Clay Plaster for Bedrooms and Nurseries in Stockport and Trafford

Short answer. Clay plaster suits bedrooms and nurseries in the Victorian, Edwardian and interwar homes of Stockport and Trafford because it has a soft matt finish and takes up and releases moisture from the air, which helps keep a closed room comfortable. It works on old solid walls and, over the right primer, on modern plasterboard. Zavoré supplies clay plaster tinted to your colour and installs it with applicators travelling from Birmingham.

Zavoré lays this for you too. Our own team provides clay plaster installation across the UK, including Venetian plastering in Stockport.

What clay plaster is

Clay plaster is a mix of clay, fine sand and sometimes natural fibres. It is trowelled on in thin coats and left with a soft surface that feels warm to the touch. Unlike lime, it does not harden by reacting with the air. It simply dries. That means a marked area can often be dampened and smoothed again later.

Clay takes up moisture from the air when a room is humid and gives it back when the air is dry. This is one reason people choose it for bedrooms, where the door is often closed for many hours at a time.

Homes in Stockport and Trafford

Both boroughs have a wide spread of housing. Areas such as Heaton Moor in Stockport, and Sale and Altrincham in Trafford, have many Victorian and Edwardian houses, while across both boroughs there are large numbers of interwar semis and newer estates.

Older houses usually have solid brick walls with lime plaster inside. Clay suits these well, because like lime it lets moisture pass through the wall. Newer homes have plasterboard, where clay goes on over a suitable primer.

Interwar semis often sit somewhere in between, with solid or early cavity walls and ceilings that have been patched over the years. We check every wall before quoting, because the right primer and the number of coats depend on what is underneath, not just on the age of the house.

Why bedrooms and nurseries suit clay

• Calm and matt. No sheen at all, just soft colour and gentle texture.
• Simple make up. The finish is based on clay and sand rather than the acrylic binders used in many paints.
• Easy repairs. Small scuffs can often be smoothed out with a damp sponge.
• Earthy colours. Sand, ochre, soft pink and warm clay red suit sleeping rooms.

Clay is not for wet areas. Keep it out of showers, away from splashing at a basin and off window sills where condensation collects. For an en suite, look at tadelakt or microcement instead. Our guide to clay plaster and lime plaster helps you choose between the two.

How the job runs

We start with a sample board in your colour. On site, walls are checked, cracks filled and the surface primed. Clay goes on in two or more thin coats and is finished with a trowel or sponge to the texture you chose. Drying time depends on the weather and the heating, and the room should be kept well aired while it dries. Plan a nursery so the walls are finished and fully dry well before the baby arrives. Applicators travel from Birmingham in planned blocks of days.

Order a sample board in your chosen clay colour, call 07592 929191 or email sales@zavore.co.uk. Our Manchester page explains how we work across the area.

Questions we get asked

Can clay plaster be painted?

It can, but paint hides its texture and stops it taking up moisture from the air, so most people leave it as it is.

Is clay plaster a good choice for a child's room?

Yes for walls away from water. It is softer than lime, so knocks can mark it, but marks can usually be smoothed out with a damp sponge and a trowel.

Can clay plaster go on plasterboard?

Yes. The joints are taped and filled and a primer suited to clay is applied first so the plaster grips evenly.