History

The mud brick building trade is a diverse and colourful culture in Australia, and no more so than in the Nillumbik Shire. To explain just a little of that history one needs to think of the late fourties early fifties where there was a growing movement of people who were looking for change from the mundane architecture of the times and an alternative lifestyle. This lifestyle was generated by people who were looking at cheap ways to produce shelter, by being able to apply themselves to the task of building their own shelters. Some of the origins of mudbrick building came from sources in the Eltham and surrounding areas, such as the artist colony Monsalvat founded by Justus Jorgensen. This was followed by the likes of Alistair Knox who started designing and building mudbrick houses, which eventually led to him being recognised as one of the founders in the mudbrick building trade of this area. There were other builders who at the same time built extensively in what was then called the Diamond Valley Shire. There were areas such as Dunmoochin founded by Cliff Pugh or the Bend of Isles founded by Neil Douglas who were both artists who had a love of the Australian landscape and this could be looked upon as being pivotal in the influence to this area in the mud brick building trade.

In the beginning we used to apply an earthen render to the mud walls using traditional methods such as earth and cow manure. It was during the early eighties that Alan Grimes decided to produce commercial finishes. It was at this time I started my own business. Hence it is the reason for this home page so that maybe I can instil some information or technique to those that are going to set out on the most important part of their house and that is the finishing .In my experience I have come across many beautiful houses either commercially built or built by individuals, a major factor in the beauty of these buildings is the finish as I have already stressed. So to begin with we are looking at Mud Brick buildings and other buildings in what- ever shape or size. The main factors in the finishing of these buildings is the preservation of the external- internal woodwork, and the finishing of the earthen walls or what ever medium you should choose. This I believe to be fundamental, especially in regards to replacement over a period of time, and particularly the cost of replacement. What was proposed for timber in the last twenty years has varied but initially as I said earlier on we applied linseed oil based mixtures containing pigments as colouring agents, and waxes as weather resistant formulas. However, after years of using these particular types of formulas we have now gone towards the use of acrylic wood stains. When talking about finishes for mudbrick walls the use of both traditional earthen render or cement render has been our main use. I am fully aware of people having many forms or techniques that they would argue as being the only way, however, having dealt mainly in a commercial field I would argue the impracticality of the use of something along the lines of Tibetan Yak Fat, or Siberian Shellfish droppings, as the availability of these products surely out ways their commercial use.

Over the years we have developed and used a one coat finish that not only colours the walls but has the ability to breathe, which is important in the sense that a earthen wall should be able to breathe reducing the problem of the surface area from peeling and cracking. Externally after rendering and painting has been completed, the use of a further water resistant formula is important. I choose to use a silicon-based product. Internally the same steps are preformed excluding the use of the water repellent, except in wet areas such as the bathroom, and only in extreme cases. I have described only briefly the process of finishing these buildings, but I must stress as in all finishing seventy-five per cent is preparation the other twenty-five is the application. I think the most disappointing aspect I have noted over the years is the amount of houses that I have come across where the lack of finishing regardless of the brilliance in joinery absolutely destroys the beauty of the construction.