Wattle and daub
![]() |
The old wattle and daub construction system found at the 19th century Razboishte monastery, Bulgaria. By MrPanyGoff [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons |
Wattle and daub is a composite building technique that has be used for wall construction for thousands of years. It consists of a woven lattice (the ‘wattle’) which is daubed with a sticky filler material.
Wattle is typically formed by wooden strips or thin branches woven between upright stakes. Other materials that can be used as wattle include reeds, vines, and bamboo, and it can aso be formed as a loose panels slotted between timber framing.
Daub is typically formed from mud plaster made from a combination of wet soil, clay, sand, animal dung and straw. For more information, see Daub.
Once the daub has been applied to the wattle (sometimes in more than one layer) and left to completely dry, it may be whitewashed to give it better resistance to rain, increase its solar reflectance and enhance its appearance.
Wattle and daub is still used in many regions of the world but in modern architecture it became superseded by lath and plaster for wall and ceiling applications, and more recently by plasterboard. However, it has become more prevalent again with the rise in popularity of sustainable building techniques and materials.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
Skills gap and investment returns on apprenticeships
ECA welcomes new reports from JTL Training and The Electrotechnical Skills Partnership.
Committee report criticises UK retrofit schemes
CIOB responds to UK’s Energy Security and Net Zero Committee report.
Design and construction industry podcasts
Professional development, practice, the pandemic, platforms and podcasts. Have we missed anything?
C20 Society; Buildings at Risk List 2025
10 more buildings published with updates on the past decade of buildings featured.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme and certifications consultation
Summary of government consultation, closing 11 June 2025.
Deputy editor of AT, Tim Fraser, discusses the newly formed society with its current chair, Chris Halligan MCIAT.
Barratt Lo-E passivhaus standard homes planned enmasse
With an initial 728 Lo-E homes across two sites and many more planned for the future.
Government urged to uphold Warm Homes commitment
ECA and industry bodies write to Government concerning its 13.2 billion Warm Homes manifesto commitment.
From project managers to rising stars, sustainability pioneers and more.
Places of Worship in Britain and Ireland, 1929-1990. Book review.
The emancipation of women in art.
Call for independent National Grenfell oversight mechanism
MHCLG share findings of Building Safety Inquiry in letter to Secretary of State and Minister for Building Safety.
The Architectural Technology Awards
AT Awards now open for this the sixth decade of CIAT.
50th Golden anniversary ECA Edmundson awards
Deadline for submissions Friday 30 May 2025.
The benefits of precast, off-site foundation systems
Top ten benefits of this notable innovation.
Encouraging individuals to take action saving water at home, work, and in their communities.
Takes a community to support mental health and wellbeing
The why of becoming a Mental Health Instructor explained.