Lime Plaster for Super Adobe
Something Like Peanut Butter
Interior wall coverings can be a challenge for wall structures and surfaces that are uneven. Some kind of texture like peanut butter works the best. “Peanut butter” is not a completely bad idea - but too expensive and not licking the walls could be a problem. Pass the jelly.
To Cob or not to Cob
We applied cob texture to the exterior and we rolled around the idea of using this on the interior. It works great outside if coated properly. However, the interior needed something more dense and hard. We heard about others using a lime plaster with great success.
Adding Additional Accoutrements
Super adobe has a unique quality: you can add things to
the walls before plastering. We had added bottles and jars as small sources of light to the interior. Bree wanted drumsticks as hooks for coats or cords. We added a flowerpot as a shelf and a mesquite pole as a closet rod. The ideas were almost endless. After all the “things” were added to the walls, it was time to apply the plaster.
Slimy Limey
We started mixing the following:
3 parts of sifted sand
1 ½ parts lime
One handful of chopped straw
Water and mix to a peanut butter consistency
We troweled into place and let dry. At times, we had too much lime causing the plaster to crack. We filled those cracks with sheetrock mud
Paint
We put a coat of white as a base paint. Bree was in charge of the “artistic” look of the room. She chose a sponge painting technique with lime yellow and light blue colors. (Can you say Teenager?) We invited friends over to help and they were soon covered with plaster and paint. Everyone had a blast.
The Making of this Earthbag House
To see the making of the external structure click on Super Adobe Stucture.
Gary
January 2013