Natural Finishes

Topics include biological and ecological finishes, washes, paints and other wall surfaces, lime and other silicates, wood furnishing, wood finishes,

Surface finishes have always been at the heart of the building biology movement. Natural building materials such as wood, clay or lime have a very positive impact on indoor air quality (i.e. breath ability, hygroscopicity, non-toxicity), and are highly recommended by building biology. But even those materials can easily lose their beneficial properties when coated with the wrong products. As Carlo Vagnières once wrote: “We can build the most beautiful homes, use the best materials available, and take great care and skill to craft and install them. Yet, as soon as we cover everything with dead synthetics, all our efforts will be in vain.”

This course will guide you in how to create an indoor environment that does not off-gas, does not contaminate.