Natural Plasters & Earthen Floors
2026 Canelo Workshop
Natural Plasters
and Earthen Floors
"Space is the breath of art"
— Frank Lloyd Wright
Natural Plasters and Earthen Floors
Join us for our classic 5-day plaster workshop, teaching the art of natural plasters and earthen floors. This course will guide you through the full spectrum of natural wall and floor applications, from simple clay and lime base coats and finishes, to more advanced water-resistant finishes for showers and beautiful earthen floors.
Throughout the workshop, you will gain both foundational skills and advanced techniques. Each participant will have their own practice panel to learn, repeat, and practice your technique under guided instruction. We will also work on larger walls and how to complete an earthen floor.
This workshop will cover a large range of natural wall and floor finishes including:
- Clay & Lime Basecoats and Mid-Coats: Learn to level, sculpt, and prepare walls for finer finishes
- Smoothed and Polished Clay Finishes: We will teach finer finishing techniques and mixes.
- Modern Tadelakt Plaster: We will teach how to make a water-resistant lime plaster for showers and sinks, with a smooth, polished finish. This is a not traditional tadelakt but a modern conception.
- Earthen Floors: Hands-on practice from building a base layer with insulation to achieving a durable and beautiful finished floor.
Whether you are a beginner eager to explore natural building, or an experienced plasterer looking to expand your knowledge, this workshop provides a comprehensive, practical approach. You will learn everything from sourcing local soils and composing mixes, to applying and finishing plasters with confidence. By the end of the course, you will have the knowledge and skills to transform your own walls and floors into creative, sustainable, and beautiful earth finishes.
LOGISTICS
- Dates: This course begins with orientation and dinner Wednesday evening 6:30pm, Sept 23, and ends Monday, Sept 28, at 5pm. Dinner that evening and breakfast the following morning will be provided.
- Meals: All meals are included in the workshop price.
- Accommodations: Camping is included in the workshop price. We have a private rooms available for $40 per night and a shared bunkroom available for $10 per night.
- Deposit: A $400 deposit is required to upon registration for this workshop
Read more as you register on our General Workshop Info.
Workshop Syllabus
- Arrival previous evening, dinner included at 7pm, introductions at 8pm,
- Learning Base Coat and Levelling
- Clay and Lime overview and theory
- How to use Hawk & Trowel
- Practice applying and levelling
- Laying floor base
- Lime basecoat
- Finish clay layer
- Second floor layer
- Canelo Site tour
- Tadelakt
- Clay polish
- Oil floor
- Finish Tadelakt
- Explore other mixes
- Workshop finishes 5pm with dinner and breakfast following morning provided.


















