Building With Compressed Earth Blocks

[Denim Deb]

Am I correct in thinking that this wouldn't work in other parts of the country where we get more rain?

 

[Flying J]

Much like it's first cousin adobe, this method is suited for the drier southwest climate. The soil in wetter areas have too much organic matter to begin with for even making these blocks. Once made being so wet, the moisture in the atmosphere would deteriorate these blocks quick like.

 

[Flying J]

Earth bag construction might be an option if you are set on using earth as your medium.

 

[baymule]

Is this your camp house or full time home? Do you plant a garden too?

 

[Flying J]

Actually it is built on a corner of our 3 acre property. Probably best described as an adult fort, though I could easily live in it if I had to. Also, a good guest house if we have any visitors.

My wife likes to plant a garden, although because of the heavy drought here in the southwest, we have not been planting as much as we used to.

 

[baymule]

Very nice garden. The pictures are real nice, like the fence around the garden!

 

[Flying J]

That is what they call Coyote Fencing around here. Normally these are all lined up side by side, close together and makes a sturdy fence. But I didn't have enough to do this. So it works as a nice decoration and it keeps the deer out.

 

[sumi]

O.K. here goes. I've taken pics of 3 different earth/mud houses, ranging from needing some fixing up, to desperately needing some fixing up, to beyond help. These are all quite old and have been abandoned years ago, hence the disrepair. I've taken some close-ups to show how they were build and what the weather and elements did to the blocks once the plaster got damaged.

What I really love about these is how the walls melts away when exposed to rain over time. You don't get much more environment friendly than that!

First house:

The mesh is used to keep the cement plaster mix in place.

Here you can see how the blocks literally melted away in the rain, over time.

Interesting difference between older and newer walls.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I love it and could live there. You did a great job on it, a Homesteaders dream home.

can you imagine someone passing through back in the 1800's they would think that was a castle.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Wow sumi alot of work went into building those homes.