I haven’t heard from the owner of this rice hull house in a few years. Yesterday I came across some new comments by the builder and thought it would make a good update. A reader had sent a message pointing out how rice hull houses can be built like the strawbale house the other day. (Round, pipe bond beam, etc.) So yeah, here you go. Here’s the step-by-step directions for a rice hull house. Note how lightweight fill materials such as rice hulls require some extra reinforcement from rebar, posts, buttresses, etc. for stability. In contrast, heavy earthbags filled with tamped soil are much more stable. Also note how Paul added wide roof overhangs to better protect the walls.
easy to build
$100 Cabin made of Black Locust and an Old Billboard for the Roof
“See an example of a cabin made from black locust wood and an old billboard that is around 300 sq. ft. and costs right around $100 to make. This cabin will be a great three season home or can be insulated later with straw bales to make a comfortable place to live. All resources sourced locally for minimal gas use to get them. The main cost is in the Black Locust ‘slabwood’ from a local mill (waste, or offcuts of wood) at $75 in total for three $25 truck loads, and ~$25 in high quality #2 square driven PGP screws (2.5″ mainly, and some 1.25″ for roof battons and side wall batton fastening.)”
Do-It-Yourself Earthbag Building: Yes You Can!
Description: This article explores the growing popularity of earthbag building (also called sandbag building) and how it can be used to provide affordable housing that’s simple enough for do-it-yourselfers to build their own home. By using dirt-cheap building materials (earth, sand, gravel, recycled materials, etc.) and eliminating expensive contractors and specialized equipment, the cost of … Read more