My previous post described an alternative bond beam for curved walls; this post is on straight walls. Conventional reinforced concrete bond beams may not be affordable or the materials unavailable. Or maybe you want to reduce or avoid using cement. Here’s one low-tech, low-cost bond beam design. It’s even possible to use salvaged materials for … Read more
Forming bond beams for roundhouses and other curved structures is somewhat difficult. Here’s a brief description of an alternative bond beam that requires little or no formwork. It’s made with two layers of long poly tubes filled with stabilized soil (non-seismic zones) or concrete (seismic zones). Tubes could be filled 3″-4″ thick to save on … Read more
Ever since the earthquake in Haiti we have been inundated with requests for information about using earthbags for reconstruction efforts. Owen Geiger and I have joined with Patti Stouter to assemble a coherent response to this need that is based on our understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of earthbag building, coupled with some knowledge … Read more
Once you’ve built your dream earthbag house, you’ll need an efficient means of cooking. At our house, this includes an oven as one part of our outdoor kitchen that keeps heat out of the house. This latest project was a collaboration by Owen Geiger and Mother Earth News Magazine to develop a super efficient multiple-use … Read more
Using a standard-sized module can simplify the building design process. An even two foot module, for instance, is easy to plot on graph paper. This makes it easier to draw plans and calculate materials and costs. Another benefit of 24” earthbag modules is increased overlap between courses. Many earthbag builders just fold over the ends … Read more
We have added two new videos to our collection at www.earthbagbuilding.com that are definitely worth the time to watch. They are both slide shows set to music that are well assembled and very informative. They are listed at the bottom of this page. The first is about building a school in Sierra Leone, Africa, which … Read more