Natural plaster finish across a full interior wall

Journal

Name: Nu Terra
Telephone: 503.519.6448
Price range: $$$

Notes on the three materials, and on getting the specification right.

15 articles

Everything we get asked

July 28, 2026 · 5 min read

Seven questions to ask before hiring a plasterer

These are the questions we would ask if we were hiring someone else, and we are entirely comfortable being asked all of them.

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July 14, 2026 · 4 min read

Are plaster finishes worth it in a rental?

We get asked this often in Boise, where a lot of Bench and near-campus housing is rented or partly rented. The answer depends heavily on which room and which finish.

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June 30, 2026 · 4 min read

How long a plaster project actually takes

Most rooms take one to three weeks on site, plus two to four weeks of lead time before we start. Here is where that time goes.

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June 16, 2026 · 4 min read

Microcement kitchen backsplashes and worktops

A backsplash exists to take abuse: oil, steam, acidic splashes, and frequent cleaning. Microcement handles all of it, and removes the joint where grease normally collects.

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June 2, 2026 · 5 min read

How to choose a plaster color and not regret it

Choosing plaster color is not like choosing paint color, and treating it the same way is how people end up disappointed by a beautiful finish.

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May 19, 2026 · 5 min read

Natural wall finishes and indoor air quality

People increasingly ask about this, usually because of a nursery, a bedroom, or a household member who reacts to conventional paint.

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May 5, 2026 · 4 min read

Can you plaster over drywall?

Yes. Lime, Roman clay, and microcement all go over drywall, and most of the work we do in newer houses is exactly that. There are conditions.

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April 21, 2026 · 5 min read

Living with microcement over ten years

Microcement is the lowest maintenance finish we apply, which is most of its appeal. It also has a genuine downside that nobody selling it mentions.

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April 7, 2026 · 4 min read

Limewash vs lime plaster: not the same thing

People often ask for one and mean the other. The difference is thickness, and thickness changes everything about how a wall looks and how long it lasts.

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March 24, 2026 · 6 min read

What surface preparation actually involves

This is the least glamorous part of the work, the largest share of most quotes, and the single strongest predictor of whether you will still be happy with the wall in five years.

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March 10, 2026 · 5 min read

Can you put microcement over existing tile?

Yes, usually. It is the single most common reason people choose microcement for a bathroom renovation, and it changes the economics of the whole project.

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February 25, 2026 · 5 min read

Roman clay vs Venetian plaster: what is actually different

These two get used interchangeably, including by people selling them. They are different materials that produce different surfaces and belong in different rooms.

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February 11, 2026 · 7 min read

Why lime plaster suits pre-war Boise houses

A great deal of Boise's North End and East End housing predates 1940. If yours does, the walls are almost certainly lath and plaster, and they were built on an assumption that modern materials quietly violate.

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January 28, 2026 · 5 min read

The best wall finish for a Boise bathroom

Bathrooms are the hardest room in the house for a wall finish. Standing humidity, direct spray, temperature swings, and daily cleaning all work against the surface at once.

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January 14, 2026 · 6 min read

What microcement actually costs in Boise

Price is the first thing everyone wants to know and the last thing most contractors will put in writing. So here it is plainly, along with the parts that actually move the number.

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503.519.6448

ryan@nuterrafinishes.com

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