Our Ingredients
At Earthaus, we believe that what goes into our plasters and onto your walls matters just as much as how they look. Our plasters are crafted from a short list of trusted ingredients — all naturally derived, transparently listed, and responsibly sourced in the U.S. From lime refined from limestone to lightweight pozzolanic pumice and mineral-based pigments, every material is selected for its performance, purity, and regenerative potential. We share every ingredient we use because integrity starts with transparency — and beauty should never come at the expense of your health or the planet’s.
Lime
The Lime Cycle: An Elemental Process
At the heart of every Earthaus Finish is lime — a natural binder derived from limestone, a sedimentary rock formed over millions of years from calcified coral and seashells in ancient shallow seas. This transformation from stone to plaster and back again is known as the Lime Cycle, an elemental process that connects earth, fire, water, air, and craft.
Earth: Limestone (Calcium Carbonate – CaCO₃) is quarried from the earth, where it has formed from ancient marine life compressed over time.
Fire: The limestone is heated in a kiln at very high temperatures, driving off carbon dioxide and water. This creates quicklime (Calcium Oxide – CaO), a highly alkaline substance.
Water: Water is added to the quicklime and becomes hydrated lime (Calcium Hydroxide Ca(OH)2). Lime can be hydrated either into a dry powder or a wet putty.
Craft: Hydrated lime is useful as a plaster, stucco, and slurry by mixing it with aggregates (in our case: pumice) or alone as limewash.
Air: As it dries and cures on the wall, hydrated lime reabsorbs carbon dioxide from the air, transforming back into limestone (Calcium Carbonate – CaCO₃) — completing the cycle and locking in durability, breathability, and beauty.
Why It Matters
This ancient, circular process is what makes lime so regenerative. It’s non-toxic, endlessly recyclable, and inherently beautiful — a material that breathes with your home and ages gracefully with time.
Pumice
Pumice is a naturally occurring igneous rock formed when volcanic magma cools rapidly, trapping gases and creating its porous, lightweight structure. The ancient Romans discovered that when crushed pumice — known as pozzolana in Italian — is mixed with lime, it creates a cementitious reaction that dramatically improves strength and durability. This natural pozzolanic effect results in lime plasters that are harder, more water-resistant, and longer-lasting — without relying on synthetic additives or Portland cement.
Cellulose
Plant-based Strength & Flexibility
Cellulose is a natural plant fiber — the primary structural component of plant cell walls and one of the most abundant organic materials on Earth. When added to lime plaster, cellulose acts as a natural binder, improving adhesion, flexibility, and workability during application. This renewable ingredient enhances performance without introducing synthetic polymers or compromising breathability.
Olive Oil Soap
A Natural Sealer with Ancient Roots
Olive oil soap is a pure castile soap made without synthetic ingredients, preservatives, or animal fats — just saponified olive oil and water. Used for centuries to seal lime plasters, it reacts chemically with the calcium in lime to create a natural, breathable barrier that protects the surface while allowing it to age beautifully over time.
Beeswax
Nature's Protective Finish
Beeswax is a natural substance secreted by honeybees to build the walls of their honeycombs. Composed of nearly 300 compounds — including esters, fatty acids, and polyesters — it’s a complex, powerful material that’s nearly impossible to replicate synthetically. Our Beeswax Protective Sealer is a water-emulsified formula designed to be applied over Olive Oil Soap Sealer, adding an extra layer of natural protection and richness to Earthaus Plaster finishes.
Mineral Pigment
Color from Earth
Our colors are crafted using fifteen earthen mineral pigments — including black and red iron oxides, raw umber, yellow ochres, chrome oxide green, ultramarine blue, and titanium white. These natural pigments offer unparalleled depth, permanence, and richness, bringing Earthaus lime plaster finishes to life with grounded, elemental beauty.
Synthetics
We believe that transparency builds trust. When we include a synthetic additive, we do so with clear intent and careful formulation. We use zero-VOC synthetics intentionally where it meaningfully enhances adhesion, and durability; this allows us to meet performance demands without compromising breathability or safety.
Zero-VOC Acrylic Additive
While the vast majority of our products are made with 100% natural ingredients, Limewash, Lime Slurry, and Bond Plaster include a small percentage of acrylic additive. Acrylic Sealer and Acrylic Fortifier have higher percentages of acrylic to ...
Zero-VOC Potassium Siliconate
