How To Mud Walls

Making an earthen wall is an economical way to bring life to the plain, whitewashed walls of your home. Also, mud walls are very earthy in looks and give a soothing and calming appearance. In India, it is very common to sight mud walls in villages and in the interiors of the country. A mud mixture usually consists of clay, sand, fine fiber and water. Clay acts as the binder of the mixture, while sand and fine fiber prevents the mixture from cracking. Depending upon the smoothness of your walls, you can try a number of earthen arts on them, just by adding lime putty to the mixture. Go through the instructions given in the following lines and learn how to mud walls.

Instructions To Mud Walls

Things Required

Clay Soil
Sand
Fine Fiber
Water
Bucket
Window Screen
Trowel
Small Stick
Lime Putty (optional)

Procedure

In a large bucket, mix one part of clay soil with four parts of sand, one and a half parts of fine fiber and enough water, to make the mixture look slightly wet than peanut butter.
Sift the mixture with a window screen, to remove pebbles and other impurities.
Using a trowel, apply the first layer of the mud to the wall. Smoothen out the mud with the backside of the trowel. Let it dry completely, before you apply the second coat.
Apply the second coat of the mud. The second layer of mud should be a bit thinner than the first coat, because it may get cracked after it is dried.
Before the mud dries completely, give it a texture with a small stick. Leave it to dry. Apply the third coat, if needed.
Your mud wall is ready!

Tips

If you plan to make earthen art or accessories on the walls, make a separate mixture. Add a little bit of lime putty to the mud mixture, so that the earthen plaster binds better. To apply the drywall mud to a flat surface or a larger ‘hawk’, a flexible putty knife should be used. It make the job easier and gives better results.
Practice the wall art on a sheet of drywall first, before making the design on the walls coated with mud.
The application of mud will depend upon the surface of the walls. A fine mud will be suitable for a very smooth wall. You may sift your materials thoroughly, to make a finer mixture.
For creating a swirling effect for plaster ceilings, a fine notched trowel will be of great assistance.
In order to make uniform textures of mud on the walls, a long handled broom with soft bristles should be used. Move the broom on the ceiling, as if you are dabbing mud on the walls.
For a finer texture, a textured roller can be used on the walls. For added texture and more effect, try a coarse sponge.

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