“Natural building expert Michael G. Smith from the Emerald Earth Institute shows us the first layer of an earthen floor (clay soil, sand, chopped straw and road base, or crushed rock): just one layer of the 3 layers they eventually use. He also shows us a finished floor that has been treated with 4 to 6 coats of linseed oil and is water resistant and completely mop friendly.”
DIY
Grand Designs Abroad — Straw Bale House, France
A very engaging story of building a modern strawbale house in a very traditional area of France. Grand Designs does it again. They excel at revealing the personal side of homebuilding.
Grand Designs S11E05 timber-framed house using recycled materials
“Kevin follows the progress made by estate manager Ed Waghorn and his wife Rowena, a couple who live an almost self-sufficient life with their four children on a smallholding in Herefordshire. They have been creating a timber-framed house using recycled materials.”
Earthbag Roundhouse Construction 6 Months In
This is a very nice, dirt cheap house. The adobe looking finished walls are particularly nice. Skip the video ahead to 3:05 if you want to see what the walls will eventually look like once finished.
Natural Buildings for Urban Living (part 2)
“The Craftsman-style bungalow looks normal on the outside, but the surprise is on the inside: straw bales inside the framing provide super insulation. Natural builder Lydia Doleman designed this 800-square-foot small-footprint house to last centuries, with its metal roof and strong foundation. She used reclaimed lumber and recycled materials extensively. Hot water pipes warm the earthen floors and replace energy-intensive concrete. Day-to-day usage is low impact: composting toilet, vegetative roof and rainwater catchment, LED lighting, and solar hot water.”
Natural Building in Argentina
Amazing home tour of a permaculture institute in Argentina — one of the biggest hot spots of natural building in the world with over 250 houses. They show an endless stream of innovative ideas such as cob bricks with corn cob insulation. This is a must see for all natural builders.