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As charming as some old buildings are, I wouldn’t want
to have my name on this plaster job! A quality plaster
job begins before the plaster is even brought to the site. The
substrate is very important as the plaster can only be as strong
as the material it is attached to. To that end, straw
makes a great bed for plaster and so does wire mesh, if used. Wood,
on the other hand, does not do as well with plaster and must
be isolated from the mud. In addition, the transitions
from bale to wood must also be detailed. Because these
two materials expand and contract at different rates, many
cracks will appear in the plaster if the transition is not
properly detailed with plaster lath
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I
always cover all wood with roofing felt to isolate it from
the plaster. In addition, I cover it with plaster lath
to give the plaster something to hang on to. Plaster
should never be asked to span a distance on its own without
structural support. This becomes really important around
doors and windows as well as at the intersection with the ceiling. On
the exterior, all wood needs to be covered as described above
and any large gaps need to be filled. You can use cob,
light straw clay, burlap, spray foam, or other materials to
fill the gaps.
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When
you are ready to apply the plaster, the walls should be tight
and solid. All of the wood should be covered and the
mesh attached firmly to the wood structure and/or sewn through
the bale walls. Any holes or gaps in the bales need to
be filled firmly so that when you push the plaster against
the patch, it does not deflate. Be sure the site is clean
of straw and debris so you can walk safely around the structure. Cover
the floors on the interior of the building so dropped plaster
will not mar them. Now stand back and smile at the progress
you have made!
Conclusion
This concludes the "7 Essential Steps to Straw Bale Success"
E-Course. For
more information on any of the topics described here, please
visit www.StrawBale.com.
If you are inspired and want to try your hand at straw bale
building please visit our site www.LearnStrawBale.com and purchase
one of our training courses. Please
note that the information contained in this course is simply
a sampling of the extensive information contained in our training
courses. We
look forward to helping you build your dream straw bale home. We
have the tools, the techniques, and the expertise to teach
you how to do it right, the first time.
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