Earthbag Building / Superadobe / Rammed Earth
earthbag
Traditional Post and Beam Barn Home Kits
“Pole barn dwellings are much different than post and beam barn homes. The only similarity between a pole barn and a post and beam barn is that they both have upright posts that support the frame of the barn.
Jon Jondai – Life is Easy
This is one of the best videos I’ve seen in a while. Jon Jondai does an excellent job of weaving together the importance of natural building and creating a happy life. It’s well worth turning up the volume a little and listening carefully.
Roundwood Open Web Joists
Inspired by projects such as William Castle’s house, featured on our blog yesterday, I set out to design an open web joist using small diameter poles for non-code areas. It’s not as shiny and elegant as manufactured brands, but hey, who can argue with the cost? These trusses would cost just a few dollars apiece if you have a good source of poles. In parts of the U.S., and probably other countries, the poles you would need are practically free. Small trees like this are thinned out to reduce fires and help larger trees reach marketable size. You could use scrap metal for tie plates and cut the cost in half. Barter for a can of screws and you’re talking really dirt cheap.
Build a Home for $10,000 in 10 Days!
These are the type of stories I enjoy most, and what makes Mother Earth News such an incredible resource. In this example, a natural builder has devised a faster, easier timber framing method that looks incredibly practical. The article provides enough details to put the information to use (although more and larger size pics would have been nice).
“The modified timber-framing method William Castle has developed lets him quickly and easily turn this low-cost, local resource into beautiful houses, such as his daughter’s cabin (see the Image Gallery). The shell of the 1,000-square-foot house was built over an existing foundation by a crew of three to four adults and two children in less than 10 days — for less than $10,000!
Weaving Barbed Wire Corners
Guest post by Patti Stouter about another low tech way to reinforce corners in earthquake zones. More methods are explained at EarthbagStructures.com:
“Corners are one of the most vulnerable parts of buildings in earthquakes. Straight wall earthbag construction has not yet been tested on a shake table or in a severe quake. It may absorb vibrations, but we don’t know for sure yet. Builders need to exercise all caution and build well to save lives.