Lime Putty: Made in the USA

Lime-based building products have been around for a while. Let’s see – the Chinese used lime mortar to construct the Great Wall of China, which has held up pretty well.

Closer to home, American Clay has just added lime putty to its line of sustainable products. It is, in fact, domestically produced, which makes it greener than other lime putties that are largely imported from European or Mediterranean countries, adding to the product’s carbon footprint.

Clay-based plasters, as we know, add texturized color and a tactile feel to wall surfaces. According to American Clay, the putty, when added to its plasters, will “gauge” the material providing a harder, more durable finish. Another benefit: adding Lime Putty to the second coat of any of its plasters will increase the coverage by approximately 10 percent.

The putty can also be used as a limewash by brushing it on a porous interior surface to enhance and enrich the color of the plaster and provide sheen. American Clay’s website will soon host a "YouTube" video showing the application of its limewash.

"We always knew the benefits of adding lime to the clay. The main issue was that a dry material is less stable over time, and most of the available putty was coming from overseas," observes CEO and co-founder Croft Elsaesser. "Staying true to local sourcing for the main products has been key, and we are pleased to be able to provide a high quality lime putty from domestic sources.”