Thursday, December 24, 2009

LIME & PREFAB HOMES


Lime is a wonderful coating for Prefab & Container Homes. Many of us decide against prefab or a container home because of the structural thinness of prefab homes which are either made out of old shipping containers, fibers or other poly products. Although prefab homes are insulated from inside but this insulation is not enough for area with higher temperatures like South Asia, Middle East & South America and this is where lime comes handy. Lime is perfect for blocking the effects of external weather, and its natural white color helps in reflecting sun light which reduces the need of air-conditioning in a prefab or a container home. Lime has been used for plastering the exteriors & interiors for centuries, and is known for its strength too. Pasting thick coats of lime paste on the roof & walls can result in a difference of several degrees of temperature in prefab & container homes.
Lime mortar is an excellent binder too so once applied properly can easily last for 3 to 5 years without any need of repairs. Because lime mortar has a pleasingly rough aspect and can help regulate humidity by absorbing moisture from the air, so it can be used for covering the interior of a prefab home which would result in a healthier environment.
As lime is a very flexible material so DIY is very much possible with little help from the internet on how to make mortar. Paste a tiny patch on the roof of your container home to test the binding and the strength of the mortar. Once the lime has been pasted one could leave it plain white for a natural look or could add earthly shades to lime wash and pain the prefab home.
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