Clay Paints

[alice]

My summer UK project will be to scrape off the Artex in my kitchen, fill in a couple of mysterious windows, resurface the walls where needed and repaint.

Has anyone used this paint? I saw this link on the TimesOnline property section. Is it any good? If not, any recommendations out there for claypaints or any other paints that will allow the walls to breath? There was a thread about a month ago about another dealer, but I question that dealer's ability to reproduce and match colors.

http://www.earthbornpaints.co.uk/

alice

 

[Craig]

I found them quite "rustic" in appearance and quite brightly coloured - could be good or bad depending upon your expectations?

I am a fan of distemper (maybe consider some of the Aglaia ones which are more densely bound for better coverage / durability) and of silicate paints. Keim ecosil is a great paint though very rough to the touch?

 

[MattJ]

I've painted three rooms in Earthborn clay paint and I like it. It's unnerving to apply as it goes on translucent, but dries opaque. My walls are lime plaster previously painted in emulsion and older paints that I can't identify and the clay paint has covered some of the rougher patches very well. I've found it needs a couple of coats to cover well, but that worked even on the dark blue bedroom walls. Can't fault it, but then haven't tried the alternatives.

MattJ

 

[Craig]

What about just limewash?

 

[Anna]

I've used it on a wall & a ceiling that already had no hope of breathing so I can't comment on that feature, but I loved it. It covered an emulsioned wall & a multi-coloured painted plasterboarded ceiling really well for one coat, (it could do with a second really, but another problem cropped up which is delaying that). The other (breathing) walls in the room have limewash, and I think they'll look good together when finished.

Also no nasty smells, a pleasure to use, nice matt finish, & doesn't rub off.

 

[CHRIS]

Be careful when using clay paints in a kitchen as any grease or oils splashes will show up and never come off, maybe try a water based emulsion but I used limewash and is great over nasty old lilac vinyl silk on plaster board roughed up using 120 sandpaper.

 

[alice]

I hadn't thought of the grease and splatters problem on a claypaint. That's a good point. I'm still in an emulsion "mindset", so using a claypaint or a limewash will be new to me. Limewash would have been what the Victorians would have used, wouldn't it? But I understand that limewash is dusty (rubs off) and high maintenence and would need to be repainted every few years. True?

I'll be in the first stages of a complete kitchen redo when I start on the walls. The house was built about 1870-80 and I plan to restore the chairrail (dado?) and picture rail and crown moldings, remove the fitted cabinets (cheap and modern) and take off the ceramic tile on the walls (again, cheap and modern). I think a simple treatment for the walls would be the best, aethestically and to be in character with the house and so don't have any plans for wallpaper. At the moment the floors are covered in carpet and I have no idea what's underneath.

I'm not worried about the Earthborn colors, as they advertise custom tinting. Painting and not having fumes would be a plus. I painted a bathroom in here in Texas about a week ago with emulsion and it still reeks. Looks nice though...just a pity I can't stand being in the room more than 2 minutes.

alice

 

[Craig]

By 1870 I would think the Victorians were producing oil bound distempers that are quite like an emulsion, I would think. Would be quite good in a kitchen.

Its not the fact of being an emulsion that is non traditional, but what they make them out of. Quite a few of the traditional paint companies make what they call a "breathable/traditional emulsion" - havent tried them though.

Painting your walls with a proper oil paint is also quite correct in the right places and times though its not very fashionable now.

 

[CHRIS]

I have seen and smelt waterbased modern emulsions by NBT (Natural building technologies) and they have no bad smell what so ever infact they smell nice, I understand your mindset in the US as all paint stinks - I think they add extra nastyness to get a real high when using it!

http://www.sustainablebuildingsupplies.co.uk/eco-paint.html

Earth and Reed in Needham Market Suffolk stock it. They also carry limewash colour swatches and you can make any colour you like.

http://www.earth-and-reed.co.uk/

The Lime wash I used in my Kitchen is not dusty what so ever, it is all about how you put it on and not getting it too thick and also using plenty of water on the wall to stop suction.

Call Dave or Ted at Ingilby Mariner

5E Clockhouse Farm Estate
Cavendish Lane
Glemsford
Sudbury C010 7PZ

Phone: 01787 280864
Fax/voice mail: 01787 280886
Email: ingilby.mariner@virgin.net

For Limewash and also a product called Interlime for use on modern board finishes.

 

[alice]

To all--Thanks for the help and advice!

alice

 

[michael]

I’ve been researching most of these paints trying to decide what to use on my own project although I haven’t tried any of them yet. My problem is that many of my existing walls have been coated in emulsion and some of the original lime render walls have had a skim coat of gypsum. I think I'm going to go for the clay paint (a) because it sticks to any of the above surfaces and will therefore give a consistent covering over all the walls (b) it will allow the few untouched lime render areas to continue breathing (c) I think it will look pretty authentic in the lime wash/distemper vein.
Many people won't agree with me but Limewash, whilst it dosn’t rub off that easily will not adhere very well to emulsion coated surfaces. In any case it needs quite a few coats to give it any depth.
Distemper is better for fine detailed ceilings. This does rub off although I understand that the addition of casein (spelling?) helps in this respect. Casein however is a milk derivative and so can promote mould growth therefore anti fungal agents have to be added to the mix. I think tallow can also be added to distemper instead of casein but this reduces its breathability to some extent. Further more I’ve been told that distemper dosn’t react very well with Gypsum plaster.
Lastly, plain old, cheap and simple Contract trade emulsion has been recommended to me even by the SPAB but it must be the cheapest and wateriest solution you can find. Apparently this is often applied to curing plaster but because this type of emulsion is breathable it still allows the plaster to dry. Anyway, I’m gona try the clay paint first.

 

[alice]

I assuming (dangerous, I know) that the Artex I'm removing was applied directly on the plaster, which might have had a painted surface. I'll know better when I get into the work, but I'm hoping that I'll be able to scrape all the gunk off and get down to a reasonable surface.

If I had a layer or four or five of emulsion to paint over, then I would think that the usefullness of clay paints would be moot. No point in painting a breathable paint over plastic.

alice

 

[Craig]

Alice - Artex can be made with asbestos. You can get it tested.

I have found that using a casein distemper onto a wall that has a wide range of substrata can reveal the fact that distemper doesnt hide the different colours, etc. I havent found any adhesion problems applying it over old surfaces though (paper, paint, plaster, lime, filler, etc.).

In order to deal with the different surface finishes, we are now going to use this first:

http://www.womersleys.co.uk/pdfs/caseinbinderpaint.pdf

Which looks like cream cheese!

 

[alice]

Yeah, Craig, I've heard of the asbestos problems. I'm going to research first the age of the Artex; from what I understand later Artex is asbestos-free and earlier Artex (pre 1985?) is the problem. I have no idea how old the Artex is, but whoever put it on certainly was fond of the stuff. It's on every surface that's not carpeted or tiled.

I also understand that a wet method of removal is the safest and that's what I'll do in any case, asbestos-free or not.

I think there's a testing place in Norwich (I have it in my notes somewhere), but I can't do anything until I get a sample and that won't be until July. I hope the testing doesn't take too long, but I've had good reports that it only takes a few days to get the results back.

alice

 

[CHRIS]

I would not get too worried about the Artex, just get it nice and wet and then use a wallpaper steamer to get it off, just go easy with the scrapper.

Most local councils take small amounts of private contaminated waste into a small skip at the tip just give them a call before you drive around with it in your car!

Remember to double black bag it and tape it to death and mark it "asbestos".

http://www.barking-dagenham.gov.uk/6-living/hcs/food-work/pdf/asbestos-in-the-home.pdf

You could do what was done near me and just dump it in a stream under the cover of darkness and just naff off! No one will ever know eh!

 

[alice]

Don't you just hate it when people do nonsense like that? It's enough to drive a sane man to violence, really. Around here in TX it's people dumping refrigerators, old tires and puppies. The first two are irresponsible, but dumping dogs is just cruel.

At least in Lowestoft, the biggest problem in my area is flytipping and bin stealing.

alice

 

[NT]

Cheap and simple Contract trade emulsion has one big downside: it doesnt last long. I wouldnt bother with it personally.

Basic lime paint only gets chalky/dusty at end of life, then another coat fixes that.

Take with a huge pinch of salt anything you read about what lime and distempers will and wont stick to. My own experience is that theyve both stuck happily to every surface I've tried them on, including several the socalled experts say they wont. Have not had any problem with lime on emulsion, concrete, plaster, etc.


NT

 

[CHRIS]

Alice

We have had problems in our area with tires, fridges and gas bottles being dump by a certain group of people how like to live in houses with wheels on and they also pay no council tax! Talking of dogs, my brother had his dog stolen from his yard in Redoak TX earlier this year. I dont know why as it was a little yappy bugger.

 

[DaveBrigg]

We are in the process of painting the inside of our house with Earthborn claypaint. The results so far have been really pleasing - it has covered everything, including wood, damp lime plaster and some 1960's paint of dubious origins. The only problems are where a lot of salt is coming through the new plaster in a couple of areas, causing a small amount of flaking. The colours are deep and rich, although the range is fairly limited.