Filling Bags

Bag Filling: Buckets versus Cans

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I prefer heavy duty 2-gallon plastic buckets for filling earthbags, the same kind used for bucketing cement.  They’re strong and small enough that everyone can handle them comfortably.  In fact, they’re just the right size.  Because they’re larger than the metal cans typically used, work progresses more rapidly.  Two rounded shovelfuls fill a 2-gallon bucket … Read more

Stabilized Earth Walls

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Stabilizers make earth walls stronger, more moisture resistant, and reduce shrinking and swelling.  Water is the number one enemy of earth buildings and adding stabilizers (particularly in rainy climates) is one way to create more durable structures. Lime (Type S – Hydrated Lime) is one of the best stabilizers for clay soils, and more environmentally … Read more

Automated Bag Filling Machine

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Strawbale houses were first built shortly after the invention of the baling machine.  Settlers in western Nebraska who had access to this machine were quick to realize the potential of large, insulated building blocks.  And the rest of the story, as they say, is history.  This same potential now exists for earthbag building. The benefits … Read more

EZBagger and GoBagger Bag Fillers

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Readers are asking about two bag filling devices on the Internet — EZBagger and GoBagger.  They scoop and funnel sand directly into bags. My preference for a bag filler was explained in my post titled Bucket Chutes (December 16, 2008).  I explained how you can modify a standard $1 bucket in couple of minutes for … Read more

Building an Earthbag Dome

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Originally published by Owner Builder Magazine, this excellent article by Rob Wainwright of Permaforest Trust comes complete with many useful building details, as well as quite a few beautiful photos.  Rob explains how they built their four meter dome step-by-step clearly enough that others could build one similar. This project is now featured on our … Read more