daub

Daub is a traditional building material used to create exterior and interior wall surfaces, as well as a verb meaning to apply a sticky coating to a surface. As a material, daub is a wet mixture often composed of clay, sand, water, and fibrous material such as straw, sometimes with lime putty in lime-based varieties. It is used in a technique known as wattle and daub, where a lattice of wooden strips (wattle) is coated with daub to form a wall.

Earth daub uses natural soils; lime daub uses lime binders. The application is done in coats, with the daub pressed onto the lattice and shaped with hands or a trowel. After setting, the surface may be finished with limewash, plaster, or a protective render. In some regions the daub remains exposed or is plastered on both sides.

Daub has been used globally since ancient times and appears in many vernacular architectures, including European timber-framed houses, Asian adobe, and African wattle-and-daub structures. Its advantages include low cost, local availability, and breathable insulation; its drawbacks include susceptibility to moisture, cracking, and weathering, requiring regular maintenance.

As a verb, to daub means to apply thickly or carelessly; in painting or sculpture, daubs of color or material are used to build texture. A daub can refer to a lump or patch of the material itself.