What People are Saying…
“As a designer/contractor, I enjoy riding the wave of innovation in “Thanks for leading the charge in sustainable wall finishes!” Derek Jones |
Archive for January, 2008
Upcoming Classes
If you are wanting or planning to attend one of our classes at our Albuquerque location, keep in mind that they fill up quick! Make sure to call early to reserve your spot. Call us at: (505) 243-5300 or toll-free at 866-404-1634. Full Day Workshops Advanced Applicator Training Spray and Repair Workshop If you’re looking for a class closer to your neck of the woods, check out our “Hands-on Workshops” section of our website. |
Our Newest Dealers
Within in the last six months, American Clay has found itself in several new dealer locations throughout the country as well as in Canada. With every new dealer comes a renewed sense of appreciation for how much we have grown and the realization that we are still continually growing. We would like to recognize and congratulate all of our newest dealers. To get complete information on each of our dealers, please see our “Where to Buy” section on our website. Green Logic–Fort Collins, CO Sapona Green Building Center, LCC–Wilmington, NC ProCoat Systems–Gypsum, CO Forever Green Building Products–Wellington, FL Material Good–Silver City, NM Design Links–Oklahoma City, OK The Green Store–Eugene, OR The Building Tree–Nelson, BC EcoInhabit: Earth Inspired Living–Meaford, ONT The Cork House–Oakville, ONT Green Foundations Building Center–Boise, ID EcoSpaces, Green Building Solutions–Telluride, CO ForeverGreen Building Products–Tampa, FL |
Clarification on “Mud Glue to the Rescue”
| On our recent article, “Mud Glue to the Rescue”, we received some questions regarding clarification on a few terms and descriptions. Here is a rewritten description of that project that is more detailed and clear. The client settled on a burnished Porcelina mixing two colors. After doing a sample wall to test the look before doing the whole house, the client voiced preference for one area where there was more texture, sort of resembling Loma–though she also wanted some very smooth, burnished areas. When we tried to leave texture in a Porcelina finish, it “dusted” because it wasn’t compressed enough. So then we thought, how about if we make a 50/50 mix of Loma and Porcelina? Perhaps we could have a little more texture and compress less and not get “dusting”. Then it occurred to me to add half a unit of Mud Glue, which would further cut down on the possibility of dusting after a light compression. Also, the other great thing about that particular composition (50/50 with one-half a unit of Mud Glue) is that you can compress it at “leatherhard”, which is much easier than letting the clay dry all the way and then compressing/burnishing it. So, what we ended up for a process is this: 1. Basecoat of Loma/Mud Glue as usual |
“Plaster a la Paris” - The Charlotte Observer
| The Charlotte Observer recently wrote a wonderful article featuring American Clay Earth Plasters, highlighting its benefits, versatility and gain in popularity. Here is the entire article provided by topix.com. Wallcoverings have moved beyond just simple paint and wallpaper to become more like works of art. The options seem limitless: faux painting to color washing, murals and trompe l’oeil to foils and commercial vinyl, Venetian plaster to American Clay. It’s a concept rooted in history. Just look at European palaces from the 18th century and earlier, made famous for their tapestries and frescos. ‘Nobility would hire artists to stay in the house and do nothing but decorate,’ says GiGi Miller, owner of Embellish Decorative Paint and Plaster Studio, of Antioch, Calif. ‘Today, people want that wow, too.’ Products such as American Clay allow owners of brand-new homes to achieve the patina of age. Green living is in vogue, another reason American Clay has gained popularity. The clay-based plaster from New Mexico is a natural, earth material that has no chemical additives. Even the pigments are natural. In North Carolina, American Clay is available through a shop in Asheville called The Arch. Owner Catherine Silver says it’s popular with builders, remodelers and faux-finish artists. ‘And, yes, an accomplished do-it-yourselfer can do it. It goes on like cake frosting, and is very forgiving.’ Orit Yanai, who owns a studio in San Francisco, discovered American Clay in 2003. Now, she has become an expert in its application and offers workshops attended by contractors. ‘Faux and artistic finishes are the tricks we would use to get the look of real plaster,’ Yanai says. ‘American Clay is the real plaster. There are no more games. And I love that it has no smell or toxic dust, and it’s extremely user and environmentally friendly.’ American Clay can be applied to look like any plaster finish, from textured adobe to Venetian. Silver said the most popular American Clay finish she sells is ‘Loma,’ which can be textured. The price of the material begins at about $1 a square foot, not counting installation. Silver, who learned to apply the product herself, also can provide names of qualified applicators. Such versatility of looks is a mark of most wallcovering options. But one theme resonates across all of those choices: European style. ‘In Europe, everything is so old and has so much character,’ says Julie Rogers, who owns Distinctive Accents in American Canyon, Calif. ‘Somehow, that has carried over to here. People want that look in their homes.’ American Clay WHAT IT IS: A clay-based natural plaster from New Mexico. Because it contains no chemicals, it doesn’t cure afterward, says Orit Yanai, who owns Orit Yanai Studios in San Francisco. ‘You can continue to manipulate it if you don’t like it,’ she explains. ‘You can use a water sprayer to make it smoother.’ HOW IT WORKS: The clay powder, which comes in 50-pound bags, is mixed with water and tinted with natural dye. The application tool determines the finished look, which ranges from textured to polished concrete. OPTIONS: There are 43 color variations offered. ‘But you can make your own, depending on the pigment you add,’ Yanai says, ’so the choices are limitless.’ |
Night Sky Effect
| Deborah Hall from Hall’s Walls has provided us with another great application technique. Still The goal of the project was to achieve a “night sky effect” in the client’s home. After seeing how spectacular the result was, the team went back to Hall’s Walls’ showroom and recreated the look. Powder River Marittimo was used as a finish coat over a base coat of Loma. The deep pigment look was created by burnishing pigment into the finish coat. To do this, first, blue pigment was mixed with water and rolled onto the wall with a 6″ sponge roller (pigment can also be brushed on). The wall is then burnished/compressed as usual. When recreated in the showroom, Blue Field pigment was used in addition to Powder River. Even with so much pigment mixed in to the Marittimo, the seashell aggregate was still visible, giving the wall added texture and character.
The result was a beautiful, satiny finish and no dusting. Plus the character of the Marittimo is preserved. |
To Seal or Not to Seal?
The question of whether or not to seal American Clay is one of the most common concerns among new applicators. However, the simple answer is that in general, you do not need to seal American Clay. When American Clay is sealed, several of its amazing qualities are completely negated, such as its breathability, repairability as well as its ability to release negative ions. When not sealed, the clay is able to absorb any excess moisture in the home and release that moisture as a room airs out. Even in high humidity areas, like bathrooms, American Clay will have no problem absorbing moisture. Repairing clay that has been cracked or stained is also much easier if it has not been sealed. See our Cleaning and Repairing FAQ for a full description on how to repair American Clay. Sealing is also not the answer to prevent dusting. If your walls are still dusting, it is because the plaster has not been compressed enough. Only in places that get occasional splashing–such as around sinks and stoves–should the clay be sealed. Please follow our online instructions to seal clay properly. Other than those areas, we highly recommend not sealing anywhere else in order to benefit from all of American Clay’s extraordinary qualities. |
