Calcis Novus
Slaked lime aged for a minimum of 3 months
A general-purpose lime recommended for standard plastering, masonry work and limewashing. The product contains no unslaked particles, which prevents the phenomenon known in the trade as "lime pop" or "lime blow" — where an unslaked fraction remaining in the mortar later hydrates on contact with moisture, expands, and causes crater-like damage on the finished plaster surface.
Calcis Novus is not considered part of the Antique Lime family; it is maintained as a separate product line due to ongoing market demand.
Recommended use: conventional masonry mortar, base plaster, limewashing
Calcis Antiqua I
Aged for 12 months
The most significant microstructural reorganisation of lime — the arrangement of crystals into prismatic structures — takes place within the first year of ageing. This transformation already produces a perceptible improvement in working properties: a creamier consistency, acceptable spreadability, and moderate water retention.
Suitable for smaller conservation and restoration projects, and often chosen for its favourable price relative to longer-aged products.
Recommended use: smaller restoration tasks where cost-efficiency and an already-improved working quality need to be balanced
Calcis Antiqua III
Aged for 36 months (3 years)
This is regarded by professionals as the classic "antique lime." By this stage, the microstructural reorganisation is nearly complete: the prismatic crystals transform into plate-like structures, and the pore structure of the lime changes accordingly.
The result is a creamy, butter-like consistency with high water retention and excellent spreadability — a distinctive character suited to the most demanding applications.
Recommended use: heritage conservation, restoration, fresco creation and restoration, conservation plasters, fresco base layers, stucco work, fill and pointing mortars
Calcis Antiqua VI
Aged for 72 months (6 years)
Microstructural development can still be detected between the 3-year and 6-year marks, though it is considerably less dynamic than the change observed between freshly slaked lime and 3-year-aged lime. In practice, the difference compared to the 3-year product is subtle — often not clearly noticeable in day-to-day handling.
Nonetheless, a smaller circle of experienced restorers specifically prefers this grade and remains consistently loyal to it.
Recommended use: projects where the client or restorer specifically requires this longer-aged quality
Calcis Antiqua X+
Aged for a minimum of 120 months (10 years)
Compared to the 6-year product, no further perceptible difference in properties has been observed. The distinction of Calcis Antiqua X+ lies less in measurable characteristics and more in its scarcity — lime aged this long is practically unavailable on the open market, making rarity itself a defining value for collector-grade or symbolically significant projects.
Recommended use: prestige restoration projects where the material's provenance and ageing history form part of the work itself
Aqua Calcis (Lime Water / Kalksinterwasser)
A complementary product recommended for diluting aged limes, priming surfaces before limewash application, and reducing moisture absorption of the surface to be treated.
Among experienced restorers, a common practical rule holds that lime water should not be younger than the aged lime it accompanies — we consider this worth sharing as established practitioner experience, while noting clearly: this is a rule of thumb derived from professional practice, and has not yet been confirmed by controlled chemical or scientific studies. Its application is left to the user's professional judgement.
Why does ageing time matter?
Lime slaked today will only reach the consistency that our long-aged products already offer years from now. Time cannot be replaced by a faster process — which is exactly what makes long-aged lime a genuine niche material for those who do not compromise on quality.
