I-PAINT
Jute and reed are well suited for reinforcing clay plaster
But over 400 years ago, almost all ceilings in Amsterdam’s 17th-century canal belt were covered with reeds and then coated with plaster. Most of the ceilings from this period are still in place and very well preserved! In particular, the vapour-permeable properties of clay on reed help to preserve the structure, which is typically exposed to water rising from the ground through osmosis.
Jute is used in cases where different materials such as stone and wood need to be bridged with plaster and/or when stucco layers are exposed to high stress. Jute can be used to cover the entire surface. Jute and reed reinforcements for clay plaster are completely ecological and 100% biodegradable. In March 1993, we tested jute and reed at TNO In addition, a fire resistance test was carried out on a reed ceiling on wooden battens with a 20 mm thick layer of clay plaster. The result was a fire resistance duration of a good 2 hours and 5 minutes.
So jute is a long, soft, shiny, vegetable bast fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. Because jute is one of the cheapest natural fibers, and the second most used after cotton. The jute fibers are mainly composed of cellulose and lignin.
A mat of reed consists of freshwater reed stems, which are attached to each other with wire. Unlike a reed plate, the mat can be rolled up. Perlon or metal wire is used as the binding wire.
So for more applications and clay construction techniques:
Workshops
Tierrafino organizes workshops, seminars, and training courses on the application and plastering of clay plasters and finishes, reinforced clay plasters, stucco Lustro, clay paints, Tadelakt, lime plaster, and on natural building with clay. If you are interested please register here!