Clay Construction Guide: Your technical reference work for natural building materials

Clay building materials & techniques

Clay plaster: An interior plaster made from clay, sand, and often plant fibers (straw). It can buffer fluctuations in indoor humidity.
Rammed earth: A solid construction method in which earth-moist clay is tamped into formwork. It serves as a heat store and has a striking aesthetic.
Clay panels: Drywall panels made of clay, which are used as a mineral alternative to gypsum plasterboard.
Clay bricks: Unfired clay bricks for load-bearing or non-load-bearing interior walls and infill.
Earthen reels: Traditional components (usually wooden stakes wrapped in clay and straw) used in ceiling or wall constructions.
Clay weller: A historical construction method in which walls are built layer by layer from a mixture of clay and straw without formwork.

Hempcrete : An insulating material made from hemp shives and lime. It stores CO2, is breathable, and offers excellent thermal insulation in summer.
Wood fiber insulation: Insulation boards made from softwood fibers for interior or exterior insulation (e.g., from manufacturers such as Gutex or Steico).
Reed: Natural material used as a plaster base (reed mat) or as insulation board (Hiss Reet).
Foam glas (foam glass gravel): An insulation material made from recycled glass that is pressure-resistant and moisture-resistant, ideal for floor insulation.
Straw bale construction: Use of compressed straw bales as highly insulating filling material or load-bearing element.

Lime paint: A highly diffusion-open, mineral-based paint made from sump lime. Is moisture-regulating, and the high pH value of the lime reduces the risk of mold.
Silicate paint: Mineral paint that bonds permanently to the substrate through silicification. Particularly durable and weather-resistant.
Deco clay facing plaster (i.g. conluto): A colored fine clay plaster that serves as a decorative finish coat and requires no further painting.
Tadelakt: A traditional Moroccan lime plaster that is polished to a waterproof finish by compacting it with a stone (ideal for bathrooms).
Natural colors: Collective term for coatings based on plant oils, earth pigments and/or mineral binders.

Wall heating: A surface heating system that is integrated directly into the wall structure (usually in clay plaster) and emits radiant heat.
Ceiling heating: Radiant heating on the ceiling, which is particularly efficient for cooling and heating.
WEM: A specialised manufacturer of wall and surface heating systems for dry construction with natural building materials.

C2C (Cradle to Cradle): A design principle in which products are designed from the outset so that, after use, their materials return completely to cycles – without any loss of quality and without harmful residues. In the biological cycle, the components of consumable products return to natural cycles as nutrients; in the technical cycle, the materials of durable products are recovered as single-type materials and reused at equivalent quality. „Cradle to Cradle Certified®“ is, in addition, a product certification of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute with independent third-party assessment in five categories (Material Health, Product Circularity, Clean Air & Climate Protection, Water & Soil Stewardship, Social Fairness) and levels ranging from Bronze to Platinum.
Offcut Take-Back (RecyHemp): The principle of reusing materials: clay hardens by drying, not by a chemical reaction, so clay that is removed unmixed can be made workable again with water and reused.
Pneumatit: A biological concrete additive for the energetic enhancement of concrete surfaces.

Claytec / conluto: Leading manufacturers of clay building materials and clay plaster systems.
Beeck / Auro / Kreidezeit: Specialists in high-quality mineral, lime, and natural paints, as well as wood protection.
Saint Astier: World-renowned manufacturer of natural hydraulic lime (NHL).
Hessler Kalkwerke: Specialized in the production of high-quality lime, plaster, and mortar.
GUTEX: Established in 1932, it is the quality leader in Central Europe for wood fiber insulation materials.
Isohemp: Manufactures products for the construction and renovation sector.