2-Day Clay Plastering Workshop (Part 1): Biobased Building Series

Part 1: Saturday, April 11 - Sunday, April 12, 10am to 4pm.
Part 2: Saturday, April 24 - Sunday, April 25, 10am to 4pm (register separately)

Join us for a workshop making clay plaster from simple, natural ingredients, and learn to apply it on straw-insulated walls. Suitable for ages 16 and up, and any experience or knowledge level. All you need is curiosity and an urge to get your hands dirty. If you’ve never been to a natural building workshop, this is your chance to get that experience right here in the city. Space is limited for a high quality workshop experience, so please register in advance to secure your spot. See you there!

The workshop will cover:

• A brief overview of the history and science of clay plaster
• How to formulate and test a plaster recipe
• How to mix and apply plasters
• Tools
• Maintenance and repair
• Materials sourcing
• Applications of clay plaster

The workshop on April 11-12 will teach participants to mix and apply the first coat of plaster. The second workshop on April 25-26 will allow participants to hone their skills as they amend the first coat as necessary and apply the second coat. Registrants may sign up for one or both workshops. Each workshop has a capacity of 23 registrants.

Clay Plaster, Strawbale Construction and Biobased Building

For the last 50 years, driven by an increasing awareness of the human, environmental, and financial costs of modern construction, a fresh movement for natural and biobased building has emerged in the United States. Techniques inspired by historical and Indigenous building methods around the globe have been fused into creative and effective modern buildings, spanning from the humble to the high-end. People are increasingly realizing that by using natural materials like straw and clay, we can make buildings that are better for the people that live in them, the workers that build them, and the planet that we all call home.

In a modern application of straw and clay, this straw panel house, the site of the workshop, is being finished with an earthen plaster made with easily available masonry sand and pottery clay. In addition to being a sustainable construction technique, strawbale construction and clay plastering are heritage practices that can connect us more closely with ancestors we may have who used variations of these techniques through time to build and maintain their own homes.

Biography

Instructor Emily Wang is a natural builder based in Eastern Massachusetts. She teaches public workshops and helps clients use natural materials to make shelter that takes care of both people and the planet. With a background in engineering and sustainability, she brings a passion for connecting the big ideas to the microscopic workings. You can find more information at https://biolithicbuilds.com/

Workshop Fee

General Public: $150/workshop (per 2-day workshop, not per day)
PPS Members: $100/workshop (per 2-day workshop, not per day)
Students: $75/workshop (per 2-day workshop, not per day)

Registrants are expected to bring a plastering trowel. If you do not own one, please contact us a [email protected] to let us know as we may be able to loan out a limited number of trowels.

Please note that refunds can be processed up to 5 days before the event start date.

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Host or Publisher Providence Preservation Society