ALBUQUERQUE—American Clay Enterprises has introduced an addition to its line of natural, sustainable and healthy plasters for interior walls and ceilings. The product is lime putty. It can be used for gauging, or adding to, American Clay’s Earth Plasters and also mixed to make limewash. One primary element that makes American Clay lime products uniquely more sustainable—and LEED friendly—than most lime putty used in the United States is that the lime is U.S. sourced. The lime putty was previewed at Greenbuild International Expo in November in Phoenix.
American Clay has long wanted a U.S.-made Lime Putty to augment the breadth of its interior clay plasters. But it was important to the company to be able to source the lime locally. Most lime putty used in the United States is imported from European or Mediterranean countries, which significantly affects the product’s carbon footprint. American Clay can contribute up to eight LEED points (five in most areas) across various sections of the LEED-NC rating system.
“We always knew the benefits of adding lime to the clay,” says CEO and co-founder Croft Elsaesser. “The main issue was that a dry material is less stable over time, and most of the available putty was coming from overseas. Staying true to local sourcing for the main products has been key, and we are pleased to be able to provide a high quality lime putty from domestic sources. From being awarded our patent last February, to celebrating our seven-year anniversary and now this, it has been a great year.”
While many of the American Clay products can be used by a wide range of professionals and do-it-yourselfers, the lime putty is primarily a professional product, used to ‘gauge,’ or harden, a plaster. Lime putty is ‘slaked’ lime forming putty, processed to provide additional hardness when added to and used with American Clay plasters. The addition of the lime putty to the original earth plasters lowers the working time of the plaster, but the end result is a harder finish, achieving near maximum hardness in six months. Similarly, the limewash should be used by trained American Clay artisans, or experienced plaster professionals familiar with lime putty and its properties.
Go to American Clay.
