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Tag Archives | Clay Plaster
Too Many Plaster Failures
Over the years I have spoken many times about the importance of a quality plastering job. That importance has not waned, and I am unfortunately hearing more and more stories about failed plaster jobs around the world. A large percentage of the consulting work I do is helping clients deal with these plastering issues. There are two common themes, or dare I say causes for the failures. If you avoid these two approaches to plastering your home, your plaster should provide you with a very long life.
Plaster Tips For Making Your Plaster Beautiful and Durable
Plastering a straw bale house is a skill that marries both art and construction techniques. There are so many details to keep track of when plastering your strawbale home and this article will give you one more piece of the puzzle. The focus is on the application direction of lime plaster, or any plaster for that matter. Mistakes here can cause plaster failure so it’s worth getting the process right. Furthermore, the plaster is what people see when they first view your straw bale house, so making it look good really matters.
Failures of Lime Plaster Over a Clay Base
Using a lime finish coat over a base of clay plaster is a recipe for disaster. I have heard of far too many failures when using this technique. Please read on and do not try this technique on your project.
American Clay Q&A
Over the years I have heard several people ask about the American Clay line of plasters so I felt it was time to contact them to ask them some of these questions. Here is the Q&A session: 1. How do you handle the fact that clay is more breathable (allows more vapor to pass through […]
“Alternative” Interior Wall Finishes
I was recently asked about using different finishes for straw bale walls on the interior. I’m very often asked about using different exterior finishes, but not as often does the topic of interior wall finish come up. Of course, the type, texture and color of plaster is always in question, but more rare is a […]
Keeping Track of Sand When Making Plaster
Mixing plaster is as much of an art as it is a science. It’s important to keep a consistent mix from one batch to the next and this isn’t always easy to accomplish. One of the most common mistakes people make when creating plaster mixes is to lose track of how much sand has been […]
The Importance of the Right Sand in Your Plaster
The sad and ugly aftermath of using the wrong plaster sand! In a recent workshop we discovered that the sand that was ordered for the plaster was not acceptable. I blame myself for this mistake as I did not catch the problem in time and allowed the plaster to be mixed. As is always the […]
Great Equipment for Mixing and Spraying Plaster For Sale (SOLD)
I received some information from a man in Alabama the other day. He has a sweet set up for spraying plaster that he is selling. It’s almost new and in great condition. Here’s the description, some photos and the price. If you’re looking to get mud on the wall fast, this could be a great […]
An Overview of Clay, Lime and Cement Based Plasters
There are so many things to consider when choosing a plaster for your straw bale home. I will try and give a quick outline here to get you all started on the path of inquiry. There are many decision to be made and many details to consider in those decisions. The plaster is the thing […]