The How-To Guide to Plastering with Natural Hydraulic Lime

The step-by-step instructions in this comprehensive DVD clearly describe the latest tips and techniques for mastering the application of Natural Hydraulic Lime Plaster. Full tool lists for each stage of the plastering process are included to make project preparation easy for any skill level. Learn about the advantages of hydraulic lime plaster versus traditional Portland cement plaster and stucco. Discover the best way to mix the lime and sand If you decide to mix plaster by hand.

Also learn about the ideal tools to create the best, smoothest, and most even plasters, with customized recipes for the scratch coat, brown coat and finish coat. Learn the correct order in which to add material to the mortar mixer to prevent the paddles of the mortar mixer from seizing up and give a more consistent and finer finished product.Learn about the best materials to use as a binder when preparing the plaster, and how to judge the correct consistency of your plaster. Preparing the plaster is too important to be left to guess work. You can see on the video the correct consistency, texture, and color of the plaster.
Discover the correct method for preparing the scratch coat prior to the brown coat, and the brown coat prior to the finish coat. Learn to protect freshly plastered walls from sun and wind. Learn the best methods to protect your wood beams, posts, and windows, and floors before plastering. Learn the correct techniques to prepare the bales 24 hours before applying the scratch coat of plaster. Using these techniques will minimize the likelihood of cracks forming in the plaster.
Learn how to recognize by color and texture when the walls are dry enough to begin the next plaster application. See a demonstration of a method that you can use to easily apply mud to the wall. You don’t need to be a professional to get a nice smooth surface! Learn the best techniques to plaster up against door or window trim, and how to form a nice, rounded or square corner.
Learn about the 4 grades of sand that must be used to get the tightest and best adhesion in the plaster. Find out how to store lime, and how to prepare it ahead of time to make it cure better. Also learn about adding color to the lime to make a final coat with the color embedded in it.

A well plastered home is a beautiful home. The problem is that most people don’t know how to plaster. There are many challenges to doing it well so gathering as much information and instruction as possible is critical. After all, like I share with all of my workshops participants, plastering matters most in your straw bale home’s finish.