I’ve seen various barbed wire dispensers being used and have wondered what design works best. I started making a dispenser for our roundhouse workshop, but gave up when things weren’t quite working out. It seems easier to move the roll of barbed wire by hand to where it’s needed instead of using a dispenser. Also, … Read more
It’s very easy to install electrical boxes in earthbag walls. The process involves two basic steps: 1. Anchors: Add anchors in the wall where electrical boxes will go. Do this as the wall is being built. You could use 2x4s placed between earthbags as anchors. Another way is by placing 3” diameter poles about 7” … Read more
There’s growing interest in living roofs or green roofs. The difficulty is deciding on the waterproof membrane. Rubber pond liner (EPDM) is the most waterproof and durable material, and the most common choice due to proven performance, but it’s also very expensive and made from nasty petro chemicals. I think a number of less toxic, … Read more
Our roundhouse is nearly finished and so I wanted to share some results. The main impression is one of incredible fortresslike strength — massive walls with no sway. Our roundhouse and dome are probably the two strongest buildings I’ve ever worked on. Our earthbag dome, for instance, never budged as about 15 truckloads of soil … Read more
I’ve just started a YouTube channel about earthbag building in hopes of seeing this building method spread more quickly, and to help improve the standard of construction. It’s easier for many people to learn by watching rather than just reading about it, and it’s a fun way to pass some time. Hope you enjoy it. … Read more
Using earthbags for interior walls would take up too much space and so they’re generally not recommended for this purpose. Thinner interior walls are more efficient. The easiest solution is to frame interior walls with 2x4s or, for plumbing walls, 2x6s. But there are more sustainable alternatives. On some of my plans I use adobe, … Read more