This is awesome Judith! I love the look of that fireplace. Is the upper part cob or clay? Do you anticipate that this will harden with the heat much like a clay pot?
[Attachment(s) from JUDITH WILLIAMS included below]
I tried doing some papercrete plaster today. I made some pulped newspaper and mixed it with clay soil, gypsum and a small amount of perlite. It's just an experimant to see how it works to even out the rough surface of the walls to get ready for finish plaster. It went on OK and looks good, better than the rough walls anyway. I tried using a hawk and a wooden float and managed to get the stuff on with much clumsiness but did better with just my hands. I think it's like so many things that require some practice. I'm open to suggestions and to hearing the experiences of others.
I've also managed to build a cute little kiva fireplace. It's not quite done yet but looks good so far. I'm trying to get the place ready for finish plaster before it gets cold.
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