Practical Course: Clay Plastering with Salli Gosling
Practical Course: Clay Plastering with Salli Gosling
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Note: We're hosting another clay plastering course at this project 17th - 21st June, if you prefer those dates
Join us for a 5-day practical course, led by Salli Gosling, where you'll be learning all the essential skills of clay plastering onto straw-bale walls. This course welcomes folks of all building abilities, and our build sites are renowned for attracting wonderful, welcoming people, so you'll feel at home on this course no matter whether you're a beginner or an experienced craftsperson.
Cullompton, Devon, UK
We will be plastering a 2-storey straw bale house with views to the Blackdown Hills, being self built by the hosts! The site ground is medium-heavy clay and the garage, drive and house excavations have been stored on site. The clients have processed this sub-soil so we will be using their very own clay to plaster the house interior. Our clay plastering course covers the practical aspects of clay plastering onto straw and by the end of the course, participants will have gained both knowledge and hands-on construction experience which includes:
- The differences between key coat, body coat and finish coat
- How to determine mixes for each type of coat
- A basic understanding of how to process fresh clay into plaster
- The differences between using products and using your own clay
- The benefits of clay plasters & how they can help to combat climate change
- Practical skills for applying key coat and dub out walls
- Use of different types of plastering tools
- Creating reveals around windows and doors
- Practical application of body coat
- Finishing techniques
- and much more!
Learning with us on this project will give you experience plastering strawbale walls within a load-bearing timber frame, with a focus on using low-impact, natural and recycled materials. The main timber structure and roof is complete, plus all windows and doors are in. The straw is in (thanks to a previous SNaB course) and the clients are aiming to have the external lime render complete before the clay course. Participants will receive a Clay Plastering certificate from the School of Natural Building.
Salli is a graduate of SNaB’s prestigious training programme, and since graduating has taught on many of our courses, to great acclaim. She has a background in education and teaching, and is well-equipped to ensure that participants have a wonderful learning experience. Working as a natural builder for almost ten years, Salli is currently building her own large workshop from straw-bales and is planning a straw rebuild of the family home within the next year.
The School of Natural Building is a not-for-profit BenCom, set up to benefit communities, and doesn't receive external funding. However, we believe in driving representation within the construction and building industry, and price our courses as fairly as we can to ensure that they remain accessible. Our prices include tuition, all materials, tools and equipment, and daily refreshments (bring your own packed lunch).
PRICING:
We endeavour to make our courses and events affordable to all. We have a limited number of subsidised places available on every course and a rate for participants being sponsored through their work or higher earners. Subsidised places are limited and are intended for those who truly cannot afford the standard rate. We don't ask for any proof, but ask that you use your judgement when purchasing.
£400- Sponsored / income over 30k rate
£300 - Individual rate
£150 - Subsidised rate
See full Terms and Conditions here.
ACCOMMODATION:
It is up to participants to organise their own accommodation, but the hosts do have capacity for camping on-site, that must be agreed beforehand. There are various accommodation options nearby, including these found by your hosts: Leafy Fields Glamping, Postwood Gardens Campsite, Minnows Touring Park, Forest Glade Holiday Park, and more included in the course info sheet. For BnB and hotel suggestions, there are options on Airbnb or Booking.com near EX15 3DH.
TRANSPORTATION:
The School of Natural Building believes in the urgency of the climate challenge, and our work is fundamentally about supporting a low-carbon future where people live in ways which bring us closer to the earth, back into community with our ecosystem and back to ourselves. For this reason, we urge participants to travel to our course locations via public or shared transport where possible. We'll connect course participants via a WhatsApp group in advance of the course, to facilitate ride-sharing (which might also help with aligning accommodation options).
Practical courses take place on construction sites, which often means participants will be walking on rough terrain or through spaces which pose accessibility issues. Those with reduced mobility or in wheelchairs should reach out to us for more information regarding the accessibility of the specific course site you'd like to join, and we can assess the options together.
BOOKING:
There are limited places on this course, and booking is essential. Please use the button below to pay and secure your place. Please note that for insurance reasons, all participants must be 16 or over. We look forward to meeting you on site, but if you have any questions ahead of attending, please email hello@schoolofnaturalbuilding.co.uk.
Location
Cullompton, Devon, EX15 3DH