The real test here is whether or not I can make it through the entire post without using a four letter word beginning with s and ending in t....read on.....
Through our building process we gave a good deal of thought on how to finish out the interior of the Faswall blocks and decided upon natural clay to give the house a warm and organic ambiance. We tested a recipe for thickness and firmness. Here it is.
Our friend Beatrice had excavated a big hole for a car port at her property so we hauled in many garbage bins of beautiful thick red clay. Lots of stones had to be removed from it, so Sarah literally spent weeks sieving it through 1/4' mesh to remove large objects. Don't mention the aching back.
Sifted clay drying inside house.
The recipe called for cow manure as these natural enzymes act as a binder.
Here is Remington our neighbours' cow who provided well.
Here is Remington our neighbours' cow who provided well.
Sarah and Tim gathering poop in the pasture.
Cow poop on sand ready to mix with clay.
Mike shredding straw in a very old but super efficient machine.
Mike again mixing all of the clay ingredients: Clay, sand, cow manure, straw and water.
First application to closet.
After all of the interior clay was complete we made clay cakes and stored them in air tight containers for touch up and repairs at a later date. With hydration the clay can be re-used.
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