The Earthen Plaster Process

Our decision to build with strawbale, centered on its great insulating capability and the fact that 100 years from now, if the house is falling down, all that material is organic and goes back to the earth. My love of the strawbale walls was increased after the earthen plaster was put on. Ryan, our plaster guy extraordinaire, is amazingly talented. He is probably in his late 20s maybe early 30s, but seems like an old world craftsman. He loves what he does and gives the house soul. The base of the plaster is slaked (look it up) lime or gypsum mixed with pigment. We are hoping to use some of the clay from the property to color our walls. The thick walls covered with this beautiful mud has such a rich, warm feeling to them.