I want to talk a little bit more about these mesh bags that are used in the hyperadobe system. It’s the hot new development. Let’s take a close look. The open weave allows the soil to dry much faster. They’re lower cost. They’re almost as strong (as poly bags). They’re less expensive. You don’t necessarily … Read more
This Triple Dome Survival Shelter provides much more space than my first earthbag survival shelter. This 915 sq. ft. shelter is for long term survival for a family. It is earthquake and fire resistant, bullet and nuclear fallout resistant. This earth sheltered design is built above grade to reduce risk of flooding. Features include buried … Read more
Roofed domes are a very practical alternative to plastered domes in rainy climates. Plastered domes are vulnerable to roof leaks, and require rather extensive waterproofing and maintenance. Thatch can be very inexpensive in some areas. The thatched roof on our roundhouse, for instance, was only $100 for materials. This type of thatch typically lasts for … Read more
I’ve tried quite a few corner pinning methods to prevent corners of bags from sticking out in the plaster. We keep getting faster and faster, and using fewer, less expensive materials. This latest method uses just one stitch of galvanized wire and is the fastest, easiest, least expensive method I know of. Cut pointed ends … Read more
This is a demonstration of wattle and daub made with bamboo. Wattle and daub is the world’s oldest known building method used all over the world many thousands of years. Here we’re using bamboo. You could use small saplings and branches woven together in the same way. We peeled the bamboo on the surface – … Read more
I finally had a chance to build with mesh bags. Previously I had made some test bags, but this week we included a whole course of mesh bags in our current Cool Pantry project. More photos coming soon. In this post I want to describe some of the differences in working properties between mesh and … Read more