About Us
Wood & Clay Homes is owned and operated by Mark Benson. Mark spent over 15 years developing and honing his carpentry and natural building skills in Alberta, before moving with his wife and three children to the Southern Coast of BC in the spring of 2015. He completed his specialized eco-building training in New Mexico, under Eco-Nest Homes.
Specializing in green building and artistic interior finish techniques, he strives to offer unique and custom work tailored to your vision with careful attention to detail.
Mark lived, studied and worked in Japan for six years during the 1990’s, where he completed his undergraduate and graduate degrees, met his wife Mariko, and gained appreciation for Japanese wood-craft skills and aesthetics.
Wood and Clay Homes’ mission is to introduce and integrate, eco-logically sustainable, healthy and beautiful building options into the conventional building market. No project is too big or too small. All projects are an opportunity to add beauty, functionality and healthy options to your home.
Quality, down-to-earth service with integrity and creativity; this is our goal. We are eager to collaborate with other individuals and companies interested in green building options and look forward to opportunities to contribute to better health and beauty in the homes of our community.
We specialize in:
Fine Finish Carpentry
– Live-edge wood accents and elements (wood slabs with the wavy, bark-edge still attached) for finish details,
-Custom milled, solid wood interior trim and finish with special care to get the details right
-Utilizing unique wood species and character-rich selected wood, tastefully implemented, using sustainably harvested, local wood whenever possible.
-Japanese wood-craft techniques and styles
-A huge variety of completely non-toxic, beautiful finish options
Clay Wall Plastering
-Beautiful, practical and unique alternative to paint – can be applied to painted drywall and many other substrates
-Completely non-toxic, with zero off-gassing, making it the premiere healthy option for wall finish
-Naturally regulates humidity within the home and thus reduces mold and contributes to comfort
-Emits negative ions unlike paint which emits positive ions, meaning clay makes the interior environment feel refreshing and relaxing like sitting beside a forest waterfall
-Makes heating and cooling more efficient by adding a layer of thermal mass to the walls
-Repels dust rather than attracting it as paint does
-Absorbs odour and helps clean the air
-Improves interior acoustics
-Easily repaired
-Color easily changed
-The natural pigments used, refract light, making the wall come alive with a pallette of hues, texture and natural sparkle
Custom Eco-Home Construction
-Hand-crafted homes made from natural, breathable and durable building materials such as straw, clay and wood, based on European and Asian traditional building practices, proven to be durable after centuries of use.
-Durability and comfort rely on “a good hat and good boots” as the English say. From foundation to roof, we do not cut corners, ensuring your investment will be long-lasting and low-maintenance.
-Sensible, efficient and tasteful design and finish details
-Low-EMF radiation design
-Environmentally sustainable and responsible building materials and practices
-Highly energy-efficient
-Incredibly comfortable and comforting interior environment
-Well-researched materials selection and construction style to optimize the integrity of your investment in your new home.
-Care, respect and creativity infused into every project
Please contact us for more info and a free consultation.
