Earthen house – technology of construction with your own hands

Envision residing in a house that serves as a peaceful addition to the environment rather than merely a place of refuge. Welcome to the world of earthen houses, a time-tested building method that’s becoming more and more popular due to its exceptional insulation qualities, affordability, and eco-friendliness.

Commonly referred to as cob houses or adobe houses, earthen houses are constructed with basic materials such as straw, clay, and occasionally lime. For centuries, people from different cultures have used these abundant and inexpensive natural materials to build safe and comfortable homes.

Having the chance to build an earthen house yourself is one of its most alluring features. For those who enjoy doing things themselves, the process is surprisingly simple, despite first appearing intimidating. You can design a one-of-a-kind home that embodies your values and strengthens your bond with the land if you have the right advice and are prepared to work hard.

But why go with earthen architecture instead of traditional building techniques? To begin with, earthen homes have remarkable thermal qualities that allow you to stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer without having to rely too heavily on air conditioning and heating systems. This not only lessens your impact on the environment but also, over time, lowers your energy costs.

Houses from cans

Not able to locate a suitable pumpkin? Not a problem! You can use polymer clay and jars to create fairy houses. A jar with a screw-on lid is required. Use of a half-liter jar is possible. It will take more polymer clay than a pumpkin house. Stacks are required for applying foil and texture.

1. The foil is used to roll a three-dimensional ball.
2. Forcefully press it into the jar with the lid on. You"ll get a hollow.
3. Glue the foil ball to the lid.
4. From the ball mold the desired shape of the mushroom cap – pointed, round or with curved margins.
5. Unscrew the lid and cover the mushroom cap with a thin layer of polymer clay, making the structure of the mushroom on the inside of the cap with stacks in the form of plates or sponges.
6. Roll out the clay and apply it to the jar, completely covering it. If there is not enough for the bottom, make a patch.
7. Stacks cut a window, draw shutters, door, house number. Mold a pipe and imitate brickwork on it. Over the door make a visor, but do not attach it.
8. Pour water into the jar and put it in the oven. The roof of the house and small parts are placed side by side. Bake according to the instructions.
9. Assemble everything done, glue the visor and pipe. The finished house is painted with acrylics, after drying it is covered with acrylic varnish.

Gouache will spread beneath the varnish if it is used. Additionally, some watercolors. In gouache, add PVA glue if acrylic paint isn’t available.

Advantages and disadvantages of houses made of clay

The affordability of building materials is thought to be the primary benefit of earthen technology. You can easily find the cheapest raw materials in a quarry or even on your own land, which is all that will be needed for construction. Expensive tools and specialized equipment are not needed for the task.

Additional benefits of clay-built homes include:

• the possibility of constructing any building according to your own project;
• easy correction of defects and making changes to the project directly during construction;
• low risk of clay ignition, no open burning even in direct contact with fire;
• complete safety and environmental friendliness of materials;
• Formation of a special microclimate inside the dwelling (warm in winter, cool in summer);
• low thermal conductivity of clay walls, ability to accumulate heat;
• hygroscopicity – the ability to absorb and release moisture.

The strict seasonality of material preparation and house construction is one of the drawbacks. The raw material should have a medium fat content, and the clay must be extracted during the summer. If not, the house won’t acquire the required power. Only warm, dry weather is suitable for work, and all phases require a lot of labor and take a long time to complete. It is preferable to enlist assistance when building a house because it is impractical to attempt block preparation and clay mixing by yourself.

Another drawback of the technology is that it will require careful moisture protection for the outside of the house because unfinished walls can decay. Since the mortar is made of adobe, which is a combination of clay and straw, rodents are frequently drawn to it. The building’s lower portion must be plastered over and protected with a special grid to stop deterioration.

Types of clay masonry

There are several methods for building houses with clay technology. Here is a description of the three primary methods.

Formwork

The removable formwork technique is employed more frequently than the others. Make a clay, sand, and straw mixture first, and then pack it into a formwork that is no higher than 20 cm. The upper portion of the layer is formed in the shape of a ridge to increase the adhesion between each successive layer and the preceding one. Reed stalks are laid on top of the layers to reinforce them if needed. After the first layer has set and dried, fresh layers of clay mixed with straw are added, but before a thick crust forms.

Block masonry

The clay is mixed, then the bricks are formed and given time to dry fully. The completed product is used to create brick-like constructions. Bricks are smeared with a clay-sand mixture in between rows. Since the mortar hardens and solidifies quickly, all of the mortar that was kneaded to make bricks is used all at once.

Bag masonry

Among all available technologies, this one is thought to require the least amount of labor. It entails building walls out of bags filled with mortar made of clay. It will take less time to complete the construction, and the final product will be extremely sturdy. The following is the workflow for the "bag" technology:

• Strong polypropylene bags are filled with the construction mixture with clay;
• Tamp the bags to make them close to a rectangular shape;
• the necks are sealed with galvanized wire;
• The first row of bags is laid, compacted once again and moistened with water;
• top distribute and fasten with staples barbed wire, form a seam of a mixture of sand, clay, lime and cement;
• lay the next layer of bags, repeat similar manipulations;
• additional strength of the construction is given with the help of sharpened steel rebar, hammering it vertically right through the bags;
• give the solution to dry and gain strength, then arrange the floor and roof, make a concrete screed on the floor;
• While the house does not have a roof, cover it from above with a polyethylene film or roofing felt.

Additives in the construction mixture

An earthen house is built using a specifically mixed adobe mixture.

An especially prepared adobe mixture is used to build an earthen house. The ingredients for the mortar are water, clay, sand, and straw. However, it is first important to ascertain the clay’s fatness percentage. You can use an experiment to determine the building material’s fat content, or you can submit the clay for analysis.

Constructing a home out of adobe by hand

Thus, sand and clay are combined in various containers with varying ratios (1:0,5; 1:0,3; 1:0,25). Balls are rolled up after adding water to the loose ones until a plastic mass is formed. For one to two weeks, the elements are dried. Simultaneously note how the balls maintain their smoothness and do not break. The ideal mixture of sand and clay is one in which the dried ball retains its shape and does not break or crumble. This ball must also stay intact after falling from a height of at least one meter.

These raw materials are added to the adobe mixture as additives:

• Cutting of dry straw or linen fiber. This component acts as a reinforcement and makes the clay blocks/walls strong and sturdy. In addition, by adding straw to the mixture, it is possible to make the adobe lighter.
• Lime. Allows to strengthen the strength of the blocks and protects the finished walls of the house from rot, blooming, etc.
• Cement. It is possible to add no more than 10% of the total mass of the mixture in order to make the blocks more monolithic.
• Fire retardants and plasticizers will make the mixture more pliable in work. Although the clay adobe composition is already quite plastic in work.

Technique of work execution

There are multiple steps in the technology involved in constructing an earthen house or an addition to an existing house.

There are various steps involved in the technology of constructing an earthen house or an addition to an existing one:

Inexpensive summer home built by yourself

• Preparation of material in the form of clay and straw;
• Preparation of sites for mixing mortar and drying blocks;
• Production of adobe bricks;
• Wall masonry.

Let’s examine each step in more detail.

Material preparation

• It is desirable to prepare clay in full for winter. If it will lay in the frost, its final strength will increase in times. That is why it is not recommended to use freshly harvested material.
• It is also better to prepare straw from the August harvest. Dry and settled, it will become a reliable reinforcing fiber for earthenite.

Site preparation

In order to construct an earthen house in compliance with all regulations, building sites must be ready.

• To build an earthen house according to all the rules, it is necessary to prepare construction sites. The first is intended for kneading adobe mortar. Its parameters should be 2.5×2.5 meters with a recess of 40-50 cm. It is desirable to cover the bottom with oilcloth.
• The second site should be located in the sun and have a slope. Here the ready-made adobe blocks will be dried at the initial stage.
• The third area should be lined with boards or pallets for the final drying of adobe bricks. This site is arranged in the shade, in a well ventilated place.

Preparation of blocks

On the site, beneath a slope, the formed bricks are carefully knocked out and allowed to dry.

• So, let"s start preparing adobe bricks. For this purpose we pour clay and sand into the prepared pit in the ratio chosen by the experimental method. Wet everything thoroughly with water, pouring it in layers. So leave the mixture for 2-3 days so that it soaks well.
• Then pour the prepared and moistened straw into the adobe. It is desirable to crumple it beforehand, so as not to hurt your feet when kneading.
• The whole mass is kneaded out with feet. You can invite friends or neighborhood kids to do this.
• Ready saman is tamped into molds. Excess is cut off with a steel wire or fishing line. At the same time, five holes are formed in the blocks so that water can freely leave the blocks.
• The formed bricks are carefully knocked out on the site at a slope, and left like this until the evening.
• Then the blocks are transferred to the shade and laid on the rib. Complete drying of bricks takes 6-9 days.

To guarantee ventilation, space the blocks apart by 5-7 centimeters. It is suggested that you turn the bricks over once every 24 hours. The completed block doesn’t break when it falls and has a smooth, light-colored surface.

Wall masonry

1. The walls of an earthen house are installed on a pre-prepared and waterproofed foundation. Lay adobe bricks in rows interlocking, using clay-sand mortar. Recommendation from professionals – do not install more than two rows of blocks, otherwise the masonry will not have time to dry out.
2. In the places of window and door openings, it is necessary to lay wooden lintels in such a way that their edges go into the walls for 15 cm on each side. The tree must be waterproofed.
3. To strengthen the adobe walls at the corners, you can use the stalk of reeds. It is laid like a reinforcing rod, bending it at right angles.

Pumpkin houses

The craftsman always finds a use for natural materials. Bottle-shaped decorative lagenaria can serve as the foundation for a circular home with a detachable roof. Such a pumpkin was once used to store butter or milk, but it can also be used to store food. It keeps the interior naturally humid but prevents light from entering.

For one house, two small pumpkins are needed. The roof will be one. Method:

1. Cut the fruit, take out the pulp, dry the resulting containers.
2. Spruce or pine cones are cut – their scales will be used to make shingles.
3. The base pumpkin is filled with something to make it stable.
4. Glue the cone shingles on the part that will be the roof. Start from the lowest row and work your way up.
5. Polymer clay is used to make a window, door, roses, leaves. All parts are baked in the oven according to the instructions that come with the package.
6. Glue the clay parts using a glue gun.
7. Painting the house with acrylic paints.
8. Cover the work with a water-based sealant varnish.

The roof can be glued if it is made to be immovable. However, you will still need to use two pumpkins and remove the pulp.

Ways of wall installation

There are two methods for building alumina houses: using pre-made blocks or removing the formwork.

There are two methods for building alumina houses:

• Using removable formwork. In this case, the ready mixture is tamped into a removable formwork up to 20 cm high at a time. To ensure better adhesion of each layer with the previous one, the top of the bottom layer is made ridged. The construction can be reinforced with reed stalks, which are laid between the masonry levels. Each new layer of adobe is laid on the slightly dried row, but without waiting for the formation of a crust on its surface.
• Block masonry. In this case, the adobe mixture is used to prepare bricks, which are then laid according to the type of bricklaying with an offset (in front of each other). The same sand and clay mixture acts as a mortar.

Crucial: the mortar that has been ready for block production needs to be mixed all at once. It makes no sense to leave it overnight because its plastic qualities will be lost.

Constructing an earthen house with your own hands presents an eco-friendly and cost-effective approach to sustainable living. By utilizing locally-sourced materials like clay, sand, and straw, alongside minimal cement, individuals can create durable and energy-efficient homes. The process involves forming walls using a technique called cob or adobe, which entails mixing the materials, shaping them into blocks or layers, and allowing them to dry naturally. These homes offer excellent insulation properties, keeping occupants cool in summer and warm in winter, while also reducing the reliance on heating and cooling systems. Embracing the earthen house construction method not only promotes environmental stewardship but also empowers individuals to build homes that are harmonious with nature and tailored to their needs.

Additives to clay

Although straw, clay, sand, and water make up the basic mortar, other ingredients can be added to improve its qualities. The following drugs are the most widely used ones:

1. Linen fiber. If necessary, it can be completely replaced by straw. The fiber makes the clay walls more durable and lightens the whole construction.
2. Lime. Protects the house from rot, mold, prevents insect infestation.
3. Cement. Introduction of the substance into the clay mortar in the volume of 10% of the total mass significantly strengthens the masonry.
4. Plasticizers. Makes mortar more malleable, making it easier to form bricks.
5. Foam glass. Strengthens mortar, reduces shrinkage.
6. Vermiculite or expanded clay. Used to further reduce the thermal conductivity of walls.

How to make a house from a jar

Initially, create the foundation. After kneading the brown plastic, roll it into a layer that is 1.5–2 mm thick. With a stationery knife, trim off any excess material after wrapping the completed workpiece around the jar. Bring the edges flat.

Imitating tree bark, gently press out vertical indentations all over the surface.

Using a stationery knife, cut out a rounded window and a door for the magic house from a jar of polymer clay.

Roll out three round blanks in varying brown hues to construct a door. Combine them and coil them into a log shape. Make oblique cuts and use your fingers to form bars.

Form the door by arranging them side by side. Using a knife, trim off any excess. Place the door into the available space. Use the leftovers to create a window frame.

Roll out a green piece of polymer clay to decorate the bottom of the jar house. Its width should be arbitrary, and it should be slightly higher than the bottom of the door. Its length should match the circumference of the can. Press the knife blade to create the illusion of grass. Form a few grass blades and affix them close to the entrance.

Construct a foil cone for the roof, the base of which should match the lid’s circumference. Roll out a green clay ribbon and wrap it around the cone and lid, encasing the foil completely. Make the surface flat.

Use leaves to adorn the roof. Roll out the plastic using a roller after placing it in a plastic bag. Draw the outline of a leaf with a toothpick or stylus. Using manicure scissors, cut out the blank and take off the foil.

Form numerous leaf shapes and colors to adorn the roof.

To adorn the jar, fashion polymer clay strawberries. Form oval blanks, use a toothpick to progressively press out indentations, and sharpen one edge with your fingers.

Cut the plastic into finely chopped bundles by rolling it out. Shape the blanks into balls by gently pressing them to the surface and forming them with circular movements. Then put the raspberries together.

Combine the blue, black, and purple mixture for the currant berries. Roll out various sized berries. Using a toothpick, form a tail out of beige plastic and press it onto the berry.

Create three currant leaves, stack them, and then add veins. Glue the polymer clay berry decoration to the jar’s side. Halve the berries and arrange the halves on top of the leaves.

Add strawberry leaves to the opposite side for decoration. To maximize the sense of closeness to nature, give them organic curves.

Split the polymer clay strawberries into two halves and utilize them as embellishments for the jar.

How to bake polymer clay in the oven

Novices are afraid to attempt baking the product. However, unfired clay is delicate, so you must maintain a high temperature to safely fix your work. A flaw could initially appear; if the clay is overbaked, bubbles will form and it will burn. The product will become brittle and not bake through if it is removed before the recommended time.

Each component should not be thicker than one centimeter in order for the process to be successful. It is preferable to glue the product made up of several parts. Putting them on a toothpick fires them. Simply insert toothpicks into the crumpled foil that has been spread out at the bottom of the tray. Paper is used to line a baking tray and is used to lay out large parts. You can use standard A4 office paper for this.

The type of clay will determine the baking temperature. It is thirty minutes and 110 degrees for "Fimo." You should purchase a thermometer if you want to be certain of the oven’s temperature. Prototypes should also be baked and examined for fractures. The temperature is then raised for products that are brittle and lowered for products that are burned.

Requirements for the material and its preparation

The required quantity of medium-fat clay is made in the summer and allowed to dry in the frost of the winter, which will significantly boost the material’s strength. We do not advise using clay that has just been picked. The clay’s fat content ought to be relatively average. To achieve the desired limits for the composition’s fat content, an experimental amount of sand is chosen.

Form a small ball (up to 5 cm in diameter) out of a sample of the mixture (sand plus clay), allow it to dry completely, and then launch it from a height equivalent to a person. The ball won’t break or crack if the mass is of a good quality. Harvested in August, straw is laid out and allowed to dry thoroughly. Using raw straw for building is not a good idea as it will eventually rot.

Work sequence

Important phases of construction technology include clearing the site, making adobe bricks, erecting the walls, forming the roof, and finishing the house.

Site preparation

A number of construction sites are ready for the building’s construction. The primary one is for the actual house. One ought to be situated in an arid area with a low soil water table. It is crucial that the house is located in a sunny area and that no big, splaying trees are in the area. Furthermore, the locations for brick production are ready:

1. First site. This is where the adobe mortar will be mixed. The size of the plot should be approximately 2.5*2.5 m, the depression should be 50 cm deep. The bottom is covered with dense film or oilcloth.
2. The second site. It is located in the sun and has a slight slope. Here the finished bricks will be dried.
3. Third site. It is lined with pallets or boards on which the blocks will be allowed to dry out. The site should be in the shade, accessible to the wind.

Foundation

Strip foundations are typically utilized for clay-built homes. Mark the area with ropes and stakes so that the foundation of the house can be built. Next, dig a trench, choosing its width (usually not less than 40 cm) based on the future wall’s dimensions. Generally speaking, the subsurface portion of the foundation is between 0.8 and 1 m deep, but it can go no lower than the soil’s freezing point.

Crushed stone, followed by sand and a well-tamped mass, was found at the bottom of the excavated trench. Create a 0.5-0.7 m high wooden board formwork and add reinforcement in the shape of a 0.25 m mesh grid grid. Use wire to bind the reinforcement. Concrete mixture is poured into the foundation and either manually or mechanically compacted. Give the concrete four to six weeks to dry.

Preparation of blocks

On the prepared site, sand and clay are added to the pit in the necessary ratio—which is decided by experience. Wet the mass layer by layer, then cover it with a film and let it sit for two days. following the addition of previously crushed and moistened straw. The ready mass is firmly packed into the molds using your feet or any other method. A sturdy steel wire is used to cut off the excess. The blocks have five holes to let moisture out.

On the third site, place clay bricks on a slope, wait until dusk, and then allow them to dry in the shade for six to nine days. Leave tiny spaces between bricks to allow air to circulate while they dry. The blanks are changed once every 24 hours.

Wall masonry

The dried bricks are arranged in rows and fixed with mortar made of clay and sand. Work with two rows at a time, allowing them to air dry. Place wood lintels in the space designated for future windows and doors with their edges recessed 15 centimeters into the wall on each side. The wood is first completely waterproofed. Place reed stalks in the corners of the masonry to reinforce it; these can take the place of reinforcement.

Advantages	Disadvantages
Low environmental impact	Labor-intensive construction process
Natural insulation properties	Requires careful site selection

Constructing an earthen house by hand is an eco-friendly construction method and a path toward sustainable living. To build a strong and energy-efficient home, natural materials like earth, sand, and straw are used in the process.

The thermal mass characteristics of earthen architecture are among their main benefits. The earthen walls’ ability to absorb heat during the day and release it gradually at night contributes to the natural regulation of indoor temperatures. For individuals who want to lessen their environmental impact, this means cheaper energy costs for heating and cooling.

The accessibility and affordability of constructing an earthen house are additional advantages. In contrast to traditional building materials, earth can be easily found in most areas and requires little preparation before use. Because of this, it’s an affordable choice for do-it-yourselfers or those on a limited budget.

Additionally, because of their organic textures and earthy tones that blend in perfectly with the surrounding environment, earthen houses have a distinctive aesthetic appeal. They offer a more grounded living experience and a sense of connection to the environment, which cultivates a greater appreciation for sustainable living methods.

In summary, building an earthen house by hand involves more than just providing a place to live; it also involves adopting a way of life that emphasizes simplicity, sustainability, and harmony with the environment. Using the age-old method of building with earth, you can design a home that is not only beautiful, economical, and distinctively yours, but also energy- and environmentally-efficient.

Video by topic

Pouring monolithic adobe – free walls/ Cheapest construction/new life

Guys BUILD a modern house out of clay clay! How much does such a cheap construction cost…

Dachniki laughed at the man who built a house from wood and clay! And now everyone wants one of these!

Building the most budget-friendly house. Step-by-step construction process

building clay house walls

WHAT TO ADD to clay for strength part 2 | Crack-free clay bricks with your own hands!