We used pre-made panels of thatch to roof our roundhouse. Thatching is usually very slow and laborious, but we thatched our roundhouse in just one day and for only $100. That’s why I love thatch panels – they’re very inexpensive and all the tedious work has already been done. And they work great on round … Read more
Co-founders Hubert Huot and Julien Balmer in Koh Phangan, Thailand have started a new website to promote earthbag building. Their jungle hillside property on Koh Phangan island is a tropical paradise and was the site of a workshop I was involved with in May. There are numerous beautiful structures at Phangan Earthworks that you can … Read more
I’ve just started a YouTube channel about earthbag building in hopes of seeing this building method spread more quickly, and to help improve the standard of construction. It’s easier for many people to learn by watching rather than just reading about it, and it’s a fun way to pass some time. Hope you enjoy it. … Read more
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
From time to time we’ll post answers to readers’ questions. Q: How do earthbag structures compare to military sand bag bunkers? A: We know sand bags have been in use by the military for a very long time, possibly as long as 250 years. See Earthbag History Footnote. We also know sand bags (earthbags) are … Read more
From time to time we’ll post answers to reader’s questions. Q: What methods can be used to close the ends of earthbags? A: Most people fold the bag ends over and then butt the folded end tight against the previous bag. (This keeps the contents intact and prevents spillage.) That’s the fastest way. If money … Read more