Cob: earth plasters in conventional housing

[dtebb]

Friends of mine just purchased and gutted an old house, soon to be
re-drywalled, painted, etc. We plan to do some experimenting with earthen
plasters at least in one room as a demonstration project here in Vancouver.
Some of the old drywall will be left in place and in other rooms, the
drywall or old plaster was striped to the wood lathe.

We plan to use a traditional interior earth plaster either over the drywall
or lathe. The plaster that I have worked with is kaolin clay, silica sand,
straw fiber, mica, pigments and white glue. I would also like to experiment
with something other than white glue.

We will begin with some test boards including chicken wire over drywall and
lathe, directly on drywall and lathe without chicken wire and a rough coat
(perhaps white glue and sand) on the drywall in place of chicken wire.

I have only seen one house, Kaki's in Moab, Utah in which the interior of a
conventional house was completly redone with natural plasters and paints.
It looked beautiful.

Does anybody have experience doing this? What did you do? how did it work?
Your responses are appreciated.

Ian
Down to Earth Building Bee