We recently finished building the walls and structure of a 16′ diameter dome to be used as a healing center here in Puerto Rico. We are looking for someone to help finish the project in its final stages- plastering, floors, doors, windows, etc. Experience with building would be great, but not required. We will also … Read more
From time to time we answer reader’s questions. Paul: In the EcoOcha video I noticed they tamped the sides to reduce the ‘log cabin’ look and to reduce the amount of plaster required. This smoother surface would be much easier to plaster. Owen: Yes, more and more builders are flattening the walls like this to … Read more
Continuing with Owen’s assessment of the Hyperadobe method of building earthbag walls, I have had some further thoughts. This innovation comes to us from Fernando Pacheco, a Brazilian engineer, and it has been used there for at least two years. I have prepared a detailed page at www.earthbagbuilding.com that is a step-by step guide to … Read more
We have a new complete project page up at www.earthbagbuilding.com: the Amirta – Divine Nectar Retreat Cabin in the high desert of southeastern Arizona. To do this retreat Venerable Lobsang Gyelse had to build a space to do it in, which is a small circular meditation space with an offset sleeping nook. In addition there … Read more
Roofs tend to be one of the most expensive, most difficult parts of building a home. Most conventional roof systems are very expensive and utilize energy intensive materials. One low-tech alternative is nylon cement roofs, which have been pioneered for over 30 years by Bill Birdsall. Bill’s website shows how he built his house and … Read more
For those who are curious about how to finish interior earthbag walls, take a look at this video by American Clay. Their website explains how “earthen plasters allow you to infuse your office with the texture, color and character of the natural world. Transform your home from a place you live into a place with … Read more