Lime mortar mix

Hi. There aren't arguments about lime mortar, there are those that know and those that don't! For repoints on Victorian houses I usually use an nhl 3.5 with a ratio of 1 lime to 2.5 sand. I use a sieved sharp sand from 3mm aggregate to fines. If you are doing exposed areas you should step up to an nhl 5, mainly on chimneys where breathability isn't of the upmost importance. You definitely don't need to use cement with hydraulic lime.

Their is no cement in lime mortar,if you add cement it becomes lime cement is not flexible or breathable and traps any water ingress in the building creating dampness. It can be purchased in 25kg bags from most builders merchants but expect to pay a lot more than you would for cement. Good luck Alex

Do not mix any lime with any form of cement. A good reputable lime is Otterbein, and make sure you buy NHL line mortar for building and pointing. 3sand 1 lime is suffice for most applications. If you have a listed property there are companies who can take a mortar analyst and mix the original mortar in pre mixed bags.

I have done a few jobs with lime mortar and you do not have to put cement with the lime. It can help in certain ways but it's not necessary.