This post is quoted from the Rivers of Land website. Even though their site hasn’t been maintained for a long time, they do have some very good ideas to think about. I wish them the best. Maybe another group can accomplish something similar? Who are we? We are people who have always wanted to live … Read more
From time to time we answer reader’s questions. James: I wanted to build with straw bales, but a builder friend advised me not to go with this type of construction here in Texas because of the problem of fire ants building nests in the straw. Owen: No one building system is perfect for every situation. … Read more
We received the following tip from Birgit in Tanzania, where no clay is available. Thanks for sharing. As you probably know, clay is typically used in earthbags as a binder. Clay is available in most areas, but not where Birgit lives. Birgit’s solution is to “use what’s locally available and affordable: 40% volcanic dust (which … Read more
For those who are curious about how to finish interior earthbag walls, take a look at this video by American Clay. Their website explains how “earthen plasters allow you to infuse your office with the texture, color and character of the natural world. Transform your home from a place you live into a place with … Read more
The specifications for reinforced earthbag walls in seismic regions from Structure1.com describe how to attach shear walls to earthbag walls. Properly built shear walls add a great deal of strength to earthbag structures, but are seldom discussed. I thought a detailed drawing of this feature would be helpful. The drawing below illustrates the key concepts. … Read more
Working in teams of three to build earthbag structures is often the most efficient. You could use fewer or more workers per team, but three seems like the most efficient in most cases. Worker #1: Filling buckets, moistening and mixing soil Worker #2: Carrying buckets of soil from worker #1 to worker #3 Worker #3: … Read more