What is wattle?
Wattle is woven material; in construction it usually means a wall or fence of flexible rods woven around upright stakes. In Dutch it is called vlechtwerk. Common materials are willow rods, hazel rods and split chestnut laths. Filled with clay it forms one of the oldest wall systems: wattle and daub.
Construction
- Stakes or posts: vertical poles or laths set in the ground, in a sole plate or between the posts of a timber frame.
- Rods: long, flexible twigs woven alternately in front of and behind the stakes.
- Finish: in a fence the wattle stays visible. In a wall it is daubed on both sides with clay, often mixed with straw or dung, and then plastered or limewashed.
The wattle then acts as a plaster base: the daub keys into the openings and so stays on the wall.
Application
- Timber-framed houses: the panels between the timber posts were filled with wattle and daub.
- Fences and garden screens of willow or chestnut, known as wattle fencing or hurdles.
- Restoration and reconstruction: for example in archaeological open-air museums, where clay walls on wattle are rebuilt.
The Dutch word vlechtwerk also has other meanings: tied reinforcing steel in concrete work, decorative brickwork in arch tympanums and friezes, and a less common name for tumbling courses in brickwork.
Tips
- Fresh material: weave with fresh or pre-soaked rods, as dry rods snap.
- Protect the foot of the stakes: do not set them unprotected in wet ground, as that is where the wood rots first.
- Daub on wattle: apply the clay in layers and press the first layer well into the wattle. Let each layer dry before applying the next.
- Repair like with like: repair a wattle-and-daub wall with clay, not cement mortar. Cement is stiffer and less vapour-permeable, so it traps moisture.
Related terms
- Plaster base
- Clay
- Clay plaster
- Timber frame construction
- Reinforcement
- Fence post
Want to learn more about construction terms? Visit our knowledge base at fredsdiyplans.com.