SB: Lime Plaster VS Cement Plaster

[Barbara Linn <barblinn@uswest.net>]

We are under construction in Grass Valley, CA in Nevada County for a two
story strawbale house.  The current plans call for 4 x 4 post and 4 x
10/12beams typ.  There are cross bracing details approved by the County
and already tested.

The whole team- builder (Chief Keith and Dave) agree this method is a
pain to construct because of all of the hold-downs and notching
required.  We will use wire mesh stapled top of beams and bottom of
sills both inside and out.

Now here is the debate-  all of us want a breathable house- so we want
to go with a lime plaster system.  This works with the cross strapping,
which remember is a pain.

If we went to a cement plaster system we could omit cross strapping-
Has anyone done this in California successfully??  Being structurally
conservative, I hate
to put so much emphasis on the skin to provide shear value.  Won't that
crack in an earthquake and then where would we be?

I hope this creates a lively discussion online, because we certainly
have been throwing all of the pro's and con's around.

Thanks for your thought in advance.

ArchBarb
PDX,OR
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