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American Clay

Real Milk Paint

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Dark Tung Oil

Citrus Solvent

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Our Building Projects

New Buildings - Straw/Clay Construction

The New House

Photographic Tour

Japanese Timber Framers

Timber Frame Workshop So Far

Timber Frame Workshop Conclusion

Adding Flesh to the Bones

Building Projects Progress in 2011

Upcoming Workshops

 

 

 

  

Building Projects Progress in 2011

Our building projects, new store and bungalow, have progressed well, keeping everyone busy. Much has been learned and interesting artisans met along the way.

Metal Origami

The biggest undertaking was the roof for the store. It was a complex structure with a variety of slopes meeting at hard to calculate angles, numerous wall to roof transitions, challenging valleys, complicated fascia and flashing, eleven skylights that needed to be tightly sealed, and a greenhouse roof of  polycarbonate sheeting. There was no room for error. It all had to fit precisely.

Strapped
Important Intersection
Greenhouse Roof
South Side Taking Shape

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part way through the summer, the roof was put on hold until September while the exterior walls became a priority. The four straw/clay buildings (store, bungalow, boiler house, and guest cabin) were coated with lime plaster stucco to make them weather-proof and aesthetic.

Preparation for Otsu Finish in Greenhouse
Preparing for Clay Base Coat

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tired Arms
The Crew Hard at It

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

Hydraulic lime plaster was chosen for breathability and quick cure time, a must in an area where winter can come early.  Unlike concrete stucco, lime plaster, while being waterproof, allows vapor to pass out of the wall, keeping it dry from the inside as well as the outside.  This is lacking in modern buildings and is what contributes to mold, rot and a shortened lifespan.  Another factor in choosing lime plaster is that it uses much less energy in its manufacturing than concrete. 

Lime plaster is made from processed limestone. After a few years on the wall, it reabsorbs all the carbon dioxide that was removed from it in the manufacturing and basically becomes limestone once again, but this time as a beautiful finish on the wall!

We were blessed to have the expert input of an English-trained lime plasterer, Ben Scott from Ontario, for ten days and a Master Japanese lime plasterer, Kobayshi-san, and his two apprentices, Miki and Kyle, for three weeks. Kobayshi-san, in addition to helping with the hydraulic lime, finished two areas in the new store with a traditional Japanese lime and clay finish called Otsu.

Ben Scott
Kobayshi-san
Miki
               
Kyle
Mark

 

 

 

 




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kobayshi-san manufactured the plaster on site by boiling seaweed and combining the extract with lime, clay and hemp fiber to make a beautiful, silky-smooth, polished finish that is resilient to weathering, as well as wear.  Only natural earth pigments were used to color the mixture, giving a richness that cannot be replicated with chemical pigments.

Boiling Seaweed

 

 

Miki Applying Traditional Japanese Seaweed Extract Shikkui Plaster
Colors

 

Silky Smooth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ben recommended the use of traditional wooden lath over the wood areas of the buildings, giving us a demonstration of the dying art of lath work.  He prefers wood to metal lath for the durability of wood that he witnesses when restoring centuries-old heritage buildings, all done with wood lath and lime plaster.

Lath

 

 


 

 

 

 


We appreciated the work done by these artisans and the lessons learned, which lessons will be applied in the summer of 2012 when finishing the rest of the exterior with lime plastering. There will be a workshop for interested plasterers.

Before and After

 

Done



 

 


 

Done Deal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The roof for the store was finished in the fall. We were very thankful for the beautiful weather to get the work done.

Due process

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flashing
Skylights installed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Roof Over Our Heads

 

Click here to view a more detailed photographic tour of the highlights from 2011.

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