Lime Plaster

At a glance..

This resource is a collection of information regarding lime plaster, including spraying lime plaster, slaking and sand ratios in lime plaster, curing with ferrous sulfate, using lime stucco, and things to look for when shooting lime.

The details..

'The Straw Bale House' is an essential guide for anyone interested in building their own eco-friendly home. Written by Athena Swentzell Steen, Bill Steen, and David Bainbridge, this book covers all aspects of constructing a straw bale house - from choosing the right materials to finishing touches. The authors provide detailed instructions on how to build load-bearing and post-and-beam structures using straw bales as insulation.

One important aspect covered in the book is spraying lime plaster onto the walls of your new home. While there are differing opinions about whether hand application or spray application provides better adhesion between plaster and bales, 'The Straw Bale House' argues that spraying can be just as effective if done correctly. However it's important not to apply too much at once or you risk cracking in the finish coat.

Another topic discussed in detail is slaking (soaking) natural hydraulic lime (NHL) before mixing it with sand for use as plaster material. This process results in a smoother texture but isn't necessary if time constraints don't allow for it; however thorough mixing should still be carried out regardless.

Ferrous Sulfate also gets mentioned which comes handy when adding coloration into stucco mixtures used while making homes.