Melissa James wrote:Magnesium Oxide panels are a natural alternative to drywall/sheetrock. They are made from magnesium sulfate and do not contain fly ash, formaldehyde, crystalline silica, or toxins.
I've seen this installed in a house, and it looked nice. I hope to use this on a future build.
MagOx panels are mold-resistant, fire-resistant, and do not provide a food source for termites, carpenter ants, or other wood boring insects.
It comes in a variety of thickness. It adds an insulating factor for sound and temperatures.
It can be used indoors or outdoors.
Here's the website, if you'd like to learn more: https://www.magpanelmgo.com
i do think this is a great suggestion.
yeah this may be my answer, i am looking for similar solutions as the op, trying to re do some walls.
its what i have been leaning towards and researching it for a while. seems like its mostly being produced in china, though. i had picked out some suppliers on alibaba B2B site...
idk i am not quite ready to commit, but now tariffs ! idk. i may wait it out, i cant rush myself to try to buy right now, this month before the end of the de minimis.
then again maybe i do rush myself into a vague estimation of how much board i might need and try to order in the next month. even if itsjust i want some samples, i am feeling sure i can find a use for it if i go all in on getting it now and figuring it out later.
some of the things i like about it - its simple, can use for inside/ outside, floor ceiling or walls. its super versatile.
to us who are more sticklers for earth friendly, it may not be the purest material, it does involve some industrialized weirdness, but then again much less than that of some other materials, besides being less toxic than many common materials. the fireproof, no mold, breathable, all of these aspects and more make it attractive too. the price isnt that bad, at least as far as what limited sources i have been able to dig up, its maybe a bit more than plywood while being far superior, around the same as something like hardieboard, another thing i have been thinking on, or other "backer board" cement board.
they make lots of interesting finishes for it, although i have been leaning towards more of the raw type, and then do some finishing myself, using it like hardie board, or backer. as far as i have been able to figure out (research and methods is lacking, or i am not finding the best specific how to info) BUT i believe you can plaster it directly, use a gypsum/lime plaster - base coat and a lime plaster right over that, maybe some PVA or other "adhesive" before base coat.
even with the extreme added tax, it still might be my answer.
i guess the OP was looking for the really really natural -- eg clay, mud cob, etc
but i definitely think its worth exploring.
some sources i found, are all chinese companies.
this one stood out to me and i may place some small ish order see whats what and what i can do with it --
https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/A1-Grade-Fireproof-MgO-Board-Chloride_1600490450654.html
they have their own website and seem pretty solid --
https://www.zcmgo.com/product_list.html
theres so so many different types, theres all the laminated types meant to be used as is, i am mostly interested in the more raw types, or those with insulation in the mix --
like perlite--
https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/24mm-Mgo-Perlite-Board-Manufacturer-Heat_1600878765749.html
eps--
https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Soundproofing-Eps-Mgo-Sip-Sandwich-Panels_1600504324318.html
raw --
https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Premium-Strong-MGO-Fireproof-Flooring-Board_1600994895448.html
floor - and use this for outside/exterior/ and /or walls? seems like --
https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Fireproof-Mgo-Floor-Magnesium-Oxide-Wall_62220840022.html
but then they also make the thinner instant wall types, with like faux wood look, or all sorts of funky decorative wall types. --
https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/HPL-Magnesium-Oxide-SIP-Panels-Fireproof_10000014446772.html
if theres anyone who knows good suppliers or has any links for how tos or other info, maybe post it up. not to hijack OPs thread, but i do think MgO ( or MgsO) board is a good suggestion for the want to build with more ecologically friendly stuff - crowd. going to keep looking up info, maybe should search here on permies, although i think i did early in my exploring MgO panels and what you can do with them and didnt find that much info. yet, or maybe i do my own experiments, where i have a high tolerance for failure. i'm sure i've spent a few hundred bucks on worse ideas before =P
even with a lack of info, with some experience with plastering and clay, i feel like i could tackle this MgO board then plaster project a whole lot easier than plaster and lathe. i also like that it could be a good exterior material.