The photo above shows a gable end wall made with earthbags. Although you could build this way, it is faster and easier to frame gable ends with wood or bamboo. Framing the gable ends saves moving all that weight high on the wall. This little detail can save you days of hard work. This is the best way to build in seismic areas, because it creates a lighter weight roof. Another time and labor saving tip is to use wood siding on exterior gable end walls instead of plaster.
For this and other carpentry jobs, I suggest checking out a basic carpentry book from the library. You’ll use many of the same carpentry techniques no matter what materials you build with.
Image source: Sandbag House in Jeffreys Bay