The Natural Plaster Book: Earth, Lime, and Gypsum Plasters for Natural Homes (Natural Building Series) [Paperback]

Cedar Rose Guelberth (Author), Dan Chiras (Author), Deanne Bednar (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Natural Building Series | Publication Date: July 1, 2002

For builders of natural homes (straw bale, cob, adobe, rammed earth, and other natural materials), this unique step-by-step guide takes the confusion out of choosing, mixing, and applying natural plasters.

From principles to practicalities, and with every stage of the process illustrated, The Natural Plasters Book details the entire process of plastering with earth, lime, and gypsum for a long-lasting and durable finish. Starting with an overview and history of the natural building movement, the book handles a wide variety of topics including earthen plaster versus cement stucco, tools and techniques of the trade, plaster recipes, and pigmenting plaster or painting walls with natural paints. First-time builders will appreciate tips on common mistakes (and how to avoid them) discussed at each stage of the plastering process. Special focus is paid to the importance of planning and designing for earthen plasters—before building begins.

The only comprehensive guide available on natural plasters, this book is written for the growing number of people who have decided to build their own natural homes as well as for professionals. Heavily illustrated with practical drawings and photographs, it also includes an extensive resource guide listing books, magazines, videos, builders, and suppliers.

Marketing Plans:
• Ads in Natural Home and Environmental Building & Design
• National print review campaign to natural building, self-sufficiency, and environmental magazines, newsletters, websites.

Cedar Rose Guelberth has been working with natural home construction and plaster techniques for 25 years and is a nationally recognized natural building educator and consultant. Dan Chiras is the author of fifteen books including The Natural House: A Guide to Healthy, Energy-Efficient, Environmental Homes (ISBN: 1-890132578, Chelsea Green, 2000). Both authors live in Colorado.

Also Available
The Art of Natural Building: Design, Construction, Resources
TP $26.95, 0-86571-433-9 • USA
Straw Bale Building: How to Plan, Design, and Build with Straw

TP $24.95, 0-86571-403-7 • USA

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dan Chiras is an internationally acclaimed author who has published over 24 books, including The Homeowner's Guide to Renewable Energy. He is a certified wind site assessor and has installed several residential wind systems. Dan lives in a passive solar home in Evergreen, Colorado. Dan Chiras is an internationally acclaimed author who has published over 24 books, including The Homeowner's Guide to Renewable Energy. He is a certified wind site assessor and has installed several residential wind systems. Dan lives in a passive solar home in Evergreen, Colorado.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: New Society Publishers (July 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0865714495
• ISBN-13: 978-0865714496
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #167,148 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #37 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > How-to & Home Improvements > Power Tools

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Bible on Natural Plasters, November 20, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Natural Plaster Book: Earth, Lime, and Gypsum Plasters for Natural Homes (Natural Building Series) (Paperback)

This book was late in coming, but the wait was well worth it! There's nothing like this book on the market today...not even close!

I especially like how thorough this book is. I really appreciated the clear and detailed explanations of all aspects of plastering -- from the design of homes (so they will be suitable for natural plasters) to wall preparation to testing, mixing, and applying plasters.

The authors skillfully walk the reader through all of the steps required to plaster a natural home, anticipating mistakes you might make -- and telling you how to avoid them. Although the book focuses on plastering strawbale buildings, there's lots of good advice for plastering numerous other natural homes.

This book attempts to develop a deep understanding of plasters. To do so, the authors begin by describing the components of plasters -- and what each one does. Knowing that subsoils are different at each building site, the authors give general guidelines for making plasters. They tell you how to test your soils and potential plaster mixes. No, you won't find recipes for plasters...that would be fruitless due to the variability of subsoils. But you will find some examples you can start with and good, solid explanations of the steps you have to take to make plasters using the dirt you have at your site!

I was also very impressed by the extensive coverage of finish plasters and alises as well as the detailed resource guide and the excellent photos and drawings, although some were a bit small. Sometimes the text seemed a bit repetitive, but in retrospect that helped me memorize the details.

51 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Almost Worth the Wait, August 13, 2003

By 

D. Barnett "Tinkerer/Engineer" (Tucson, AZ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Natural Plaster Book: Earth, Lime, and Gypsum Plasters for Natural Homes (Natural Building Series) (Paperback)

I had been waiting for this book from the publisher for over half a year. While it has many helpful details on the nature of additives and why they would be used, and the application of plasters to different substrates, with emphasis on covering straw bale homes, there are no recipes. This really disappointed me, as I believe I could have figured out how to hold a hawk and trowel, and really, anyone building all or part of their house will likely have passed the point of getting useful information out of the first 84 pages by the time they get to need some eductation on plasters. Hopefully, a saving grace will be the resource guide in the back, but access to that could have been obtained by borrowing it from the library.

33 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Provide copies to your crew, February 5, 2005

By 

Mark Mills (Glen Rose, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Natural Plaster Book: Earth, Lime, and Gypsum Plasters for Natural Homes (Natural Building Series) (Paperback)

Is 'natural plaster home' a euphemism for 'mud hut'?

The following gives a sense of the mood conveyed by the authors:

"Mud Plasters are fun to work with!

Earthen plasters are easy to work with and fun to mix and apply. 'Once you've put your hands in that mud mix you don't feel like doing any other type of plaster'... For adults, working with earthen plaster seems like kid's play, for children it is play!"

At one point, we are advised that 'natural plasters' are low energy building material. The energy required can be measured in terms of granola bars.

I'm sorry: work is work. But, this curious enthusiasm for returning to nature is just a frill. The book has a lot of useful details on foundations, walls, and finish materials. It never gets past the introductory level, but all the key points are covered. Additionally, there is good coverage of design issues, with particular emphasis on avoiding water damage. Finishing walls is given 3 chapters: natural finishes, lime finishes, and gypsum finishes.

I was a bit disappointed in the lack of interest in power-tools, but getting one's hands muddy seems like too much fun to the authors. Additionally, more details on chemistry would have been helpful. At a certain level, I suspect this book is a good introductory lesson for volunteers assembling at a worksite with at least one master builder on hand. Working with mud may be fun, but it takes a large crew to get the whole house, barn or commune done in a single building season.