Paint Your Walls With Clay

Sick of painting your walls with stinky solvents that literally take days off your life and microplastics that contaminate the planet forever? Try clay paint: gorgeous mineral color and texture in your home, without the VOCs, microplastics, and heavy metals.

I’m pleased to be offering my new clay painting services in Greater Boston. Read on to learn about clay paint and whether it’s right for you.

What is clay paint?

Clay paint is paint made mostly out of clay and water, plus pigments, fillers, and binders. There are a few commercial clay paints, most of which, unfortunately, still use petrochemical binders and solvents. Not here though: we handcraft our clay paint using purified clay, earth pigments, and wheat paste binder: no plastic or VOCs whatsoever.

We use various American clays, and tint with nontoxic mineral pigments. We use wheat paste¹ as a binder, which is extremely strong and safe but has a short shelf life, which is why we offer the paint and application as a package deal.

The mineral particles and brushed application create a natural, subtly textured appearance that is gentle on the eyes. Think of how much more pleasing natural plasters look than flat uniform paint: clay paint offers that luxurious effect, at a more accessible price.

Best of all, no extra prep is needed compared to latex (acrylic) wall paint. Our clay paint can be applied on previously painted drywall or unpainted, finished drywall. Clay paint can also be painted over with fresh coats of clay paint, acrylic paint, or even prepped for plaster.

Benefits of Clay Paint

• Zero VOCs: actually zero, unlike commercial “zero” or “low” VOC paints that still stink up your house for weeks. Clay paint uses water as its solvent.
• Nontoxic: Using the same clays that potters spend their days elbow-deep in, nontoxic mineral pigments from the widely-respected Earth Pigments Company, and a food-grade binder. No PFAS, no phthalates, etc.
• Soft brushed texture: Hand-applied texture subtly elevates the feel of the room and is gentle on the eyes—like firelight instead of fluorescent strip lights.
• Unique mineral sheen: Clay paints uniquely reflect light despite being mostly matte. Look closely and you’ll see tiny mineral particles: as in nature, you’ll never find utter uniformity in a clay paint.
• No preservatives: Since our clay paints go from mixer to your walls in the same day, there’s no need for preservatives.

Our Colors

We are delighted to offer eighteen beautiful, nature-inspired colors, all made with a variety of clays and nontoxic mineral pigments.

• Lunar, a soft white with neutral-to-warm undertones.
• Cotton, a pale cream with subtly warm undertones
• Armadillo, a subtly peachy tan
• Sand, a sandy neutral with yellow undertones
• Linen, a calm, natural light gray
• Satin, a pale, ballet slipper pink
• Quartzite, a sophisticated griege with cool undertones.
• Stone, a creamy taupe with balanced undertones
• Fawn, a warm, soft taupe
• Eucalyptus, a calming, subtle green
• Dusk, like Stone, with a touch of purple fog
• Dusty Rose, a lovely light pink with balanced undertones
• Slate Cloud, slate blue, lightened up
• Beach Cliff, an elegant pale blue that evokes a quiet day on the coast
• Vintage Rose, a vibrant but not-overwhelming shade of rose
• Seafoam, where a touch of viridian brings sea glass to Beach Cliff
• Sunbaked, a natural, weathered yellow that evokes desert architecture
• Mushroom, a bold, yet versatile medium-deep taupe

Custom colors are possible at additional fee—inquire below for details.

All paints are applied with a large brush for subtle, brush-stroked texture. The finish is almost totally matte, with a slight eggshell sheen.

Who is Clay Paint For?

We are now offering interior clay painting services in the Greater Boston area.

Our clay paints may be for you if:

• You are seeking painting service and product for one or more rooms – we do not sell clay paints as a product alone, because the skill needed to apply them properly.
• The walls you want to paint have existing paint or drywall in good, paint-ready condition (smooth, non-flaky, no severe stains, no high-gloss paint)
  • No kitchens or bathrooms
• You’re looking for a finish that adds handcrafted character to a room: handmade clay paint has texture and subtle variegation, as opposed to standard wall paints which have been developed to be as flat and invisible as possible.
• Own the property: sorry, renters not yet eligible.
• Allow photos to be shared of finished and staged work

Clay paint may NOT be for you if:

• You will frequently need to scrub stains out of the wall
• The room has high water exposure, like a bathroom or kitchen
• You want a perfectly uniform surface
• Your walls need repair or having flaking paint: walls must be finished to Level 4, as standard paints require.
• You want a pure, bright white color, or extremely light color. Clay naturally occurs in light but not pure white colors.

Now booking: fill the form below to inquire. Please include:

• Location
• Square foot area of wall/s to be painted
• Timeline – about when would you like to get it done?
• Color of choice from the above list
• Any other questions
• If you want to order sample cards (highly recommended), please include which colors and your mailing address. Samples are triple-coated clay paint, $7 each, plus postage.

1. You might be thinking, “Wheat? Isn’t that food?” Wheat paste, made from cooked flour, is a strong, stable, transparent binder, due to the cross-linking of starch and gluten molecules that strengthens over time. It has long been traditionally used as a glue, especially in bookbinding. Wheat paste helps clay paint stick to walls, even latex-painted walls, and seals it from dusting. Because it is mixed with clay and dries in hard, thin coats, it becomes inedible to insects. The reason you don’t see wheat paste in off-the-shelf products is because it must be used immediately once prepared. That’s where our clay paint product and services come in: we prepare fresh batches of paint to apply same-day. ↩︎