[Cob] Clay Plaster Workshops in Harford County Maryland

[Sigi Koko]

CLAY PLASTER WORKSHOP IN HARFORD COUNTY MARYLAND

Craig and Adrienne DeRan will be hosting two clay plaster workshops led by
Sigi Koko of Down to Earth Design on October 2nd & 3rd, and again October
9th & 10th.   Come and learn how to make beautiful clay plasters using
on-site soils and apply the plaster onto strawbale walls!  The house we are
working on has many environmentally friendly features, including living
roofs, super-insulating strawbale walls, in-floor radiant heat from solar
hot water, and many reclaimed and recycled materials used in construction. 

WHEN:  October 2 & 3 AND October 9 & 10, 8:30 to 5:30
WHERE:  Pylesville, MD (Northern Harford County near the PA line)
COST:  $75 for the weekend ($45 for a single day)

TO REGISTER:
Please contact Adrienne DeRan by email (adrienne007 at hotmail.com) at or by
phone (410-652-1231) to confirm that there is still space in the workshop.
Directions and details on what to bring will be emailed to those who
register about 1 week prior to the workshop event. 

CLAY PLASTER DESCRIPTION:
Natural plasters provide non-toxic, inexpensive, and beautiful finishes that
are durable and breathable.  They are especially suitable as finishes for
strawbale walls.  Lime plasters/stuccos are particularly suitable for
exterior finishes and earthen plasters are suitable for interior finishes or
on well-protected exterior surfaces (or where maintenance is not a bad
word).  Earthen or clay plasters consist of a combination of clay and sand,
and often also contains some fiber, such as chopped straw.  Clay plasters
are beautiful and durable for interior and protected applications, and
provide additional thermal mass to interior spaces to help improve energy
performance. 

WORKSHOP FORMAT:
We will begin Saturday morning with an overview of earthen plasters.  We
will follow with a demonstration of the skills used to assess ingredients,
mix plasters, and apply them to wall surfaces.  Everyone will then be
invited to get hands-on experience.  Sunday will provide ample opportunity
to practice what was learned on Saturday, with a full day of hands-on
plastering. 

WORKSHOPS COVER:
*Overview of natural clay plasters, including benefits and challenges
*Site tour showing what prep was completed, particularly any lathing
requirements
*Demonstration on the art of mixing clay plasters, including how to assess
on-site materials for suitability and how to determine mixing ratio
*Demonstration of application techniques
*Hands-on experience applying clay plaster to strawbale walls

Please see our website for additional information about workshops taught by
Down to Earth Design
http://www.buildnaturally.com/EDucate/Workshops/WO-current.htm