Join Early Retirement Today
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Whitewash
Old 05-31-2012, 02:12 PM   #1
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
ls99's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 6,499
Whitewash

A question for those with good understanding of chemistry.

I am planning to use whitewash on the inside and outside of a cement block building.

Having read virtually all I could find on the mixing and use of lime both hydrated and quick, in wall coatings, found dozens of mixtures and additives, to achieve whitewash.

I understand why one would use Portland cement, rice, molasses etc. in the mix.

Many mixes call for the use of salt. Nowhere could I find an explanation for what salt does to the mixture, why is it useful or beneficial.

My understanding of chemistry is dismal to non-existent. An explanation in layman's terms would be most appreciated.
__________________
There must be moderation in everything, including moderation.
ls99 is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 05-31-2012, 02:35 PM   #2
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
2B's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Houston
Posts: 4,337
Why would you use whitewash?
__________________
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane -- Marcus Aurelius
2B is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-31-2012, 03:08 PM   #3
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 414
use it because it's cheap and becomes part of the wall

Artist Articles

Quote:
For example 'salt' prevents over rapid drying but leads to crystallisation damage in substrates

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Does_salt_...er_evaporation

Quote:
Does salt effect water evaporation?

Evaporation rate depends on the temperature of the liquid, how tightly the liquid molecules bond to each other, the surface area of the liquid, and the temperature, pressure, and air movements in the surroundings into which evaporation occurs.
...

The answer is yes, it does. Dissolved salt in water will lower the solution's vapor pressure according to Henry's Law. Evaporation rate is proportional to the difference in vapor pressure of the solution and the vapor pressure of the bulk gas phase over the water surface. I agree with the above answer as well except that the coldness of the surroundings is not a direct factor in determining the evaporation rate.

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Does_salt_...#ixzz1wU4a6UYq
__________________
-----------------------------------------------------
Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.
mickj is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-31-2012, 03:59 PM   #4
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
samclem's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 14,404
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2B View Post
Why would you use whitewash?
+1. It's chalky and doesn't hold up well. Some sort of historical structure?
samclem is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-31-2012, 04:39 PM   #5
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
ls99's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 6,499
As for the why?

It is structure in my camp. It was previously owned by a biker gang. Inside it reeks of cigarette smoke, outside is just plain.

Whitewash's principle ingredient, lime is is a disinfectant and deodorant.

I just don't understand the benefit of salt in the mixture.

Whitewash is waterproof, but allows vapor to escape thus reducing moisture content of the block wall.

Oh yeah, it is cheap, highly reflective, a 50 lb bag for about $8.- covers roughly 1200 square feet. Right up my cheapskate alley.

Now about the benefit of salt in the mixture? Once dried, how does salt benefit the coating?
__________________
There must be moderation in everything, including moderation.
ls99 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-31-2012, 04:53 PM   #6
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Nodak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Cavalier
Posts: 2,317
Whitewash works well for concrete. When I was a kid one of my chores was to whitewash the basement walls of my Grandparents house about every 2 years.
__________________
"Don't take life so serious, son. It ain't nohow permanent." Pogo Possum (Walt Kelly)
Nodak is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-31-2012, 05:42 PM   #7
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,842
Whitewash - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Salt is added according to Wikipedia to prevent mold if conditions are humid, though it will attack the brick. Other sites indicated it aids in adhesion.
__________________
But then what do I really know?

https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f44/why-i-believe-we-are-about-to-embark-on-a-historic-bull-market-run-101268.html
Running_Man is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2012, 06:49 AM   #8
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
ls99's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 6,499
Thanks for the links and input.



'been internet/phone and TV free for about three days.

An F1 Tornado wreaked havoc about a mile from our house, took the utility companies a few days to to restore order.
__________________
There must be moderation in everything, including moderation.
ls99 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2012, 06:55 AM   #9
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
2B's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Houston
Posts: 4,337
Quote:
Originally Posted by ls99 View Post
As for the why?

It is structure in my camp. It was previously owned by a biker gang. Inside it reeks of cigarette smoke, outside is just plain.

Whitewash's principle ingredient, lime is is a disinfectant and deodorant.

I just don't understand the benefit of salt in the mixture.

Whitewash is waterproof, but allows vapor to escape thus reducing moisture content of the block wall.

Oh yeah, it is cheap, highly reflective, a 50 lb bag for about $8.- covers roughly 1200 square feet. Right up my cheapskate alley.

Now about the benefit of salt in the mixture? Once dried, how does salt benefit the coating?
Consider Killz. It will seal out the smoke smell.
__________________
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane -- Marcus Aurelius
2B is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-10-2012, 01:39 PM   #10
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
ls99's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 6,499
Having read some more, I now know that there is a difference between whitewash and limewash. Limewash is what Intended to use.


My first experiment using limewash was to give a coat of the stuff on the roof. The roof structure is 4" concrete, covered with double coverage roofing roll, then that is covered with a hot tar layer.

Water tight it is, and a splendid solar heat collector. On a typical 90 F sunny day, the inside surface was runing 110 to 120 F. Ungood.

Having read various recipes for limewash, I settled on a basic water, lime and portland cement mix.

A precise mixture was created in 5 gallon bucket using about a 1/4 bucket of lime, enough water to make it an easily stirrable mixture using a piece of tree branch. Add about a handful of portland cement, stir some more. Repeat eanough times to cover entire roof, then climb down via the ladder and wait see.

The application involved carefully sloshing some on the roof at about 2 foot distances, then spread out with a fluffy paint roller.

The results: After several severe deluges of rain storm, bad enough to wash away part of my creeks banks, the stuff is still there, intact. A few hot sunny days, using infrared thermometer to measure ceiling temperature: 85 to 87 F.

I call that a successful experiment, one that worked as intended the first time. Feynman would be smiling. One of his lines for experiments was, if the first 100 did not produce desired results, it was still successful, he now knew 100 ways that are not desirable for that particular result.
__________________
There must be moderation in everything, including moderation.
ls99 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:46 PM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.