Earthen Plasters: The healthiest and most beautiful way to finish your home

Carole Crews teaching students how to apply a clay based plaster at a workshop in New Mexico
Carole Crews teaching students how to apply a clay based plaster at a workshop in New Mexico

“No matter what material you build your house with, the finishes will always be the most visible part both inside and out. For thousands of years people have used natural materials to improve the appearance of their buildings, to protect their buildings from the elements, and to hide the rougher qualities of their walls. Despite advances in technology and industrial methods of production, most houses are still finished with natural plasters and renders. In this article we’ll explore the three most common types of plaster, discuss their benefits and limitations, and talk about why they’re the best option for home finishings, not only in natural homes, but in conventional homes too.

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Failed Plaster on Unprotected Earthbag Wall

Failed plaster on unprotected earthbag wall
Failed plaster on unprotected earthbag wall

We appreciate stories from readers who document their projects and want to share what they’ve learned with others. Today’s blog post is from long time contributor Patti Stouter. She’s published some of the best free articles on the Internet. These articles (and everything else related to earthbag building) is archived at EarthbagBuilding.com.

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Cost Overruns at Earthbag Clinic and Schools in Leogane, Haiti

The earthbag clinic and school buildings in Leogane have unfortunately experienced cost overruns. Obviously this is a very important topic, and doubly so when building in developing countries where budgets are very tight. One problem has been the unusually high cost of materials, which can be much higher than in the US. The main expense … Read more