LIME WASH:
PREPARATION:
THE LIME WASH USED IN SECOND HOUSE CONTAINS KADAKAI, JAGGERY, COW URINE AND LIME. THIS MIXTURE WAS CHOSEN AMONG ALL THE EXPERIMENTS BECAUSE OF ITS GOOD FINAL FINISH. IN THIS MIXTURE, KADAKAI, JAGGERY AND COW URINE ACT AS BINDERS TO THE LIME. THIS MIXTURE SHOULD BE KEPT FOR 2 WEEKS OR MORE FOR LIME SLAKING.
WHY LIME WASH IS REQUIRED?
LIME WASH IS REQUIRED BECAUSE OF ITS ALKALINE PROPERTY, IT PROTECTS THE MUD WALLS FROM BACTERIA AND FUNGUS. IT HAS A QUALITY OF BREATHABILITY, i.e. THE AIR DOES NOT TRAP INSIDE THE ROOM, LIME ALLOWS THE AIR TO PASS THROUGH THE MUD WALLS, WHICH IS NOT ATTAINED IN OTHER CONVENTIONAL BUILDINGS. AND IT ALSO HAS THE NATURE OF ABSORBING CARBON-DI-OXIDE FROM THE ENVIRONMENT PROVIDING A GOOD AND HEALTHIER LIVING .
PROCESS:
- BRUSH WASH THE WALLS:
BEFORE STARTING THE LIME WASH, WE NEED TO BRUSH WASH THE SURFACE TO REMOVE THE LOOSE SOIL FROM THE WALLS.
STARTING LIME WASH:
AFTER THE BRUSH WASH OF THE WALLS, WE START WITH THE COATS OF LIME WASH. LIME TAKES TIME TO SET, SO WE DO ONE COAT A DAY AND THEN LEAVE FOR AT LEAST 1-2 DAYS. TILL NOW, WE HAVE APPLIED 3 COATS OF WHITE LIME WASH, AND 3 COATS OF COFFEE LIME WASH.
- ADDING COLOR TO WALLS:
TO ADD SOME COLORS TO THE WALLS, WE ADDED COFFEE POWDER IN THE LIME WASH MIXTURE.
*IMPORTANT POINT TO BE NOTED IS THAT THE COFFEE POWDER SHOULD BE ADDED AS A DRY MIX AND SHOULD BE KEPT FOR AT LEAST 2 WEEKS FOR LIME SLAKING.
WOOD POLISHING:
WE HAVE USED PALMYRA WOODEN BEAMS ON THE CEILING OF THE HOUSE AND COCONUT WOOD FOR THE PLANKS. BOTH OF THESE WOODS ARE LOCALLY AVAILABLE. AND FOR THE PROTECTION OF WOOD AND TO ENHANCE ITS TEXTURE, WE HAVE COATED THE WOODS WITH LINSEED OIL. SINCE PURE LINSEED OIL IS THICK IN NATURE AND GETS DRY EASILY DURING APPLICATION, WEE NEED TO ADD TURPENTINE IN THE EQUAL RATIO, TO GET THE SMOOTH CONSISTENCY.
NOTE: BEFORE APPLYING THE OIL, WE NEED TO SCRAP THE WOOD SURFACE TO MAKE IT EVEN.
CERAMIC TILES MOZAIC ON KITCHEN COUNTER:
CONTINUING OUR SUSTAINABLE APPROACH, WE HAVE TRIED TO RE-USE THE BROKEN CERAMIC TILES ON THE KITCHEN COUNTER TO PROTECT THE WALL AND GIVE AN AESTHETIC FEEL. LIME MORTAR IS USED COMBING KADAKAI, JAGGERY, QUARRY DUST, AND LIME.
FIXED FURNITURE:
FIXED FURNITURE MADE OF ADOBE BRICKS WITH LIME PLASTER IS USED INSIDE THE HOUSE. THE FURNITURE IS USED AS A SITTING AND ALSO AS STORAGE.
FOR CREATING THE BASE OF THE SITTING, i.e. THE COVERING OF STORAGE, WE HAVE DECIDED TO USE BAMBOO FRAMES, AND WE ARE WORKING ON DIFFERENT DESIGNS AND POSSIBILITIES OF IT.
THE COMPLETE PICTURE
Painted and Penned down by:
Paartha Dadich, Intern