Mr Mud.com.au

The mud brick building industry is part of a diverse and colourful alternative construction culture in Australia and no more so than in the Nillumbik Shire of the State of Victoria.

To explain just a little of that history one needs to think of the late fourties and early fifties where there was a growing movement of people who were looking an alternative lifestyle and for a change from the mundane architecture of the times. 

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 Eltham, "The Diamond Valley" and surrounding areas and other local sources such as the artist colony Montsalvat 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 of the mudbrick building industry 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 well known and broadly exhibited artists who had a love of the Australian landscape and this could be looked upon as being pivotal to the influence and style of the local mud brick building trades. In the beginning we used to apply an earthen render to the mud walls using traditional materials 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 Mr. Mud & Co started up in business. Hence it is the reason for this website to offer information and techniques anybody who is about 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 and owners. A major factor in the beauty of these buildings is in the finish. The main factors in the finishing of these buildings is the preservation of the external and internal woodwork, and the finishing of the earthen, stone or other type of walls you should choose.

This I believe to be fundamental, especially in regards to replacement over a period of time and particularly with regard to the cost of replacement. What has been "standard" for timber finishing in the last twenty years has varied. But initially 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 and cement render have been our main methods. I am fully aware of people having many methods or techniques that they would argue as being "the only way". However, having dealt broadly in the 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 limited availability of these products surely outweighs their overall commercial value. 

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 peeling and cracking. After rendering and painting has been completed externally the use of a further water resistant formula is important.

I choose to use a silicon-based product. Internally the same steps are performed excluding the use of 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 there is brilliant woodwork and joinery but a lack of proper finishing, thus taking away from the overall beauty of the construction.