Sean Daily, Green Living Ideas’ Editor-In-Chief, talks about the use of natural clay plasters for healthier homes with Carol Baumgartel, VP Sales and Marketing at American Clay.
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GTR: Natural Clay Plaster with American Clay
August 13, 2008 By 5 Comments
Thank you for having a podcast on the American Clay products. The information about the company, their practices, that they are solely an American based company and the green aspect of all the materials that they use, even extending to the muslin bags that their product is shipped in, informative and enjoyable.
I have just completed my Green Showhome in New Zealand, I used all three products. I just love the wonderful feeling that the Clay has given the house. People love and rave about it. I first saw it at design week in Sante Fe 2006.
We are considering clay plaster. With ceilings at 20 feet high, we have a problem with spiderwebs/ spiders. Are they adverse to building their webs on plaster? Any other info regarding bugs??
I bought a house with an American Clay finish on most of the walls. Very pretty. But after moving in there were marks everywhere. These walls are SOFT. Every touch leaves a mark. And I have kids. More problems with marks and nothing washes off. You have to remove a layer of clay to remove any crayon or marker no matter if it is washable or not. And good luck matching the color; it fades in the sun so even the same jar is not going to match. Finally, this stuff absorbs moisture like crazy. They even advertise the water carrying capacity. So don’t bother running a humidifier, the walls suck out the water as fast as you can put it into the air. Now I want to know how to get this stuff off the walls!
John, you can paint the walls with milkpaint or seal with ac sealer and paint with whatever you wish this will cover all clay so no need to get of the walls sealed walls no longer absorb any moister. If you do not want to seal and leave the clay you can take a very, very well rung out sponge and go over all the marks/scratches and the walls should fix right up. This is part of its beauty it is soft but that is what makes it fixable. If you do run a humidifier it will still absorb then release that moister which may actually be more effective to creating moist air. I have lived with this in my home and store for a number of years as a dealer of AC I am careful to research and want to be aware of any potential issues thus far we have had non and my customers love their spaces done in clay.