Earthbag Building / Superadobe / Rammed Earth
Introduction
Steamer Trunk Furniture
In keeping with our series of articles about super low cost and free DIY furniture, let’s look at steamer trunk furniture. Everyone has probably seen these old trunks from days gone by, but using them creatively as furniture is less well known. The trunks may need refurbishing or repair, although it’s not always necessary. One technique is lining the inside with aromatic cedar planking (available from specialty wood stores) for use as a storage chest at the foot of beds or elsewhere. Trunks with flat tops make good coffee tables and end tables. And, as you can see in the following photos, trunks can be assembled into desks, bookcases, shelving and other furniture.
Cool Roofs
“Cool roofs are the roofs that can deliver high solar reflectance (the ability to reflect the visible, infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths of the sun, reducing heat transfer to the building) and high thermal emittance (the ability to radiate absorbed, or non-reflected solar energy). The benefits associated with cool roofs include reduced cooling energy load, reduced air pollution and greenhouse gas emission, and improved human health and comfort. Cool roofs may extend the roof service life and help mitigating the urban heat island effect.
Natural Building Overview Video
Chris Dancey began this video a year and a half ago, but had to stop to work on her certified organic farm for awhile. Finally she was able to get back to it, which has been a ‘labor of love’. It is very nicely done with entertaining music and lots of great images of all … Read more
The Do’s and Don’ts of Recycling Barn Wood
“1. Don’t take on a barn reclamation project yourself. The cost of labor and time makes a barn wood recycling project a costly venture. Most barns have 10,000 board feet or more of good used building materials, much more than you can use in one home project.
Millions of Americans Are ‘Squatting’ in Own Homes
The focus of our blog is on low cost, low tech housing solutions. But sometimes it’s good to stop and look at what’s happening in society. Even though I read about the economy every day, this article about the true rate of foreclosure is still shocking. Who wouldn’t be moved by what’s going on? Due to financial hardship, more people are investigating lower cost DIY housing alternatives such as earthbag building, straw bale construction, adobe and pole building.