Cob: Re: earth plasters in conventional housing

[Steve Lewis]

I'm curious about how the tests go.  I hate to put lathe on sheetrock, cause
it's so close to being lathe already.      I  did some sheetrock/ plaster
tests last year, but they were centered around lime as there was no kaolin
clay at hand (or within several hours drive).  Lime did not stick to regular
sheetrock.

BUT,  I'll let you in on the secret.   There is already a perfect plaster
base that is as natural as your glue-stabilized  mix (and similar), uses
kaolin, mica, gypsum, lime, chalk and is formulated especialy to stick to
sheetrock.  Oh, and it is sold in concentrated form for $1 a gallon, just
add sand.

Joint compound.  Check the ingredients out!

I use it a lot, with 1-3 parts sand in different grades, depending.  As a
plaster, not a "texture"   It's biggest drawback to me is the way it works,
it's differnent, hard to explain....

Anyway, for an earthplaster, I might first apply a 1/8-1/4"  base-coat  of
setting-type joint compound mixed with two parts rough sand.  Leave it very
porous, as it tends to be.   It should act as an excellent bond-coat for the
earthen one.