ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates the impact of mortars on the formation of efflorescence of facing walls and highlights factors limiting its occurrence. Facing walls in objects of small scale architecture are constantly influence by factors coming from surrounding environment. Taking into account complex and multi-component character of influences there are identified two basic groups of destructive factors. The first one, constituted by environment factors including chemical pollutant. The second group are internal factors which include properties of built-in materials and their mutual interactions. One of the problems concerning contemporary facing walls is a decrease in their aesthetics due to discoloration. Besides the quality of workmanship, the use of mortars containing lime is wrongly regarded as the main cause of this phenomenon. However, one should note that regardless of the applied system of a masonry element, efflorescence with different intensities and chemical compositions appears in the majority of new structures within the first few years of their use.
