Laboratório Nacional

de Engenharia Civil
______________________________________________________________________________

Compatible renders for the conservation of ancient buildings

Lisboa, 1999

Teresa Cláudio Diaz Gonçalves

Engenheira Civil, Mestre em Construção

Assistente de Investigação
______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
Comunicação apresentada ao “Workshop on Compatible Restoration Mortars for the
Protection of European Cultural Heritage”, realizado em Atenas, Dezembro de 1998
 REBOCOS COMPATÍVEIS PARA A CONSERVAÇÃO DE EDIFÍCIOS ANTIGOS

RESUMO

Uma grande percentagem dos edifícios históricos Europeus inclui o uso de reboco como uma
camada de sacrifício que protege a alvenaria estrutural das acções externas.

A introdução do cimento Portland e dos polímeros sintéticos no sector da construção de

edifícios levou ao esquecimento, em poucas gerações, das antigas técnicas construtivas. A prática
acabou, no entanto, por demonstrar que estes novos materiais demonstravam uma notória
inadequabilidade ao uso em edifícios antigos.

Nesta comunicação são apresentadas as principais exigências dos revestimentos de ligante

mineral destinados à utilização em edifícios antigos. Descreve-se também a metodologia que tem
vindo a ser seguida no Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil (LNEC) para a avaliação da
adequabilidade ao uso destes revestimentos.

i
COMPATIBLE RENDERS FOR THE CONSERVATION OF ANCIENT BUILDINGS

ABSTRACT

A large percentage of European historic buildings have a constructive typology that includes
the use of renders as sacrificial coats that protect the structural masonry from weathering and
impact actions.

The introduction, in the construction of buildings, of Portland cement and of synthetic

polymers led to the forgetfulness, in only a few generations, of the ancient techniques. Practice,
however, showed that these new materials demonstrated a notorious inadequacy when used in
ancient buildings. The need for promoting the use of compatible materials and techniques is,
therefore, nowadays commonly recognized.

In this paper, the main requirements of mineral wall coatings to be used in ancient buildings
are presented. Also, the methodology that is followed at Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia
Civil (LNEC) to approach the practical question of deciding what kind of materials and
techniques to use in the conservation interventions is expanded.

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COMPATIBLE RENDERS FOR THE CONSERVATION OF ANCIENT BUILDINGS

ÍNDICE

1 - Introduction............................................................................................................................... 1

2 - New materials requirements .................................................................................................... 2

2.1 - Use of similar materials ....................................................................................................... 3

2.1.1 - Lime renders ........................................................................................................... 5
2.1.2 - Execution of lime renders....................................................................................... 5
2.2 - Preliminary testing of materials ........................................................................................... 6

3 - Conclusions................................................................................................................................ 7

4 - Bibliography.............................................................................................................................. 7

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 COMPATIBLE RENDERS FOR THE CONSERVATION OF ANCIENT BUILDINGS

1 - Introduction

A large percentage of European historic buildings have a constructive typology that includes
the use of renders (and subsequent wall paintings) as sacrificial coats that (as well as having an
aesthetic function) protect the structural masonry from weathering and impact actions.
Deterioration of renders is therefore a natural consequence of their function, and is necessary in
order to avoid degradation of the structural part of buildings.

The aim of the conservation of these buildings is their transmission to future generations as
signs of our common History and has to include the permanent maintenance of renders. It is
therefore necessary to carry out localized reparations as well as periodical renovation.

For a long time these operations didn't present any difficulty because, since Antiquity,
construction materials used for this work had a very similar nature. Natural materials or materials
resulting from artisanal transformations were used: sand, lime, some natural organic materials and
pigments obtained with very little processing. In some cases pozzolana and crushed brick
(cocciopesto) were also used in mortars in order to give them hydraulic properties. This improved
their durability, by improving their resistance to weathering as well as their mechanic resistance
along the time.

The introduction, in the construction of buildings, of Portland cement and of synthetic

polymers and the euphoria caused by the conviction that these were "better" materials, stronger
and of almost infinite durability, having no need to be maintained, lead to the forgetfulness, in
only a few generations, of the ancient techniques.

Practice, however, showed that these new materials were, not only far from being eternal, but
in general also demonstrated a notorious inadequacy when used in ancient buildings. Nowadays,
in Portugal, a large percentage of the historic buildings show, on the wall coverings level, severe
pathologies (Gonçalves [1]). Some of these are due to the lack of proper maintenance, to
neglection, or to especially severe environmental conditions. There are more and more, however,
that result from recent inappropriate interventions that worsened the condition of the building or
came to cause it new problems.

Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil (LNEC) is a Research Institution, acting on a

national level, and has an increasing responsibility in what concerns the conservation of the
Portuguese built heritage. Primarily, in testing and giving an official approval to non-traditional
building materials and construction techniques. LNEC also performs consultancy work, at the
request of public or private entities, namely municipal entities and the Portuguese Institute for the

1
Architectonic Property (IPPAR). These studies often include the choice of the most adequate
materials and techniques for specific conservation interventions, as well as diagnosis of
constructive problems on ancient buildings and monuments and the specification of the
corresponding treatment products and techniques. We are, therefore, very much interested in
promoting the use of adequate materials for the conservation of the built heritage.

2 - New materials requirements

In the Conservation milieu, the need for promoting the use of compatible materials and
techniques in historic buildings, as expressed in the principles of the "Veneza Chart" (ICATHM
[2]), is nowadays commonly recognized. Considering wall coverings, the use of compatible
materials and techniques aims both to:

• Obtain wall coverings that have a good performance, in order that they accomplish their
function of protecting the structure of buildings from external actions;
• Avoid the introduction of new internal damaging actions, in order to not compromise the
preservation of the ancient materials of the building.

The first question that arises is to know what should be demanded from these materials in
order for them to be compatible with the ancient ones.

In a qualitative and non-exhaustive way, we could say that chemical, physical and mechanical
compatibility is needed. Taking a closer look, we may also say that the new renders should
mainly, and besides other common requirements of these wall coatings (like having acceptable
adherence to support, resistance to impact actions and general durability, as well as the required
aesthetical characteristics):

• Not to introduce in the ancient support damaging stresses caused by dimensional variations
of thermo-hygrometric origin or due to the mortars shrinkage;
• Do not block the passage of the water vapour that circulates due to the gradient of water
vapour pressure between the interior and the exterior of the building, by retaining it inside
the wall;
• Not contribute to retaining inside the wall the water that penetrates due to the rain or from
other origins (like the capillary ascension from the soil). This is also related to the need to
not promote the crystallization of soluble salts that are eventually transported by this water
inside the structural masonry or between the wall covering layers (cripto-eflorescences).
Because this process is accompanied by an increase of volume and, therefore, may introduce
internal stresses that contribute, in a cyclic and repeated way, to the deterioration of the
ancient wall, as well as to the faster degradation of the coating itself;
• Not introduce damaging substances, like soluble salts, inside the wall;
• Being chemically compatible with the ancient materials.

2
 When it comes to the practical question of deciding what kind of material to use in the
conservation interventions, there are essentially two different approaches: the prescriptive one
(vd. 2.1) and the performance one (vd. 2.2).

2.1 - Use of similar materials

The first way to approach the conservation of ancient buildings, in what concerns the
maintenance or renovation of their renders, is the use of materials and techniques similar to the
ancient ones. Their adequacy for that particular use has already been proved by a long period of
practical use. Its classic scientific targets of research are mainly the following:

a) Scientific examination of materials in ancient buildings

• Characterization of ancient materials
• Investigation on ancient techniques
b) Monitoring the condition of ancient materials in order to evaluate the state of conservation
• Characterization of decay processes
• Study of decay processes
c) Research on methods of ("in situ" or laboratory) analysis
d) Monitoring of conservation interventions

Even though this may seam the more reasonable and simple way to approach the conservation
of ancient buildings, other questions arise: How to define, produce or recognize similarity
between materials? Should it be understood in a wide sense (binder and aggregates of the same
nature of the ancient ones)? Or does it implicate "case to case" analysis of the ancient mortar and
paintings, in order to try to reproduce them, namely in their quantitative composition?

The problem is still more complex as the ancient materials have already, often, changed their
original chemical composition by the slow mutual reaction of the constituents or due to the effect
of the environment. Also, they can have been physically and mechanically affected by weathering,
salts and impact, or have lost part of their original constituents mainly due to the action of water.
In addition, it is almost always impossible to find nowadays raw-materials similar to the ancient
ones, namely because, in most places, local exploitation and trading conditions have changed.

At LNEC we have been developing and are using a parallel methodology that aims both to:

• Allow us to give an "in time" answer to the various cases of consultancy works that are
performed, for either public or private entities. These studies are usually mainly devoted to
the specification of the composition, as well as to the execution and application techniques of
renders for ancient buildings.
• To deepen the knowledge about the performance characteristics of this kind of wall coatings
(mostly lime-based renders)

In a simplified way, this involves mainly:

a) Analysis of the original materials found in the building, mainly in order to determine the
nature of binder, aggregates and pigments, as well as the presence and nature of organic
compounds and/or soluble salts content utilizing:
• XRD analysis, eventually complemented with SEM observation of some
samples

3
 • FTIR analysis
• Chemical testing to determination of soluble salts content: chlorides (IPQ [3]),
sulphates (IPQ [4]) and alkalis (IIPQ [5])
• Determination of pH

b) Specification of some alternative solutions for the composition of renders, often including the
use of local materials.

c) Support to the "in situ" application (in the building itself or in a close wall, as representative
as possible of the composition and environmental conditions of the building walls) of
experimental panels with the minimum dimension of 2 m x 2 m. The observation of the
coatings performance during a period of time, as long as possible, with a minimum of 3
month, is then necessary in order to visually detect the occurrence of any anomalies (cracks,
detachments, efflorescences, etc.).

d) Execution of laboratory and, eventually, "in situ" tests on the new renders to be used in the
conservation intervention, in order to study their performance and associated characteristics:
• Water vapour permeability (LNEC [6])
• Capillarity (CSTB [7])
• Capability for impermeabilization, that is a performance characteristic of
renders evaluated on the basis of a test method specifically developed at
LNEC (Gonçalves [8, 91) and that expresses the ability of wall coatings to:
− Limiting the quantity of water that penetrates through them and
reaches the support (masonry);
− Minimizing the period of time that the water remains close to the
support;
− Delaying the instant when the water first reaches the support.
• pH and soluble salts content (chlorides, sulphates and alkalis).

Other tests may also be performed, depending on the nature of the materials, our previous
knowledge of their performance and the conditions in which its application will occur. These
tests may include:
• Adherence to support, performed either "in situ" or in the laboratory, over test
specimens composed by the mortar applied over a defined type of support
(LNEC [10])
• Resistance to cracking, also using a test method specifically developed at
LNEC (Veiga [11,12])
• Resistance to impact of a round hard body, of a sharp hard body and of a
puncture (LNEC [13]), tests that are performed "in situ"
• Resistance of renders to salt crystallization (test method that is, at present,
being developed at LNEC)
• Artificial ageing tests: alternated cycles of heat(IV)/rain, hot/cold and
freeze/thaw, mainly (Veiga [14]).

e) Selection of the most adequate solution(s), mostly on the basis of a comparative analysis of
the results obtained (in the study itself or in previous studies).

4
2.1.1 - Lime renders In what refers specially to renders, we have been achieving good results
with lime renders made of industrial slaked powder lime. As an example for the area of Lisbon,
we have been using the following volumetric composition (Gonçalves [15,16,17]):

1:1,5:1,5
(slaked lime : river sand : pit sand)

River sand: siliceous sand from the Tagus river, predominantly coarse, much used in the area
of Lisbon for renders. Pit sand: siliceous yellow pit sand, predominantly coarse, originally from
the area of Corroios (near Lisbon).This volumetric composition may, however, need to be adapted
when using other types of local sands.

It must also be noted that, if on the one hand, the use of industrial slaked power lime seems to
be easy to implement in current works and with ordinary labour, on the other hand, the use of
lime putty (obtained by slaking the calcium oxide with an excess of water) in renders, has been
more problematical, as these renders show a much greater tendency to crack during the first two
days that follow their "in situ" application. The main problem does not seam to be the chemical
composition of the limes, as indicated by several research tests performed at LNEC with renders
of both powder and putty limes from the same manufacturer. These limes were previously
analyzed by XRD and all of them were found to be composed almost only of calcium hydroxide.
And only the lime putty renders cracked after application

2.1.2 - Execution of lime renders Many problems may result from the application technique of
lime based renders if some specific precautions are not followed when applying "in situ" these
non-hydraulic materials. In our opinion the most important ones are the following.

1) To reduce the amount of water used in the mixing to the minimum possible to permit its
correct application. lt would appear that most of the problems occurred with lime putty
mortars are due to an excess of water used in the initial mix. This occurs when directly
applying, to lime putty mortars, the techniques commonly used to execute hydraulic renders.
A vigorous and prolonged mixture also contributes to give the mortar the necessary
workability, reducing its need for water.

The question of reducing the amount of water is also important for hydraulic renders, as
commonly known, but for non-hydraulic materials it is fundamental because, in these
materials, the whole amount of water used in the initial mixing is lost on drying. In hydraulic
materials there is a certain percentage of this water (about 40 % in relation to the weight of
cement) that is effectively used in the hydration process (about 25 % is chemically combined
to the anhydrous compounds of cement and the other 15 % are immobilized inside the mass
of hydrated cement) but this obviously does not occur with the non-hydraulic materials
(Coutinho [18]).

2) To execute lime renders only when there are favourable meteorological conditions, that is:
• Dry weather, without rain or high relative humidity, specially during the first 15 days
that follow renders execution.
• Temperature of the air above 30'C. lt is also necessary to avoid the direct incidence of
the sun and of strong, hot and dry wind over the rendered surfaces, specially during
Summer and in the first 15 days after its execution. This care aims, not only to avoid
an excessively fast drying of renders (that may cause them to crack) but also to

5
 promote their correct carbonation ( the carbonation reaction only occurs if there is
present a certain amount of water).
• Temperature of air under 5oC.

3) To execute renders in several different coats, each one with an approximate thickness of 1
cm. These coats should be applied leaving a period of time of 1 to 2 weeks (depending of the
atmospheric conditions) between each of them. This aims to allow the carbonation of one
coat before applying the next one which will reduce the access of the air and, consequently,
of the carbon dioxide.

4) To soak the support before applying each coat, in order to promote a good adherence and to
avoid the cracking due to a fast absorption of the water contained in the fresh mortar.

In respect to the principle of the "minimum intervention", conservation interventions should be

conducted in a way of producing the minimum damage to the ancient masonry and to the ancient
renders that are still in a good condition. However, when a new render should be applied, either to
a complete wall or in localized areas, a correct preparation of the support must be done in order to
provide a good adherence between the new and the ancient materials:

1) The seat mortar of the masonry should be scraped until a depth of 1,0 to 1,5 cm.

2) The powder material should be eliminated using a soft brush or, if possible, by washing
the support with water at a low pressure.

3) If there is any biological growth remaining, a biocide may have to be used in order to
eliminate it.

2.2 - Preliminary testing of materials

While recognizing the interest of the above referred prescriptive approach, seems to us
questionable to deny "a priori" the possibility of using materials of recent production (namely
industrial pre-dosed wall renders and paintings), specially in some particular interventions.

Consider the case of some urban environments where the atmospheric conditions, specially
the effects of air pollution, are extremely severe. Would it be possible for the ancient (mostly
lime-based) materials to have an adequate performance and durability in such severe
environment? Would it be possible to invert the modern tradition of "non-maintenance" in a
way to ensure an even more exigent maintenance of the renders and paintings in these
conditions?

Another type of approach to the conservation of renders in ancient buildings can then be
made, aiming as well to ensure the use of compatible materials: a performance approach (in
opposition to the prescriptive one referred in 2. 1).

The performance approach necessarily includes a preliminary testing of the materials in order
to evaluate their adequacy for the use in ancient buildings. This is not a simple matter as it
involves:

6
 1 . Knowledge of the performance characteristics that ensure the compatibility between the
new and the ancient renders.
2. The disposal of accurate test methods that express those characteristics.
3. The disposal of quantitative evaluation criteria that allow us to classify the level of
adequacy of the tested products.

We are nowadays far from having accomplished these objectives, especially in the
establishment of quantitative evaluation criteria, and there is an urgent need for promoting the
scientific research in these areas.

Nevertheless, in parallel with the development of these areas, at LNEC we believe that a
scientific approach to the evaluation of industrial products for conservation can still be made,
namely in a comparative way, by using the results of the tests performed over materials similar
to the ancient ones (lime-based materials) as a model.

The main characteristics that we measure and the tests that we perform over these non-
traditional materials are the ones described previously in 2.1 b). But, until this performance
approach has been effectively established and validated, it is also necessary to have an affective
analysis of their performance when exposed to representative environmental conditions: we are
doing this by applying the products in medium size (about 2 m x 2 m) external test walls,
localized in LNEC's Natural Ageing Test Station and by observing their performance during a
minimum period of 3 month.

3 - Conclusions

There are essentially two different approaches to the conservation of mineral wall coatings in
ancient buildings, both aiming to obtain compatible wall coverings, that are: wall coatings that
have a have a good performance and that do not introduce new internal damaging actions in the
building.

The prescriptive approach consists mainly in the use of materials and techniques similar to
the ancient ones. The performance approach includes a preliminary testing of the materials in
order to evaluate their adequacy for the use in ancient buildings. We are nowadays far from
having effectively established and validated such an evaluation methodology and, therefore,
there is an urgent need for promoting the scientific research in this area.

4 - Bibliography

1) GONÇALVES, T. and VEIGA M. R. - Acabamentos para paredes exteriores de edifícios

antigos. Proc. Encontro 1997 Materiais de Construção, Inovação e Qualidade, Lisboa,
ISMAG, Maio, 1997.
2) INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF ARCHITECTS AND TECHNICIANS OF HISTORIC
MONUMENTS (ICATHM) - Decisions and resolutions. Veneza, ICATFW, 1964. "Veneza
Chart".
3) INSTITUTO PORTUGUÊS DA QUALIDADE (IPQ) - Água. Determinação do teor em
cloretos. NP-423. Lisboa, IPQ, 1966.
4) IPQ - ,4gua. Determinação do teor em sulfatos. NP-413. Lisboa, IPQ, 1966.
5) IPQ - Inertes para argamassas e betões. Determinação do teor de álcalis solúveis. Processo
por espectrofotometria de chama. NP-1382. Lisboa, IPQ, 1976.

7
6) LABORATÓRIO NACIONAL DE ENGENHARIA CIVIL (LNEC) Revestimentos com base
em ligantes sintéticos. Determinação da permeabilidade ao vapor de agua. FE Pa 17.
Lisboa, LNEC, Novembro de 1980.
7) CENTRE SCIENTIFIQUE ET TECNIQUE DU BÂTIMENT (CSTB) Certification CSTB
des enduits monocouches d’impermeabilization. Modalités d’essais. Paris, (3 4 1), Cahiers
du CSTB, 2669-4, 1993.
8) GONÇALVES, T. - Capacidade de impermeabilização de revestimentos de paredes com
base em ligantes minerais. Desenvolvimento de um método de ensaio com base na
resistência eléctrica. Lisboa, LNEC, Master's thesis, Instituto Superior Técnico, 1997.
9) GONÇALVES, T. Capability for impermeabilization of wall renders. Test method based on
the electrical resistance. Proc. Int. Symp. on Huniidity and Moisture, National Physical
Laboratory, London, April, 1998.
10) LNEC - Revestimentos com base em ligantes sintéticos. Determinação da aderência ao
suporte. FE Pa 1 0. Lisboa, LNEC, Abril de 1990.
11) VEIGA, M.R. - Comportamento de argamassas de revestimento de paredes. Contribuição
para o estudo da sua resistência à fendilhação. Lisboa, LNEC, PhD thesis presented to
Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, 1997.
12) VEIGA, M. R. - A methodology to evaluate the cracking susceptibility of renders:
equipment, tests and criteria. Experimental data. Proc. 5th Int. Mas. Conf., Proc. Brit. Mas.
Soc. No. 8, 1998.
13) VILHENA, A. and VEIGA, M. R. - Bases para homologação de revestimentos pré-doseados
de ligante mineral com base em cimento. Relatório 289/95-NCCt. Lisboa, LNEC, Outubro
de 1995.
14) VEIGA, M.R. - Some performance characteristics of lime mortar for rendering and
repointing ancient buildings. Proc. 5th Int. Mas. Conf., Proc. Brit. Mas. Soc. No. 8, 1998.
15) GONÇALVES, T. and VEIGA M. R. - Estudo de argamassas de reboco para o Convento de
Jesus, em Setúbal. Lisboa, LNEC, Report 236/97NCCT, 1997.
16) GONÇALVES, T. - Conservação dos revestimentos de paredes e abóbadas da Ermida de S.
Jerónimo, na Póvoa de Sta. Iria. Lisboa, LNEC, Report, 1997.
17) GONÇALVES, T. - Recomendações sobre as argamassas de reboco a utilizar na
recuperação do antigo Liceu de Mafra. Lisboa, LNEC, Report, 1998.
18) COUTINHO, S. - Fabrico e propriedades do betão. Vol 1. Lisboa, LNEC, 1994.