[Strawbale] Strawbale Digest, Vol 7, Issue 13, cracks in lime plaster.

[Michel Couvreux]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <strawbale-request at listserv.repp.org>
To: <strawbale at listserv.repp.org>
Sent: Monday, January 15, 2007 6:29 AM
Subject: Strawbale Digest, Vol 7, Issue 13


> Send Strawbale mailing list submissions to
> strawbale at listserv.repp.org
>
> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
> http://listserv.repp.org/mailman/listinfo/strawbale_listserv.repp.org
> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
> strawbale-request at listserv.repp.org
>
> You can reach the person managing the list at
> strawbale-owner at listserv.repp.org
>
> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
> than "Re: Contents of Strawbale digest..."
>
>
> Today's Topics:
>
>   1. Re: cracks in the plaster (gary dorn)
>   2. Rent or Lease PV systems? (Chris Green)
>   3. Re: response to lime plaster cracking (Raftercat5 at aol.com)
>   4. Re: Rent or Lease PV systems? (Chris Green)
>   5. Re: response to lime plaster cracking (John Swearingen)
>   6. Re: [off topic] Rent or Lease PV systems? (John)
>   7. Re: [off topic] Rent or Lease PV systems? (John)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2007 09:01:23 +0800
> From: gary dorn <garydorn at eepo.com.au>
> Subject: Re: [Strawbale] cracks in the plaster
> To: strawbale at listserv.repp.org
> Message-ID: <a06210210c1d07eb119b2@[192.168.0.2]>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"
>
>>I know, I have to expect some cracking...but...
>>
>>We've built a two story modified post and beam strawbale house.  We
>>are finally plastering the inside of the house, on the exterior bale
>>walls, and on the interior partition walls, some of which are dry
>>wall, and some are plywood.  We've put on probably three coats of
>>lime plaster, and got the typical cracks in the plaster as it dried.
>>We rubbed all of these out.  Now that we are on the final coat,
>>every room is cracking along the bottom of the box beam.  As time
>>goes on, these cracks are getting worse.  One room we've put on a
>>lime wash, and the cracks really show here!  I'm trying to figure
>>out why this is happening, and what to do about it.
>>  snip>
>
>

Leanne,

Before deciding on a remedy, we must, first, understand the origin(s) of the 
problem.
First, what kind of lime plaster was applied? Was it Hydrated lime with 
sand, Hydrated lime with Portland cement (which is not a real Lime plaster 
but more a cement stucco) or Hydraulic Lime with sand?
Second, you have to determine the origin of the cracks: is it structural or 
is it a bad application?
Usually, if you have cracks going in all direction, like a spider web, the 
problem comes from the material and or its application.
If the cracks are kind of straight, and if you can feel that the surface is 
not exactly the same on each side of the crack, then you have some movement 
somewhere.
In that case, it may be different base material, settlement, etc...
If you go on http://www.limes.us/con-plaster-straw.html , general guidelines 
and click on "NHL Plaster", go to the end of the page, and you will find 
some usefull tips.

Michel

Michel Couvreux
TransMineral USA
201 Purrington Road
Petaluma, CA 94952
transmin at sonic.net
www.limes.us