On Dec 10, 2007, at 1:39 AM, papercreters@yahoogroups.com wrote:
THEY SAID IT WOULD ADD COLOR [LIKE IN RED CLAY
BUT DIDNT KNOW HOW MUCH YOU WOULD ADD THE CEMENT MIX
ANY IDEAS?
+++++++++++++++++
For just an exterior plaster over papercrete blocks? Yes, a pure
clay and sand+ fiber ( chopped straw, dried grasses, nylon fibers,
other are PERFECT with NO cement added-- in fact the cement and clay
do not mix well together. Cement just coats the particles of clay--
not a true bond. and only adds cost. So if you have that gorgeous red
Georgia clay- or other color clay-- just use it as is.
I have a great 10 page article by Earth Artisan plasterer Keely Meagan,
her 'Earth Plasters' booklet is out of print but this article is
avail. I can plop it into an email next - no pics, just text for
readers who have slower dial up.
You can have a blast just with shredded paper and clay-- aka "paper
adobe" doesn't matter the name of it... I add hydrated lime, and end
up with bowls and ptters, and plasters that incredibly durable, and the
bowls have held water as birdbaths!! I have one sitting outside for
six years now..still holds water in the rain...just paper-clay- lime- a
bit of sand.. thats it! [lime binds at the molecular level to harden
the clay permanently into "Roman Cement", and if you have ground up
brick dust it is a Pozzolan- which further make a natural cement to
clay mixes.
NEXT I will email Keely's article.
the good thing with clay and paper is no gloves are needed, unless it
is rocky.
My friend in Rough & Ready, Calif. [love that name!] who built a SB
horse barn has beautiful wine red clay-- when mixed with lime I was
able to make a stunning adobe color on my walls ( lime lightens clay
color) and the clay in her area is very sticky and great for plasters,
no other color is needed to get a rich tone.
Charmaine Taylor Publishing
STOREWIDE SALE on Books & Videos
www.dirtcheapbuilder.com
Tel: 1-707-441-1632 PST Eureka, Calif.
