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Clay has been used for building for as long as people have been building homes.  It is a readily available raw material with a low environmental impact and needs minimal processing.  By one estimate, there is enough clay to cover the surface of the earth with a layer one mile thick.  Clay is naturally “sticky,” requiring no extra binders.  When clay is moistened, the surface swells and seals, preventing liquid water from penetrating.

Clay occurs naturally in a range of colors and can also be tinted with pigments to create an almost unlimited color palette.  Clay also has the ability to effectively store extra moisture and can help moderate indoor humidity.  Clay plasters are very user-friendly and are easy to repair if damaged or to re-coat when a new color is desired.

Clay plaster is a particularly good choice for straw bale walls because of its high vapor permeability. Moisture is a bale’s enemy, so plasters that allow water vapor to escape are essential.

Clay plaster can be a very environmentally friendly, low-impact way to finish walls. Unfired clay has low embodied energy (the energy that goes into making a product) and can often be sourced locally, lowering the energy required for shipping. The lovely red plaster shown here was made from clay-rich earth dug from the building site. Only small amendments were needed to make a superior interior finish plaster.

We specializing in making our own clay plasters from raw materials either from the job site or sourced as locally as possible.  We are also trained installers of American Clay, a ready-mixed clay plaster manufactured in Albuquerque, New Mexico.