Building houses

[Anchor]

I've been thinking about finding out how to build a permenant dwelling place out of wood or straw.

http://www.strawbale.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_bale_house

http://ptlogcrafters.com/gallery.html

I just started the research. Anyone else got any good links for this stuff.

What happened to the hobbit house thread, I cant find it.

A..

[henners]

Hey Anchor, i posted this one a while ago made from paper and cement, very simple.

http://www.makepapercrete.com/


Great thread Anchor.

[Anchor]

That looks good.

I wonder about the flamability of these materials (wood, paper and straw), especially as I might build in a bushfire zone.

A..

[henners]

The way they do it is to build the house. Then make a more liquid batch of paper/cement mix. Then render the whole thing. When finished, it is very good for insulating against the hot weather. Cool on the inside.

[EarthBowl]

... this is an interest of mine.
I'm on my way out but here are a few links.

rammed earth

http://rammedearth.blogspot.com/

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Moder...ing-Costs.aspx

http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/rammedearth.htm
also other ideas including Earthbag construction.


Rammed Earth video- Melbourne resident John Novotny
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...74008049870920

Adobe or cob also

[alyscat]

Cody Lundin has built one out of rebar and concrete (if you're concerned about fire) -
http://www.codylundin.com/codys_house.html

and there's always the houses built out of cloth (?) tubes filled with earth, barbed wire between the layers, tamped, and then stucco'd. I am looking for the link, but can't find it.

alys

[EarthBowl]

Originally Posted by alyscat

Cody Lundin has built one out of rebar and concrete (if you're concerned about fire) -
http://www.codylundin.com/codys_house.html

and there's always the houses built out of cloth (?) tubes filled with earth, barbed wire between the layers, tamped, and then stucco'd. I am looking for the link, but can't find it.

alys

here's one -earthbag

http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/earthbag.htm

[alyscat]

Oh,yes! I was thinking of using this for a fence, too. (although it would only end up a climbable fence <G>)
alys

[nOslaves]

Originally Posted by Anchor

I've been thinking about finding out how to build a permenant dwelling place out of wood or straw.

http://www.strawbale.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_bale_house

http://ptlogcrafters.com/gallery.html

I just started the research. Anyone else got any good links for this stuff.

What happened to the hobbit house thread, I cant find it.

A..

Hi Anchor,

In my experience it comes down to money vs time.

Are you thinking off building it yourself or getting someone to build it for you, or a bit off both?

A friend of mine didint have much money but thought he had enough time to build the majority of a straw bale house himself. 5 years later his still at it.
The devil is in the detail.

So if you've got the money get help and get it done. IMHO

The straw bale house once rendered will be quite fire resistant, i think the main place you have to keep fire out is your roof. And depending on the size of the fire, can cause quite a challenge. A sprinkler system on your roof would be a good investment.

The straw would have better insulating properties than the wood, so would henners bricks.
I have built a mud brick home, (made our own bricks) and believe me, there is a LOT of work in it.
Is straw bale quicker? I'm not sure, i havent built one, but i have been in a couple and they have a lovely "feel" about them. Quite unique, and softer that a mud brick.

Hope this helps

nOslaves

[judykott]

http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/Qan...hshipQandA.htm
Links to the Ask the Experts page

Michael Reynolds, creator of the Earthship concept, is a world leader in environmental building. He is the author of five books and has 30 years experience designing and building fully self-sufficient homes. The innovative Earthship design combines passive solar heating with thermal mass construction to create buildings that heat and cool themselves without consuming fossil fuels. Earthships create all their own electrical power with sun and wind, collect and treat their own water with integrated water systems. The main building block of the Earthship makes use of one of the worlds most plentiful, and most troublesome “natural resources”, scrap automobile tires. Thousands of Earthships have been built all over the world in the US, Canada, Mexico, Bolivia, Japan, South Africa, Honduras and Belgium. Michael's Earthship/Biotecture website provides a wealth of information about his innovative building concepts

check out the documentary The Garbage Warrior sometime
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=2KYJ0dsd-x0
this is just a trailer for it. I rented it from the video store, it was great

These girls are in British Columbia but they have good info and ideas on their site. I am going to take a course with them this summer.
http://www.mudgirls.ca/Site/upcoming.html

Our natural building workshops vary in location and duration, but are always muddy, fun, inspiring, empowering and hard work. Participants leave with an understanding of natural building and the confidence and inspiration to start their own project: cabin, outhouse, garden shed, oven. Whatever you can dream, you can build!

Each workshop has a focus of learning that goes beyond building. Some examples of these are sustainable living, activism, alternative technology, permaculture, healing with art and play, and earth spirituality.

We aim to share skills and knowledge with folks of any physical and financial ability who want to learn to build naturally. We lead workshops both for women only, and ones for women and men.

We always have child care provided free of charge by a Mudgirl youth facilitator. When there are many children in attendance, parents and other workshop participants help with childcare on a rotational basis.

Generally, three meals a day of organic vegan food is provided during workshops. We charge a small fee to pay for food and a cook. The labour that participants provide is a fair trade for the teaching they receive.

For the upcoming schedule, see left. You can contact us now for more information about our workshops or hiring us.

[EarthBowl]

http://www.mudgirls.ca/Site/upcoming.html
Mud Girls
Magical dwellings...
a desire of mine.
Thanks for sharing this link JudyKott

you tube vids

cob
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abYZLmPwgwQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLf8J7k69j0

Sandbag/ earthbag shelters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ0dq4VmTvw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMNzo...eature=related

Eco Dome
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3R647it4LAg

[Anchor]

You guys are heros. I have a lot of reading to do now! Thanks very much.

Incidently, my motivator was thinking in terms of building not a house for myself but thinking about quickly building a small village(!) to house survivors/people migrating to safe ground.

There wont be much in the way of building materials - so I was wondering about the concrete which seems to be a common theme. I need to research some more about this stuff.

Seems like one of those things it would be a good idea to have a stash off.

A..

[nOslaves]

Originally Posted by Anchor

You guys are heros. I have a lot of reading to do now! Thanks very much.

Incidently, my motivator was thinking in terms of building not a house for myself but thinking about quickly building a small village(!) to house survivors/people migrating to safe ground.

There wont be much in the way of building materials - so I was wondering about the concrete which seems to be a common theme. I need to research some more about this stuff.

Seems like one of those things it would be a good idea to have a stash off.

A..

Hi Anchor,

Cement would be a great building material to store for this purpose.

Also a heap of second hand roofing iron, some "soft" fencing wire.(Great for tying timber together) And some silicon.

Its amazing what you can do with these basics.

nOslaves