CCAT greenshed west wall/OM

This is the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) manual for CCAT greenshed west wall. Please refer to it and keep it up to date with any O&M changes.

Summary

The CCAT greenshed west wall is a straw clay slip wall that was constructed using a wooden frame and filled with a straw and clay mix. Twenty-nine 'liters of light' are dispersed along the wall. The wall was finished using a lime plaster. The wall was well built, leaving very little required maintenance.

Operation

Fig. 1. Straw clay slip wall inside

• IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED TO MOUNT OR HANG ANYTHING DIRECTLY FROM THE STRAW CLAY SLIP WALL. Objects should be mounted to the wooden frame instead (Figure 1 shows wooden frame where things can be hung from).
• AVOID STACKING ITEMS AGAINST THE WALL that would prevent the wall from being able to breathe.

Maintenance

Fig. 2. Minor crack in plaster

• REPAIRING CRACKS AND FISSURES (See Instructions section below): Overtime, the straw clay slip wall will be subject to deterioration due to weathering. Minor cracks in the plaster do not pose a serious threat to the structural integrity of the wall. However, it may be beneficial to patch minor cracks with a plaster to prevent the inside from accumulating too much moisture, preventing mold growth and insect infiltration. The straw clay slip wall needs to breathe, so a lime plaster is recommended. Refer to this page for detailed steps to recreating a similar plaster.
• PLASTER TOUCH-UP (See Instructions section below): Touching up the plaster is more for aesthetic reasons and not absolutely necessary. It can be helpful if the plaster is beginning to wear away or fade.

Instructions

1

Patch up any cracks or faults first

2

Prepare a lime wash (lime putty, water, and desired pigment)

3

Dampen the wall with water as evenly as possible using a spraying mechanism. This step is important in preventing the wall from absorbing water from the lime wash.

4

Test patches

Do a test patch of your lime wash to make sure it is the color you desire

5

Use brushes to apply lime wash and let dry thoroughly

1

Cob wall fissure

If fissure is deep but not large or wide enough to bother making a straw clay slip fill, carefully ram dry straw into the fissure. If crack or fissure is minor, proceed to next step.

2

Plaster preparation

Prepare a lime plaster. Use a similar one to the one listed on the CCAT greenshed west wall page.

3

Dampen the immediate area with an even spraying mechanism to prevent the wall from too quickly absorbing the water out of the fresh plaster.

4

Applying plaster

Evenly apply plaster and allow to dry.

Schedule

Monthly

• Check for severe cracks or faults in the wall

Yearly

• Check for severe cracks or faults in the wall
• Decide whether or not the plaster needs a touch-up