The inside walls are finished

Today I finished the inside walls.  Glad it's done, because once the walls are in place you have a heck of time to get into the corners.  It's easier when you plan a building, work with foam core (gator board) and clad the walls before you put the lot together, as we did with the witch's cottage.  Never mind, it's done, because where there is a will there is a way....

I was asked what to do with the cracks.  Well, it depends of course on how big your cracks are.  Even though I am not world's biggest expert on paperclay I could probably also say, it depends on what kind of clay you work with.  From my own experience I could say that the depth and the number of cracks appear to be different when working with two different clays.  I don't think weather has a lot to do with it, but it is possible of influence: in warm weather the clay dries faster and dries out faster when working with it, so that could be a reason. However, when working with the paperclay I definitely feel the difference in structure, so I think that might be the biggest reason.  So far I have worked with Creative Clay in cold weather, although we had a heater on in the room, and in warm weather and the cracks are minimal.  When I did 'Scrooge' (with the 'pottery paperclay') it was very cold and the clay dried very slowly, but still the cracks were bigger and there were more of them.  I feel there is a lot more moisture in the latter clay.  Sometimes, however, it also depends on how you combine layers.  If you are a bit short and just move two layers alongside and against each other without smoothing out each layer your chances are that you will have not only cracks, but parts that will curl away.

Now, what to do with them if you have cracks.  I will show you with a few pictures what I do.  I had a crack in the corner where two walls meet (yes, didn't smooth out enough) and a smaller one next to it.  For the crack in the corner I rolled out a 'worm' with wet hands and placed it in the corner from top to bottom, then smoothed it out with my fingers.  I am not a nail biter, so generally my nails get in the way with such a job, but I was lucky that I lost a large part of a nail from my index finger the other day and hence I had a nice smoothing tool. :-)  Where I couldn't even get my finger in the corner I used a plastic smoothing tool to finish it off.  Apologies for the first picture.  It's blurred and I can't take it again, but you get the drift...

For the little crack in the top corner I picked up a little ball of clay with wet fingers, worked it flat and into a not too moist paste and rubbed it carefully into the crack.  The crack was only tiny and didn't need to be filled, but I did it anyway, so that I could show you.  Bye the way, it now shows the wallpaper that I have used for the ceiling.



I figure that when you have bigger cracks you could do the same.  Make the clay into a (very thick) paste and rub it in.  If you have used a stiff brush to texture the walls don't forget to repeat it on your repaired part.  Don't forget the glue either in the corners (like I did!).  I just hope it will hold anyway.

This brings the inside plastering to an end.  The top floor is finished and drying:

I don't know yet what I'll do with the ugly edges, but I am not going to worry about them now.

For further decoration I have something in mind, but I need a sample wall with dry clay to try it out, so once I get that done I'll let you know.

Bye for now

Marion