[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” top_padding=”30″ overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][toggles style=”default”][toggle color=”Default” title=”Why are clay plasters and paints so expensive?”][vc_column_text]

For clay plasters and paints to be suitable for modern aesthetic, durability and health standards, the raw material must be accordant with an outlined formula in line with ecology and also requires a time consuming process of non-invasive treatment in a manner which maintains the irreplaceable qualities of dried clay (suitable for health and the microclimate).

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The reasons for using this type of material are not financial, but are related to the health benefits one may obtain and the unique design. Using natural materials has become a modern day luxury, which does not require persuasion, similarly to consuming \”healthy food\”.

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The basic health benefits resulting from using clay paints are the guarantee of high vapour permeability and the electrostatic inertia of the coat of paint. The electrostatic inertia of the particles of clay do not attract dust, making it easier to clean the room. Taking this into consideration, it is also advisable for those suffering from allergies or asthma to cover the walls with clay paint or plaster. The coating on the wall possesses too small a mass (in the meaning of accumulative properties) to regulate the temperature by itself, but thanks to the high vapour permeability it presents the possibility of the wall shaping a microclimate.

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It has a very big impact. In order for a wall to breathe, all the layers must be vapour permeable because all the elements of the wall have their own diffusive resistance. This means that to build a wall with even a very small diffusive resistance and then to cover it with air-tight plaster or a coat of paint does not make any sense. The external walls of a house are like skin for people – they not only protect the interior, but also support the correct functioning of the organism.

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Both clay paints and plaster may only be used inside the house with the exception of bathrooms and laundries etc. Walls coated with clay materials cannot be subject to the direct and long-term effects of water (in certain cases they may be used even in wet rooms, but this requires additional costly impregnation).

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They can be applied onto all kinds of normally used mineral surfaces. Thick layers of clay plaster can be used like any other traditional plaster on all kinds of wall surfaces (ceramic bricks and breezeblocks, silicate bricks and blocks, concrete and autoclaved aerated concrete). In turn, clay paints and thin layers of clay plaster can be applied onto already existing mineral plasters (cement-lime, lime, gypsum) and also on plasterboard.

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These buildings are about 30% more expensive than their equivalents using other widely used technologies.

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The answer is the same as in the case of clay plaster, and, moreover, they require better foundations and the use of special insulating materials accounted for in a suitably prepared technical project.

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The same virtues apply as in the case of clay plasters, which are characterized by raising their importance. The utilization of such rooms has a significant influence on the health of those who inhabit them, and the specific microclimate is noticeable even to those who are not very sensitive. The absolutely unique design which is typified by the natural layerings (similarly to stone such as sandstone – however, rammed earth possesses the additional advantage that it is monolithic i.e. it has no visible joints at the connections) emphasizes the exclusivity of the building.

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In a technological sense there is no difference between the two, therefore we can use both the expressions interchangeably. In English terminology the words rammed earth are used, whilst in German the word Stampflehm is used, which means rammed clay.

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The architecture of earth building is governed by defined guidelines, however (apart from the costs) the architect has no technical limitations for the buildings in which the walls are erected using rammed earth. Earth architecture is especially suited to the modern building trends, which are typified by the small number of wall openings (for windows and doors) and the large amount of glass which is found between the massive walls.

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Buildings made from rammed earth are even more durable than those erected with widely used technologies as a result of the uniformity of the wall and the lack of physical/chemical corrosion in materials drawn from nature. However in order to gain a building with a raised durability, it is necessary to use appropriate technical solutions and to keep in compliance with technical rigor. Without a doubt, suitable knowledge and experience is required.

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Yes. Walls made of rammed earth fulfill the current heat standards. However, they require, as do most wall materials, an additional layer of thermo-insulation. Moreover, the heat capacity of earth is very big and due to this its use is recommended in energy saving and passive houses.

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