Insulation

A 3D Printed House for $4000?

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There has been a lot of publicity about 3D printed housing lately, and it is not surprising because the notion seems almost unbelievable. What is not to like about being able to almost instantaneously  convert practically any plan into reality for very little money? This article from fastcompany.com describes such housing that is being developed for masses of poor people in El Salvador and other third world countries. They claim that this can be done for under $4000 per house!

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Denim Insulation

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Ultra Touch denim insulation is recommended by the Make and Do YouTube channel who says this brand provided better insulation than foam panels he’s used in the past. Denim insulation is a natural, non-toxic insulation product that’s available loose (for blow-in applications), and in rolls and batts. Some products are available with foil backing.

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DIY Low Cost Insulated Earthbag Scoria Blocks

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Large, homemade, insulating blocks can be aligned with a simple rotating arm.
Large, homemade, insulating blocks can be aligned with a simple rotating arm.

I realized it would be easy to make giant earthbag scoria blocks with raschel mesh bags, scoria (lightweight lava rock) and quick setting cement mortar or glue. The basic block making process involves forming the scoria blocks in simple wooden forms and then curing in the shade. The dome is built using standard brick dome building methods that brick masons already know or knowledge can be readily found on the Internet and in books.

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Weaving Studio Plan

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In the early 1970’s I was commissioned to design and build a small weaving studio on property located along the coast in Bolinas, California. The client was a weaving apprentice with my sister, who was living on rented property with her family. There was room on that property to place a small studio separated from the main house, and that is where she wanted me to build the studio. Obviously it would be foolish to place a permanent structure on rented property, so I suggested that I design it in such a way that it could fairly easily be dismantled and moved elsewhere if necessary. She liked the idea, so that is what I did.

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Building an Earthbag and Stone Rainwater Storage Cellar

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I decided to build a simple recessed cellar in my yard that would serve a variety of functions, including rainwater storage, root cellar and space for vermiculture (worm bins). All of these require relatively cool but not freezing conditions, so digging into the ground was a good way to accomplish this. It seemed like the easiest approach would be to build this primarily with earthbags.

First I calculated how large it needed to be in order to hold the two large (275 gallon) water tanks I intended to buy, as well as provide enough space for produce and worms. It was a tricky business to fit all of this in the space available, especially because I had to work between existing underground irrigation pipes.

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