Readers really liked the previous post on Timbrel Roofs. This comment is from Paul, one of our readers. “Your post a few days back about timbrel vaulting grabbed my interest, and I began to look into it. I found some interesting PDFs on Guastavino.net, in their resources page. Click on the Texts button. It contains … Read more
Most often lintels are built separately from bond beams. See Wood Pole Lintels as an example. But what if you want maximum strength for a multiple story earthbag structure (see Rainwater Towers Apartments) or if you have lots of window and door openings? Integrating the bond beam and lintels as shown in the drawing above … Read more
As discussed in a previous blog post the other day (see link below), dome roofs protect domes from moisture damage, shade the structure, reduce plaster work and capture rainwater. If you’re building in a rainy or snowy climate, your dome will likely have a longer lifespan and require less maintenance if you have a durable … Read more
Whole trees and parts of whole trees (naturally curved branches and wood) have 150% the strength of milled wood, are 100 times more abundant than millable old-growth forests, have similar weight to strength ratio as steel in compression and twice the strength of steel in tension, require almost no processing, and utilize wood that would … Read more
Shipping pallets are incredibly useful for building. They’re typically free, widely available and very strong. The wood is cured, and often hardwoods such as oak are used in pallets. There’re just good to waste. The two ceiling discussed here use short or longer pieces of pallets (or any wood, actually) that are cut to fit … Read more
Rounded/curved room corners create stronger earthbag walls at no extra cost, and can speed construction. A good size radius is around 3’-4’ (about one meter). Rounded corners can also improve functionality by creating a cozy, curved space for a round table, computer desk, easy chair or, as in the photo above, a sofa. You could … Read more