Question 1

Is American Clay a paint or a plaster?

Accepted Answer

American Clay is a plaster. We do not sell a clay paint. It is applied with a hawk and trowel, not a paint brush or paint roller. It can be compared to Venetian plaster and other veneer plaster type applications. The average cost of the material can range from $1.35 to $2.00 per square foot depending on color and finish choices (costs do not include labor, which vary project to project based on many factors specific to each job). The material comes in dry sacks to be mixed with water on site, not in liquid gallon cans like most paint products do. It is applied to many different surfaces like paint (including drywall, painted surfaces, etc.). The product is derived from natural sources, is zero-VOC, and is made of a proprietary blend of sand aggregates and clays sourced entirely from the United States.

Question 2

Is this product safe for children? What is it made from, and is the dust rubbing off the samples normal?

Accepted Answer

-Answer by Croft Elsaesser, President and CEO of American Clay Enterprises, LLC:​I will reference my own experiences and having used it as all three of my boys have grown up in rooms with clay plaster. In their rooms, I only used the clay plaster on top of a sanded primer so that it was the clay, marble sand, and the mineral pigments. My middle son liked to scrape small amounts off of the wall next to his bed and eat the material. He luckily grew out of doing that, and all I had to do was repair those areas. The rest of the damage was the usual hurling of toys and the occasional crayon or pencil drawing. A very well wrung out sponge took care of this for the most part, with major nicks repaired like I would a nail hole from a picture. The residual crumbles and sand that was pulled from the surface was easily vacuumed or swept away with little concern on my part. The material is a blend of clays, marble sands, and natural mineral pigments. The biggest concern is the small amount of crystalline silica at a concentration of less than 2%. This would be far less than what is available in a typical sand box or sand covered playground which is usually 30% or higher. Finally, samples are difficult to fully prevent dusting from the exposed cut edge as this area is rubbed and loosens the clay bond to the sand. If a sponge with very little water is used to compress this area again the dusting will stop until it is agitated with rubbing. A wall will usually experience less disruption and you should see less sand falling away from the surface. This sand is calcium carbonate, and possesses very little risk for any that does fall.​​

Question 3

Do you recommend that this product only be applied by trained/experienced persons?

Accepted Answer

Our product can be applied by just about anyone. We have experienced plasterers of 20+ years use our plasters, but on the other hand, we also have first time handy homeowners and do-it-yourselfers use our products successfully every day.

Question 4

Is Up & EZ! really needed?

Accepted Answer

We highly recommend the Up & EZ! binder for every Original plaster finish application. Up & EZ! is not required or recommended to be used in Forté plaster finish applications. This is part of our Original plaster system; most will use a primer with our sand additive and then plaster over this with the clay and Up & EZ! binder. This adds durability and impact resistance to the plaster which will help create a longer lasting product over time. Up & EZ! binder should be used in both coats of plaster or in the single coat of Enjarre™ plaster when using our one-coat application method. Although, if you don't add Up & EZ! binder to the base coat, you cannot only use it in the second/finish coat due to bonding issues. If you choose to go without the Up & EZ! binder, please make sure every square inch of your surface is prepared properly. Ensure the sanded primer is on all surfaces and double coat any outside corners or other vulnerable areas. At that point plaster can be applied (with or without the binder).

Question 5

Can I install brackets and screws into my new American Clay wall? What are the chances of cracking and how can we safeguard against it?

Accepted Answer

The clay is more flexible than traditional plaster products. Typically, you will not see cracking in the walls unless the substrate or wall surface below the clay is moving as well. If you can protect against the entire wall moving you should be fine. Although, testing slowly at first will be the best bet in case something does go wrong so you can stop before major damage occurs. A standard nail or screw being driven into the wall surface should not do damage to the clay around the hole.

Question 6

Can I go over a compressed wall with a new coat of American Clay?

Accepted Answer

You should have no concerns going over a compressed wall with another coat of plaster. You should pre-wet the surface using a misting bottle prior to applying a new coat of plaster. Then, once the new coat of plaster is dry, finalize it by using a proper compression. Once this is done, you should have a really durable and stable wall for the future.​If you wish to use a Forté plaster over your old American Clay surface, you will need to prep the wall first using a bonding adhesive. For more information, see plastering over an Original finish using Forté plasters.

Question 7

How do I remove American Clay from my walls? Is it possible to paint over it with a water based paint? How will that effect the moisture emitting nature of the product?

Accepted Answer

You can remove the product from the walls in a few ways: 1. You can try to paint over the walls using a high quality paint and primer in one. This will keep the texture of the surface but allow you to paint in any color. But this does not ensure that future layers of paint, etc. will stick. 2. You can rehydrate the clay and scrape the product off the wall completely. Typically, it is only about 1/16” thick so this can work. 3. You can ensure proper adhesion for future layers of paint, wallpaper, or plaster by sealing the surface with any water based acrylic masonry sealer. Once dry, you can use any product you wish. Once the plaster is painted or sealed and then covered with another material, the breathability and humidity buffering qualities will be completely eliminated.

Question 8

If I want to change the color, Can I put a dark color over a light color?

Accepted Answer

The great thing about American Clay is that there is no bleed through with color. You could put white over black without an issue, all in a single coat. As long as you have not sealed the American Clay walls, you can go directly over them with a single layer of new plaster in any color and finish. The new layer will completely cover your old plaster and there should not be a bleed through of color (like during many painting applications). A tip: spray the wall with a bit of water using a misting sprayer prior to applying the new coat to give you more working time. If you wish to use a Forté plaster over your old American Clay surface, you will need to prep the wall first using a bonding adhesive. For more information, see plastering over an Original finish using Forté plasters.

Question 9

Can I add American Clay color pigments to a cement plaster, paint, stucco, or any other similar material?

Accepted Answer

Our natural color pigments can be used in many materials other than clay plaster, but the colors will be different based on the materials that you use. We don't offer specific guidance on this type of application so you will want to test first to ensure the pigments are doing what you want them to do in regard to color and performance. We have had customers use or color pigments in numerous plasters and paints and have seen great results.

Question 10

Is there a list of lime safe pigments for washes?

Accepted Answer

All of our colors are safe when lime washing. The only thing you must watch out for is letting material sit wet for longer than 12 hours. Any of the pigments listed that contain ultramarine blue pigment can degrade when left to sit for over 12 hours. If you mix what you will apply in a single day you will be fine. Any proper lime wash application should not take this long to dry so there will be no issues if you simply follow that one warning. The list of pigments that contain ultramarine can be found by clicking here.

Question 11

I want to use American Clay as a surface for a fireplace, but I have read that using lime-based products will leach the color out. Is it bad to use lime plaster as a substrate?

Accepted Answer

Putting American Clay on a lime surface will not effect the color. A lime plaster left rough like rough sand paper is a wonderful substrate for American Clay as long as you let it cure completely. You may go directly on the plaster with no other substrate preparation. Lime and clay work very well together, whereas clay and gypsum do not. You will not have peeling or color issues so long as you let it cure for the full time. Please consult the manufacturer’s recommendations for cure times.

Question 12

How do I mix straw or mica additives into the plaster?

Accepted Answer

Straw Additive:Straw additive is mixed into the second coat of plaster only (unless you are using Enjarre™ or are attempting a skip-troweled application and desire to see straw in the base/skipped areas). Straw is not recommended for Porcelina™ plaster. Mix using either option below:​1. Mix the straw into the plaster that will be used for installation, and allow it to sit overnight. This will allow the straw to soften and make it easier to spread.2. Soak the straw in warm water prior to mixing the plaster. Add this to the plaster mix at the same time as the color pigment. Use the water as part of the water for the final mixture and account for this as you mix your plaster.​Finally, apply the plaster, let dry completely, and compress to the desired texture. After compression, complete a final pass with a lightly damp sponge or microfiber cloth to clean and expose the straw fiber. This step is optional depending on how much of the additive you would like to see in the final surface. Mica Additives:Mica additive (large flake or small flake) is mixed into the second coat of plaster only (unless you are using Enjarre™ or are attempting a skip-troweled application and desire to see mica in the base/skipped areas). Mix the mica into the plaster that will be used for installation by adding to the plaster mix at the same time as the color pigment.​Apply the plaster, let dry completely, and compress to the desired texture. After compression, complete a final pass with a lightly damp sponge or microfiber cloth to clean and expose the mica flakes. This step is optional depending on how much of the additive you would like to see in the final surface

Question 13

Can American Clay be used on the exterior?

Accepted Answer

No. Unfortunately, our plaster is meant for interior use only. The plaster we sell will not stand up to the weather on an exterior surface. Over time, even if sealed as well as possible, it will degrade back to the original surface.

Question 14

Can lime wash be used on an exterior surface? In my area of the country at this time of the year the temperatures get pretty hot. Do you recommend a certain temperature and weather range?

Accepted Answer

Our lime putty is used mostly in a lime wash (lime putty diluted with water). This can hold up outside as an additional coating over many kinds of surfaces like bricks or lime plaster. If you plan to make your own lime based plaster it will depend on how your mixture is made and the application procedures you use. With lime wash, it is important that you watch out for weather conditions like rain, sun and wind. Although, you can still work in these conditions with precautions. If it is hot, you can plan your work day to work as much as possible in shady areas; or, if you have to apply the lime wash in direct sunlight, pre-wetting of the surface and keeping the material damp will be required so it does not flash dry and chalk or dust on the surface. It may require more than one person so all runs smoothly or just working at a slightly slower pace.

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