(This premix was purchased from an adobe supplier you can also mix your own.) The sifted mix is then shoveled into a large cement mixer, followed by a couple of handfulls of dry chopped straw and a bit of powdered wheat paste. The premixed clay and sand is sifted to remove pebbles. In two days, an all volunteer crew mixed and applied the first coat of mud for this home. On this two-toned wall a thin coat of white earth plaster has been applied as a finish coat to the brown mud plaster. This helps to reflect more light around the room. Sometimes it is desirable to have a lighter color wall than the natural brown of conventional earth plaster. This is quite an advantage for the do-it-yourselfer, and you will be able to work at your own pace to create the desired finish. Earth plasters, on the other hand, can be worked for days. Once set, you can no longer smooth it out. Remember that a gypsum-based plaster has a short working time before the plaster sets. This was used in areas where more durability was desired. On a couple of walls, the final skim coat was gypsum plaster. The final coat was just a skim coat to add the desired color and texture. The second coat was used to even out any undesired undulations in the first coat. This coat filled in all of the irregularities of the straw bale wall. For the straw bale walls, the first coat was quite thick (around an inch). This straw bale home used a three-coat system of applying the earth plaster for the straw bale walls. The walls in direct proximity to sinks and showers should be coated with tile or a water-resistant plaster such as lime. It is unfortunate that some codes still require wire netting on the bales.Īlthough earth plasters can be very durable, you will not want to use them indoors where direct water contact will be probable. The fibers of the bales create a very strong bond with the mud, and stucco netting is neither necessary nor desirable. Earth plaster can be applied directly to the straw bales (code permitting).

This is especially true for the initial coat, and for my home an all-volunteer crew was used to apply the first inch of mud to the walls. The material is also easy to apply by beginners. Breathability is important in any wall system, and particularly important when building a straw bale or adobe home. This is ideal for straw bale construction in that moisture from within the walls can evaporate out. The material is breathable, unlike many paints and stucco. The earth plaster walls have a rich patina that is not possible with paint alone. In a natural hybrid home such as this, the wall finish is a major visual attribute to the overall look of the house. For color tints, natural pigments can be added to the white plaster, and a range of colors can be created from yellow to red to green. Earth plaster walls can be made in almost any color you desire. This is good for the environment and can reduce construction costs. One advantage of earth plaster in a natural hybrid home is that the color of the plaster itself can eliminate the need for any paint. In many regions of the country, earth plaster can even be used on the exterior walls and may easily last for seven to ten years or more without any maintenance. When mixed and applied properly, this wall covering will be hard, durable, and beautiful.

Earth plaster is nothing more than sand and clay (with chopped straw, if desired) mixed together in the proper proportions to prevent cracking. The material is as simple as the name implies. It is also known as mud plaster and clay plaster. One of the most enjoyable natural materials to work with is earth plaster (which is also referred to as mud plaster and clay plaster).

Plaster patch over adobe