition, but the mortar makers and alchemists were determined to find the perfect mix.

These additives came in various forms, like proteins (blood, eggs, cheese), fats (lard, oil, soap), acids from fruits (beer, wine, vinegar), fibers (hemp, wool, horsehair), or even inorganic substances (ashes, charcoal, gypsum, and other minerals). The imagination of what they could do knew no bounds. They would add these materials in relatively small amounts, typically no more than 2 percent of the total mixture, to enhance the mortar’s properties.

Protein Power: Organic Mortar Additives

Now, let’s dive into the nitty-gritty. Organic additives like milk, cheese, and blood contained proteins that worked their magic on the lime used in the mortar. It was like a chemical dance where these proteins combined with lime to create calcium caseinate, a protein that doesn’t dissolve in milk. When mixed with lime, it led to a denser, stronger, and more waterproof mortar. The secret to this magic was a delayed hardening of the mortar, resulting in a denser crystalline structure.

In ancient China, for example, they used this technique to create floors that still gleam, even after centuries. These floors were made with lime, additives, and yes, even blood. They not only looked great but were also resistant to water. It’s like having a recipe that not only tastes fantastic but also keeps well.

Waterproofing Wonders in Mortars

But it wasn’t just about experimenting with food-related materials. Fats like pig lard or butter were used to make mortar resistant to water. They formed compounds with lime known as calcium stearates, which made the mortar hydrophobic – a fancy word for water-repellent. It’s like giving your favorite coat a waterproof layer so you stay dry in the rain.

Porous Possibilities: The Airy Side of Mortar

When they added oils and soaps, something interesting happened. Even after rigorous mixing, tiny air bubbles remained in the mortar. These bubbles didn’t disappear, even after the mortar hardened. When it got really cold and the water in the mortar froze, these empty bubbles acted as safe havens for the unfrozen water. This prevented the mortar from cracking or breaking apart.

Additionally, oils and soaps made the mortar smoother and easier to work with. This means that even with the same consistency, you need less water, resulting in a stronger mortar. It’s like using just a little water to make a pancake batter that’s both easy to pour and incredibly fluffy.

Conclusion: Mortar’s Old Secrets

So, while our modern home isn’t built with eggs and cheese, there’s a touch of ancient wisdom in every brick and wall. The next time you work on an old house, just remember all the wisdom of its old construction materials that went into its making. Who knows, you might discover your secret ingredient to keep your own home cozy and reliable for years to come. It’s like being the master chef of your own home but without the apron!

Casein Paint: A Cheesy Brush with History

When we think of old construction or art materials, cheese is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. In this article, we’ll explore the unexpected connection between cheese and paint.

What is Casein?

Casein, a protein found in milk, might seem like an unlikely choice for painting, but it played a significant role in the artistic pursuits of these legendary creators. Making up a whopping 80% of milk’s protein content, casein is known for its unique properties. One of its quirks is that it’s not very soluble in water, making it a perfect candidate for art applications.

Historical Use of Casein Paint

With its origins dating back to ancient Egypt and classical Rome, it has a remarkable historical journey. It was an important medium for countless artisans and artists throughout the ages.

In medieval times, casein-based paints were employed for illuminated manuscripts, showcasing the vivid colors and intricate details of these cherished texts. During the Renaissance, artists sought innovative techniques, but the use of casein paint remained prevalent in the art world. Its fast drying time made it valuable for detailed work and frescoes.

As history unfolded, casein paint’s versatility became apparent. It found application in theater set design, sign painting, and fine arts. Its resistance to yellowing over time ensured that artworks created with this medium retained their vibrancy.

Beyond the realm of art, casein paint also played a vital role as a construction material. It adorned wood and walls, contributing to the decorative and protective aspects of architecture. Its natural composition and enduring qualities made it a sought-after choice for both artistic and functional purposes.

Making Casein Paint

To create casein paint, one starts with milk, allowing it to curdle. The curds, which contain the casein protein, are then separated from the whey. Mixing these curds with other ingredients, such as lime (the “Kalk” in German), results in a workable paint medium.

Advantages of Casein Paint

it offers unique advantages, including a fast drying time, versatility, and longevity. It’s resistant to yellowing, which is crucial for preserving artwork over time.

Limitations and Challenges

While casein paint has its strengths, it’s not without limitations. It can be sensitive to moisture and requires special care in application and storage. Also, you can’t keep it for very long as it dries quickly. Therefore, you always need to mix it fresh.

Modern Use and Revival

In recent years, there has been a revival of interest in casein paint. So, Artists, seeking eco-friendly and traditional alternatives to synthetic paints, have embraced it. Casein has found a place in contemporary art, blending the old with the new, and it’s not limited to art; it’s also enjoying a revival as a natural paint for wood and walls.

Conclusion

Casein paint is a versatile and intriguing medium with a rich history. Therefore, it continues to captivate artists and craftsmen, highlighting the endless possibilities of this unique material, which is a testament to the boundless creativity that drives artistic expression.

Rediscovering Old Construction Materials – Natural Cement

Have you ever heard about natural cement? Well, I haven’t until recently and was really surprised about it. This seems strange as at some point in time this type of cement was not only the only type of cement available but also in high demand.

In recent years there has been an increased awareness of sustainability and green building practices. This has led to many new innovations in this area, including bioclimatic design principles and green materials to offer an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional cement-based construction materials.

But some things don’t need to be reinvented as they have been around for hundreds of years before the time of our modern cement. We are talking about natural cement which, due to lower levels of pollution, is a wonderful alternative.

Other, even simpler, construction materials – such as rammed earth even has been around since the very beginning of mankind. This topic we cover in another article.

The History of Natural Cement

Natural cement is a type of cement made from natural materials, such as limestone and clay. It is used in the construction industry because it can be more environmentally-friendly than other types of cement.

The use of natural cement dates back to the Roman Empire, when builders would use a mixture of volcanic ash and lime to make their buildings. This mixture was called pozzolanic cement. Today, we still use pozzolanic cement for many projects, but it is now often combined with Portland cement for better durability and strength.

How do they make it?

Natural cement is a type of hydraulic cement that is made from natural mineral sources. It is an environmentally friendly alternative to Portland cement, which requires more energy to produce and emits more carbon dioxide.

The process of making natural cement starts with the heating and burning of limestone or chalk in a kiln. The heat causes the limestone or chalk to break down into calcium oxide, which then reacts with water.

What are the Benefits of Building with Natural Cement?

Building with natural cement has many benefits, including, it is:

– a sustainable material that is recycable.

– more durable than concrete and other traditional building materials.

– be used to build homes, roads, bridges and other structures.

Natural Cement on Facades – Use in Decoration

Natural cements are a great way to add decorative elements on the facade of a building as it is very easy to work with. They can be used to create different ornaments, such as leaves, flowers, and vines.

So, if you are seeking a quick way to pep up the facade of your property – this is for you. We all know that beauty counts and the “wow-factor” is important for a buyer to fall in love with your real-estate. It doesn’t matter if you have blocks of flats for sale or seeking to speed up your villa sale in turkey. This works everywhere. Just make sure to get a plasterer that knows the material.

If not applied directly, the cements can also be casted into moulds and then applied to the facade of the building. This is done by attaching them to the surface of the facade with some kind of adhesive.

In the past even bigger elements were used in the construction of decorative facades, such as complete window frames. Depending on the mixture and added pigments the natural cement can have a very stone-like appearance.

A Buildable & Sustained Product

Natural cements are a natural product that is made from limestone and clay. They have been used in construction for centuries but they are not as common as concrete or other man-made materials.

The future possibilities for natural cements are still being explored. There is a lot of potential for this kind of cement. The only question is, whether or not the market demands it and if there will be other sustainable alternatives to cement.

Rammed Earth Houses

Rammed earth houses are a type of construction that has been used for centuries. It is a sustainable building technique that uses locally-available materials and has low environmental impact.

Rammed earth, or some may also call it Adobe Construction, is a technique of building with natural, local materials, such as clay, sand, straw or water. The mixture is compacted to form walls and other structures. Rammed earth houses are durable and long-lasting; they require little maintenance and they provide excellent insulation against heat and cold.

How to Build a Rammed Earth House

Rammed earth is a type of construction that is done by packing earth, sand, and clay together to form a solid mass. The mix is poured into a formwork, compressed and allowed to dry. The mortar that binds the solid mass is either a clay mix or lime putty, and can be made from natural ingredients or manufactured. The Wikipedia article on “Rammed earth” is here.

Rammed earth is one of the oldest building techniques in the world. It dates back to at least 2500 BC with evidence found in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. The technique was used to build many famous landmarks including the Great Wall of China and parts of the Egyptian pyramids.

Nowadays, rammed earth houses are still being built around the world but they are not as common as they once were.

What are the Benefits of Building with Rammed Earth?

Building with Rammed Earth is a sustainable and environmentally friendly way to build structures. This technique has plenty of benefits, such as being energy efficient and carbon neutral.

In addition to the environmental benefits, Rammed Earth is also an energy efficient building technique. It’s a carbon-neutral building method that can be used in both warm and cold climates.

Rammed earth houses have excellent sound insulation and are fire and pest resistant.

The benefits of using this material for building are numerous. It’s strong, durable, easily available and inexpensive. The only downside to using rammed earth is the amount of time it takes for construction to be completed.

What are the Drawbacks of Building with Rammed Earth?

Rammed earth is a type of building material that is made by compressing layers of soil, gravel, sand and clay into blocks.

The drawbacks of building with rammed earth are primarily related to the high water content in the soil. When it’s used to build with, it will have an adverse effect on the stability of the structure. It also has a low thermal mass which will cause it to heat up quickly and cool down quickly.

Why You Should Consider Building Your Next Home With Rammed Earth

Rammed earth is a type of construction that is made by packing soil, clay, sand and other materials into a formwork. It has been around for centuries, but it is making a comeback due to its sustainable and cost-effective nature.

Conclusion:

Building your next home with rammed earth will be the best decision you have ever made. It will not only save you money on construction costs but also leave behind a legacy for future generations to enjoy.

Adobe Construction – cheap and naturally energy efficient

Adobe – or earth construction as some may call it – is one of the oldest building methods in the world. Since ever, humankind has used earth in various forms to build their homes. It has a huge number of benefits most of us modern people forgot about.

I only came to love this type of construction when working on a renovation project of an old town house in Portugal. Until then, when thinking of an earth house I had a very different picture in mind. It was something like a simple hut in an African village.

Adobe walls are naturally energy efficient and can be load bearing. Often, they are very thick, forming a natural insulation from the environmental heat or cold. Earth-based products are naturally sustainable because you are building with the materials that surround you.

Interestingly, approximately 30% of the world population lives in homes made of earth materials. That’s no wonder if you think of the many financial and environmental benefits. That’s why people like me, once we know about it, just love it. It is not only a far cheaper construction method but also has many other advantages compared with modern materials.

The composition of the adobe—or some may call it the recipe—vary according to country and local customs. Usually most of it is made of earth and or clay. Besides that, it can contain other materials like straw, maybe even small amounts of lime. Once I even read about that it can include horse hair. Not sure if this is true though.

There is even a thing they call Superadobe. It is also made from earth and organic materials heartened with lime, compressed into bags which are stacked on top of each other, each layer of bags separated by barbed wire. This method is perfect for seismically active areas.

What is adobe construction

Buildings made of Adobe are very similar to a rammed earth house. The only difference is that the earth was rammed into some sort of brick shape before it was used for the construction. Like this it is very easy to build walls with earth.

Special treatment for adobe construction

Please note that the right plaster is essential to be completely waterproof. You don’t want your wall to crumble apart after a few years. They are several products on the market that are perfect for adobe construction. We can use it for the first plaster on a new wall as well as fixing cracks in an old one. It is very important that the plaster lets the wall still breath.

Also, there can be a problem with raising damp in those buildings if they have no horizontal barrier to stop it. I saw a layer of bitumen sheet or a special plastic be put before the first layer of adobe bricks. Therefore, it is good to keep that in mind before you start building your house.

One historic local custom in my area was that the builders would leave an air gap under the house to avoid any raising damp. With some houses being well beyond 100 years now and showing no sign of any raising damp we can say that it is a truly successful method.

If you live in an earthquake zone it is also advisable to apply a net within the construction to give it better structural properties.

Adobe construction surprises

Probably the biggest surprise was when I found out that adobe was even used for the first modern architecture in Portugal. This is something I would always associate with concrete and steel.

It seems there is no limit to what you can build with it starting with simple garden walls, garages, sheds, houses and even apartment blocks.

Conclusion

Adobe Construction is naturally energy efficient and sustainable because you are building with the materials that surround you. With the right know-how it can give the same or even better comfort than a modern building method.

Bio

Our Property under 20k team are the founders of www.propertyunder20k.com and www.listproperty4free.com with the goal to search the cheapest real estate in the world and make it easy for others to find. The team is made up of landlords, real estate investors, architects and builders from several different countries.  We just love to have a good strong cup of coffee while we write our experiences in this blog.

Image by Michelle Raponi from Pixabay