Interview with Carl Giskes, owner


Q: What is Tierrafino's social/eco/health vision?

CG: Tierrafino is a range of products which is not only a beautiful finish in your home or workplace, it has been developed in such a way that it contributes to health and environment. To achieve this, Tierrafino considers all aspects in the manufacturing chain, from quarry to end product. Tierrafino strives to do business through 'good faith and fair dealing'.

 

Q: When and where in the world did clay/stucco originate in history?

CG: On every continent in the world people have traditionally built their houses with clay/mud. For instance in The Netherlands, clay/mud building dates back to 3000 B.C. I have been involved in earth construction since 1981. The first plaster and color finish in one, using clay and sand was developed by me in 1988.

 

Q: When, how, and where did you get started? What initially got you interested? Is this a family-owned company? Where are you located?

CG: As a young man I worked on a modern construction site for one (1) day. I was given the instructions to carry rock wool insulation from A to B. After having done this I could not sleep all night from the itching of my skin caused by the rock wool. The day after I promised myself never to work with materials again that my body did not like. By then I was drafted to join the army in Germany, my country of birth, but I fled the country to save me from military service. It was then that I started my long travels through Africa.

After having spent 5 years travelling and working in Africa, I returned to Europe, I noticed that in Germany people did build with clay, as I saw in Africa, however in Germany they finished the beautiful brown mud surface with paints like latex, with this taking away all the beneficial properties that I enjoyed so much living in mud in Africa. It was then that I realized I could make a difference by developing a pure clay and sand plaster in beautiful earth colors, that is the colors that the clays and sands have when quarried, without needing to process them in any way besides excavation, grinding and sieving.

These 3 manufacturing processes use relatively very little energy comparing to heating and/or bleaching/cleaning of raw materials. At first I mixed on a small scale the material for the jobs I took on as a builder and plasterer. In the following years I stopped application, due to rising demand for my material, since then I focused solely on the manufacturing and the education of plasterers and private people.

Tierrafino is family owned. We are located in Amsterdam, with a plant outside the city. We sell to 40 countries world wide.

 

Q: What is the difference between clay paint/plaster, stone plaster, and stucco?

CG:

  • Clay paint is a thick liquid interior paint based on clay and sand with starch and cellulose as a binder. Applied with brush or roller, 1mm thick.
  • Clay plaster is sand and clay only, applied with a trowel, 2-3mm thick.
  • Stone is a lime plaster, applied with a trowel, 4-6 mm thick.
  • Lustro clay stucco is a shiny clay stucco, applied with a trowel/brush/roller and polished with a plastic trowel, 1 mm thick.

 

Q: How easy is it for a novice to apply?

CG:

  • I-paint = Do it yourself
  • T-paint = Do it yourself
  • Lustro = Professional/ Do it yourself
  • Finish clay plaster = Professional/ Do it yourself
  • Stone = professional only.

 

Q: How long does it take to cover a wall with clay compared to no-voc paint or milk paint?

CG:

    • I-paint = equal amount of time.
    • T-paint = a little longer.
    • Lustro = a little longer.
    • Finish = like all plastering, longer.
    • Stone = at least 5 times the time it takes for a regular paint.

 

Q: How does the costs compare to no-voc paint or milk paint?

CG: a bit more expensive. Working with clays and sands require more research and transport than working with iron oxide pigments.

 

Q: How long does it last before a new application is required?

CG: Basically, one never needs to replace the clay on the wall, it has been formed over millions of years in nature, once excavated, manufactured and applied, the clay and sand does not lose any of its natural composition or qualities, therefor it will hold its color and quality forever. Minerals like clay and sand are light proof, UV-resistant.

 

Q: What kind of cleaning/maintenance is required?

CG: Clay plaster needs not to be repaired immediately when damaged, because there will be no white plaster showing through the damage. Since it is color through and through, the damage will have the same color as the surface. However, when repairing, one finds out that it is very easy to repair by rewetting the damage and filling it in with the same color-, if possible left over, clay plaster.

 

Q: Does it bring any added earthy/nature feeling indoors?

CG: Besides the natural look of our products, clay products are anti-static, anti-fungi, and contain a lot of silicium, which humans find very comfortable to live in. Clay neutralizes electro-magnetic waves in the air, with the only practical negative effect that a mobile phone may be more difficult to use indoors. However the relief of magnetic fields which are so abundant in the air we live in has a positive effect on human health.

 

Q: Is it used outside too or only inside?

CG: Clay can be used in the exterior only where:

1. rain will not erode it from the walls.
2. people are prepared to maintain it by yearly/2-yearly repairs.

Tierrafino Stone Tadelakt lime is suitable to be applied in the exterior.

 

Q: Can you hang pictures, pins, etc. into the wall?

It depends on the substrate and the build up of the wall. When built through and through with clay/mud, there is no problem with any type of wall decoration.

 

Q: Can you use clay and stucco on bathroom walls or will the dampness ruin it?

CG: Only direct water contact (fluid) will give problems to a clay finish of any kind. However it is very suitable for moist areas in the house where there is no direct contact with water, clay will absorb abundant moisture and release it again when the air is drier.

 

Q: Have you won any eco-awards you'd like to share?

Last year we have won an innovation award from one of the best newspapers in The Netherlands (NRC-Handelsblad). This was due to the beautiful surfaces, easy application and the fact that they are ecological. Besides that, Tierrafino and myself are well known for being the first to create natural and ecological and fine looking finishes for the interior and exterior.

 

Q: Anything else you wish to share with our community?

Tierrafino strives to open local production facilities in all countries where we have established a selling market. Meaning to use local quarried materials in order to limit the use of energy with transport, as well as to support the people in those locations by providing labour in a human friendly material.

Tierrafino strives to create an atmosphere in which people can relax and enjoy their life through friendly materials and doing friendly business.

Website: http://www.tierrafino.com

International Sales:

http://www.tierrafino.com/clay_suppliers USA, England, Ireland, Switzerland, France, New Zealand, Denmark, Finland, Cyprus, Amsterdam