Care

Care and upkeep

A house made of natural materials likes an attentive owner. It does not need complicated repairs every year, but small problems with water, cracks and finishes are best caught early. The good news is that clay and lime finishes are easy to touch up, and many issues are visible to the eye during an ordinary walk-around. Below is what to look at and what to do, by part of the house, by season and by situation.

The best care for a clay wall is a gutter that works and an owner who keeps an eye on it.

— Guide insight

How this section works: here you will find general care tips without brands or product names. Anything involving load-bearing structures, the roof, the stove or the chimney is assessed and repaired by professionals.

Care by part of the house

What to pay attention to in the everyday life of such a house.

Keeping water off the walls

Make sure the roof overhangs are undamaged, the gutters are not clogged, the drip edges over the plinth and windows shed water, and no puddles or snowdrifts sit against the walls.

How-to

Checking cracks

Fine cracks in the finish are normal, especially after the first winter. Mark them in pencil with the date you noticed them: if a crack grows or runs through the wall, you need a professional.

Types of repair (in Russian)

Refreshing clay finishes

Interior clay walls are touched up with the same or a similar mix. Small marks and scuffs often disappear after careful damp floating.

How-to

Refreshing lime finishes

Exterior lime plaster is renewed from time to time with lime coatings compatible with the base. Wear gloves and goggles and do not cover lime with dense paint.

Materials

Ventilation

Clay walls help even out indoor humidity but do not replace ventilation. Air the rooms after laundry, cooking and bathing, especially in winter.

FAQ

Pests and rodents

Sealed gaps, screens over vents and no voids in the insulation are the main defense. If you see signs of rodents or insects in a wall, contact a professional.

Materials

Stove and chimney

Cleaning, inspecting and repairing the stove and chimney is done only by a professional. Your job is not to put off the inspection and not to dry things right up against a hot surface.

FAQ

Seasonal care

In spring, after winter, walk around the house: overhangs, gutters, plinth, drip apron, cracks in the finish, signs of damp inside near the floor.
In summer, during warm, dry weather, do touch-ups and refresh finishes: the material will have time to dry.
In fall, clean out the gutters, clear leaves away from the walls and check that water drains away from the plinth.
In winter, do not shovel snow up against the walls, and watch for condensation on windows and in cold corners.

Care by situation

After a heavy downpour, check whether the base of the wall got wet and whether the gutter is blocked.
Noticed a softened or crumbling wall? Find the source of the water and call a professional.
A crack has appeared and keeps growing? Do not paint over it; show it to a professional.
Smell smoke or fumes in the house? Open the windows, get out and call a professional or emergency services.
Refreshing a lime finish? Gloves, goggles and a mask are a must.

How-to
A test clay mix, checking a wall for moisture and refreshing clay plaster, step by step and in general terms.
Materials
Clay, cob, straw bales, timber, lime plasters and natural insulation: their properties and weak spots. The article catalog lives here too.
Types of repair (in Russian)
Note for an archived address: cosmetic repair, major repair and seasonal care in a house with clay and lime walls.

What we rely on

General knowledge about building with natural materials
Make Stroy editorial materials

Make Stroy retells widely accepted knowledge about building with clay, straw, timber and lime in its own words, without mix ratios, dimensions or calculations. Load-bearing structures, the foundation and the roof are designed and calculated by a professional; stoves, chimneys, wiring and gas are handled only by professionals. Look up your local building and fire rules before the first shovel goes into the ground, because the rules differ by country.