Materials

Quick Lime

This is the raw material used to make lime putty. The quick lime we use is made from high calcium carbonate limestone from Buxton, Derbyshire.

Lime Putty

This is slaked quicklime. Lime putty is also termed as non-hydraulic lime or fat lime.

Slaking

This is the process for making lime putty. Quick Lime is added to water. A chemical reaction occurs resulting in the release of a large amount of heat from the quicklime. When this has cooled sufficiently the liquid is drained off through a sieve to remove unslaked quicklime granules, stones or other impurities into a settling tank. The longer the slaked lime is left in the tank the better, ideally 3 months.

Suitable Sands

Washed Sharp Sand - one that crunches in the hand. Sharp sand is angular in grain (hence the name), free from vegetable matter, clay and salts, also known as coarse sand.