Do you want to learn how to use soil combined with other natural materials such as straw, timber and stones to build ecologically ?
Soil is made of clay, silt and sand. It has many interesting quality to build, it is naturally abundant, economical, some are antibacterial, its unique physical and chemical properties makes it a natural humidity and temperature regulator that improves the comfort of your home, whether a traditional stone or wooden house or a modern building in concrete. It gets fresher in summer, warmer and less humid in winter. However, it is labour intensive, this is why it is a great way to build community and social connections.
Depending on your soil texture, how much clay, silt an sand, it will be suited for different applications or building technique. We can help you to find out.
As a professional clay mason, I love to share. I can teach you and your crew how to build with soil and supervise your raw earth building projects. What can you learn?
- Assess your soil texture for building potential
- Learn how to make clay/adobe bricks and build with adobe bricks
- Learn how to make cob and build with cob
- Learn how to build with rammed earth
- How to make a clay plaster as a main layer for mass or thermal correction (straw, hemp or wood chips) or as a finishing render, and how to apply it.
- Learn how to make a clay insulation corrective plaster or wall
- Learn how to use straw bales to build a wall
- Learn how to use clay with lime and other materials to amend its properties
- Learn how to make an earthen floor
- Learn how to prepare clay paints
- Learn how to make a clay or lime stucco or tadelakt
- Learn how to make a decorative clay sgraffito
More examples on here