Natural Paint & Plaster Overview

Photo left: ivory clay plaster & aqua tadelakt (polished lime) over strawbale walls

Photo right: lime plaster with yellow iron oxide pigment remains durable with weather exposure

Before there were companies that made and sold building materials, people made their own paints and plasters.  It was part of common knowledge.  And in many  

cases, these older paint & plaster recipes are superior to what we purchase today.   

Natural coatings use a variety of non-toxic ingredients to make beautiful, durable,  

and incredibly forgiving finishes that invite experimentation and creativity.  Recipes  

vary depending on the performance needs and locally available ingredients.   

All paints and plaster have a key characteristic in common: they all  

contain some type of sticky binder.  Precisely that stickiness explains why they  

adhere to surfaces, like walls and ceilings.  And the binder is what creates a cohesive  

monolithic material.  The binder is often what gives each natural coating it's name:  

clay plaster, lime-wash, egg paint, etc.

The difference between paint and plaster is thickness.  Paints are micro-

thin coatings, while plaster has a measurable thickness.  Paints are applied with a  

brush or roller in thin layers.  Plaster is applied with a trowel...like spreading cream  

cheese on a bagel.  Because paints are applied thinly, they are inherently less viscous,  

while plasters are generally stiffer.

Paints & plasters are coatings, applied over an existing substrate.  They are not wall  

systems.  They are not structural.  They are coatings.  Used to create color and  

texture.  Which makes natural paints & plasters simple to integrate into any  

building...existing or new construction.

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Best Use

Natural paints & plasters are extremely versatile and can be used on new construction or to renovate existing buildings. There is a natural coating suitable for most common applications...from exterior render to interior finishes...even inside a shower!  Natural paints & plasters can be made yourself or purchased ready-to-use.  So no matter your project goals, you can incorporate natural finishes!