A blog post entitled “Earthbag, Superadobe, Hiperdobe, Why Not Hiperpapercrete?” caught my eye. The author makes a very good case for filling mesh tubing with damp papercrete. Here is how he explains it: “I have recently been reading up about earthbag/superadobe construction. One of the new techniques that some earthbaggers are very excited about utilizes … Read more
“Once you have selected your site, you need to choose your stones. Look for rocks with angular faces—they stack better and a give a firmer repose. Rounded rocks are almost impossible to build into a wall without using copious amounts of mortar. An ideal rock has six parallel faces (like a brick). Regretfully, there aren’t … Read more
The way to save the most money on your new home is to build it yourself. Anyone who has priced new houses or gotten bids for remodeling knows how expensive contractors are. If you build with conventional modern materials, houses tend to be quite complex and beyond the scope of DIYers, so most people end … Read more
Most people probably think of boring, mud brown color when they hear of natural plaster. In actuality, natural plasters come in limitless colors and variations, and so I’ve decided to do regular features on this topic. Image source: Natural Wonder Creations Image source: American Clay (slow Flash site, but excellent content) Image source: Mariah Kaminsky … Read more
Wiki: Naturally rot-resistant woods These species are resistant to decay in their natural state, due to high levels of organic chemicals called extractives, mainly polyphenols. Extractives are chemicals that are deposited in the heartwood of certain tree species as they convert sapwood to heartwood. Huon pine, merbau, ironbark, tōtara, puriri, kauri, and many cypresses, such … Read more
“This is a banker’s worst nightmare — a book that tells you how to live without being enslaved to financial institutions .Chelsea Green has produced a formidable series of books on innovative shelter. But every alternative building strategy, no matter how low-cost or environmentally benign, requires a complementary financial strategy. The accepted path is to … Read more