The story so far …
Building naturally
Elle Decor feature Clayworks clay plaster – The Tranquil Bathroom
February 2012
The ‘moodier’ of the Clayworks clay plaster colours; Dune 305, Stone 603, Slate 904 feature in the March edition of Elle Decor page 192, The Tranquil Bathroom.
Clay plaster is hygroscopic. It’s a breathable material. The ideal wall finish for rooms which experience sudden spikes in humidity, such as kitchens and bathrooms – the clay plaster absorbs, stores and then releases the excess moisture when the RIH (relative internal humidity) levels have dropped back down again. This helps maintain an overall healthy room with less surface condensation. See why clay plaster: healthy homes, healthy people
Clay plaster pushes design boundaries at Nando’s restaurants
February 2012
This is why we love clay plaster.
Here you have a very contemporary look and feel to a popular high street chicken restaurant chain. Design by Harrison
But the feature you can see here at Nando’s Bullring (Birmingham) shop is finished in a material that was first used around 10,000BC. The old furnishes the new.
But further…we’ve just been commissioned by Nando’s again for their Bradford shop and our 7th project with them..and can announce details of a very exciting Sgraffito collaboration with Bill Sargent, a plasterer and pargeter. Bill is one of the best in the world and has been working with the TV programme ‘Escape to the Country’. He’ll be sgraffiting a tree branch stretching 8 metres across a wall in 2 plaster colours and textures.
Can’t wait for a quote from Bill about the variety of his work- he’ll be coming up to Nando’s from Westminster Abbey!
Clay plaster training day – 1 place left
January 2012
Apply now to courses@clay-works.com
When: Friday 10th February 2012
Where: Clayworks, Unit 2a St Keverne Industrial Estate, St. Keverne, near Helston, Cornwall TR12 6PE
Time: 9.30am-4pm
Cost: £120 ex. VAT per person (includes lunch, which we provide)
What: Training day for professional plasterers. Get familiar with the application of Clayworks Base and Top coat clay plasters. Qualify for the Clayworks UK Clay Plaster Network (CPN).
Contents: Identify suitable wall surfaces, prepare wall surfaces, application and finishing techniques
What to bring: basic plastering kit/equipment
More details: Write to us at courses@clay-works.com
Dumfries House comes back to life
January 2012
Designed by the reknowned Adam brothers in the 1780′s and well known as one of the commonwealth’s most spectacular houses and estates, Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland was saved from break up by the HRH The Duke of Rothesay (Prince Charles) in 2007. On the verge of being sold alongside with its invaluable collection of Chippendale and British Rococo furniture, it has now been restored to its full glory, and importantly opened to the public.
When you visit Dumfries House, make sure you check out the natural materials adventure playground. Designed and built by Clayworks at the invitation of HRH Prince Charles.
Read the full article in the January edition of Architectural Digest
Nando’s goes for clay plaster
January 2012
We are very proud to be the clay plaster of choice in many of Nando’s restaurants, up and down the UK, from Hull to London’s High St Ken.
Much of the back end of last year was spent perfecting a customised look for the home of the Peri-Peri chicken. Our plasterers worked through the night to be ready for opening day of this particular branch in Oldham, Manchester.
If anyone visits a Nando’s and sits next to the clay plaster – let us know whether it soaks up any of the strong smell of Peri-Peri (not sure whether that’s a good thing though!)
More photos of more clay plaster at Nando’s at http://www.facebook.com/naturalplasters
Clayworks headline Earth Building UK Conference January 2012
November 2011
The use of earth and clay plasters has increased in recent years, with interest groups concerned with the conservation of historic buildings, ecologically sensitive new construction, alongside a growing interest from industry in innovative materials.
Earth and clay plasters and mortars, along with green bricks plasters and mortars are currently the most product oriented areas of the earth building family. Although many of the commercial products in this field are imported from Europe, there are a growing number of product suppliers and manufacturers in the UK. The European-wide acceptance of training standards for earth plaster which was achieved in 2011 mean there is opportunity now for a growth in the sector.
The third EBUK conference explores these issues, from user, developer and supplier.
Speakers include:
• Tom Morton (Arc Architects)
• Adam Weismann (Clayworks)
• Katy Bryce (Clayworks)
• Ben Gourley (University of York)
• Nigel Copsey (Earth, Stone and Lime company)
• Andrew Heath (University of Bath)
• Neil May (Natural Building Technologies)
• others to be announced.
Venue: The Ron Cooke Hub at the University of York,
Heslington, York. YO10 5GE.
More info here.
The slow bus movement
November 2011
“Has anyone seen the roof?”
Well the first bus came and went, and then another and then another. Several years and many thousands of buses have rolled past since we walked away from this unusual request from Cornwall Council.
Read the full story about why Clayworks Director, Adam Weismann, calls this the Slow Bus Movement.
Schumacher lead the way in (natural) certification
November 2011
A certificate in Natural Building. It should come as no surprise that Schumacher College, in Devon, England are one of the first to offer leadership in a fundamental aspect of sustainable and green building design. Principal modules are in timber, mass, insulation, Natural Plasters (taught by Clayworks), design and building regulation.
Traditionally a place of higher learning for more esoteric courses, such as Ecological Literacy, this is a way to get down, muddy and real about the type of house you can CHOOSE to live in. Remember – no more decorating.
Directors of Clayworks, Adam Weismann and Katy Bryce, will be teaching the week long module on plastering and rendering with clay and lime, in May 2012.
Grand Designs NEC
October 2011
Clayworks will be showcasing at Grand Designs, NEC, this weekend 7-9 October. Paul Fitzpatrick will be at the Grand Village, an area dedicated to sustainable building skills, and holding clay plaster demos every day.
Clayworks is the guest of Low Impact Living. A run down of LILI events can be found here.
Kestle Barton wins national ‘Green Apple’ award
August 2011
Clayworks have just been featured in this month’s Period Living magazine (September), for the work that we carried out at Kestle Barton: internal clay plasters, cob wall repairs, new cob walls and lime tadelakt plasters.
The Kestle Barton project has also won some recent awards, The national ‘Green Apple Award’ and a Cornish Buildings group award.
Kestle_Barton.pdf