The Dirt Cheap Builder
Taylor Publishing, Eureka, California
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Mosque photo courtesy Spectacular Vernacular.
ADOBE & RAMMED EARTH /Building
with Earth
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New!... Old Booklets from the 1930's-1960's. If
you are curious about earthen and adobe building these are a good,
inexpensive resource to start with.
Modern Pise Building:House building with compressed or rammed earth -
A revelation for the Farmer and Settler-1923 : by karl & inez
ellington, 105 page booklet, xerographic. It is amazing to realize that
Ellington traveled all over Europe and the USA promoting the rammed earth
method. He stipulates that each man or "settler" should take advantage
of the soil beneath his feet and build a "cozy little home". He
describes the foundation, selecting soil; mixing, formworks and a
variety of lime washes. (This is the earliest reference to cooked
wheat paste described.) Dozens of photos of houses in Norway, sweden,
denmark, france, New Mexico & English cob. Covers walls with cross
section diagrams showing construction methods, roof design, attachment.
Gives recipes for finish coating walls - limewash and plasters.
Black and white diagrams throughout. Inez Ellington was a woman who
actively promoted rammed earth houses and the "country life". You get a
real sense of life in the 1920s, a most charming booklet. (There is a
photo of an odd earth block ram press which can only be described as a
'contraption'-levers and gears everywhere!)
#2015..$14.00...
ORDER HERE
Inez and Karl Ellington answered letters from all over the
world about building with rammed earth.
Building with Adobe& Stabilized-Earth Blocks- 1964 : Leaflet #535,
usda . 8 page booklet, 5"x7" size, xerographic. Describes selecting
soil; mixing, molding and curing adobe bricks with a form mold and with
a Cinva Ram block press (ram photo shown). Explains building walls with
cross section diagrams showing construction methods, roof design and
attachment. Gives recipes for finish coating walls (plasters)- a
casein & TSP wash, limewash and lime plasters. Black and white diagrams
throughout. #535..$2.00....
Free with these Books
Alternative papercrete blocks can be
used like adobe bricks to build walls. Papercrete also serves as the
mortar. (Visit the dirt cheap houses link to learn more)
Adobe Construction Methods: Manual 19 : by lw neubauer. 35 page
booklet, 5"x7" size, xerographic. A very thorough primer for Adobe!
Explains how to make and build with adobe bricks. Soil selection,
stabilization and waterproofing with cement, emulsified asphalt, lime
are detailed. Describes how to build and mortar walls, place lintels,
windows, doors, and build roofs. Shows diagrams of construction details
from foundation to roof, with correct measurements given. Covers
finishing, painting, limewashing, fireplaces and chimneys,. Even
describes other tamped earth methods such as English Cob, rammed earth,
poured adobe; with photos and diagrams of formworks used. Black and white
photos throughout, produced by uc California Agricultural Sciences Dept
,1964. #19...$10.00..ORDER HERE
Adobe& Sun Dried Brick for Farm Buildings-1934 : Farmers'
Bulletin #1720, USDA . 18 page booklet, 5"x7" size, xerographic. This
wonderful little booklet has photos of 1930s adobe buildings and
laborers constructing them; to teach rural farmers this very low cost,
fireproof building method. Describes mixing, molding and curing adobe
bricks. Explains mud and lime mortars, coal-tar paints, when and how to
apply finish plasters. Covers windows, doors, roofs, footings,
foundations and chimneys with dimensions given. Shows photo of a very
low cost roof of cottonwood logs/willow twig and straw, coated with adobe
mud/sod. Black and white photos throughout #1720...$5.00...
ORDER HERE
Visit the Paper Adobe and Papercrete
Information page. You can mix earth plus other fibers to make low cost
bricks and walls.
Rammed Earth Walls for Buildings- 1926 :Farmers' Bulletin #1500,
USDA, 26 page 5"x7", xerographic ... This is the great 1926 edition with
photos, drawings and complete low tech construction information on
rammed earth. The US Government produced this booklet as part of a
series, to show farmers and poor rural folks how to build a house from
earth (pise' de terre). Praises rammed earth over cob for ease of
construction. The building information, tools and formworks description
needed for manual wall building are ideal for anyone wanting to learn
this method. 26 pages, xerographic, b&w photos of houses and tools,
formworks, plus sketches throughout. A very thorough little guide!
#2012...SALE..$6.00...
ORDER HERE
Rammed Earth Walls for Farm Buildings-1933, Bulletin 277 South
Dakota State College. 67 pages, xerographic. This book extensively
explores the soils and methods used for successful RE construction.
Covers many plaster and finishing tests, with recommendations for lime,
asphalt, cement "cream" and linseed oil. Provides charts on aggregates %
in soil for best compression, and other useful construction information
from footings to roof. The ag. Dept. built an experimental poultry house
and recorded all experiments thoroughly to inform others on successful RE
building. This booklet refers to #2012 Rammed Earth Walls, shown on the
Adobe page, and to Ellington's "Modern Pise Buildings" from 1923 (see
above). The photos are very poor due to xerography, but the text
information is most valuable for anyone wanting to avoid problems during
manual rammed earth building. 67 pages, booklet, xerographic, b/w photos
and drawings. #277...SALE ...$10.00...
Order Here
Adobe ...Build It Yourself by P.G. Mchenry. A primer for the
owner builder that covers all aspects of designing and building your own
adobe home. This book is considered the bible by the thousands who have
built their own adobe homes. Shows fireplace designs and a kiva style
fireplace. 9 x 12, 157 pages, photos, drawings, index, paperback.
#2002...$27.50...ORDER HERE *Note: This may be a good book to combine for
actual house construction with the new Papercrete/Fibrous Cement block
building technique found in "All About Papercrete"
Adobe And Rammed Earth Building: Design and Construction by
P.G. McHenry. A definitive work on all aspects of adobe brick and
rammed earth building, on a global scale. Photos of examples from all
over the world, and alternative design details to fit every climate and
situation. Includes the ubc and New Mexico Code for adobe. 8.5 x 11,
217 pages, photos and drawings, index, paperback.
NOTE: "The Rammed Earth House", is out of print, this book has similar information in chapters, about rammed earth methods, formworks, building details.
Or choose "Modern Pise"-$13., "Rammed Earth Walls"-$6., "Rammed Earth Walls for Farm Buildings"-$10. , and "Earth Wall Construction"-$11. booklets, also listed on this website.
#2003...$27.50...Order Here
BACK in PRINT: Earth Plasters for Straw Bale Homes
: By Keely Meagan of Earth Artisans, NM ...$#1056...$14.00
Also great for clay plaster recipes for cob, adobe, and other natural walls. read more at the dirtcheapbuilder.com site.
VIEW & ORDER this BOOK HERE 
Photo: Keely Meagan: earth plaster.
NEW...The Natural Plaster Book Earth, Lime and Gypsum Plasters for Natural Homes By Cedar Rose Guelberth and Dan Chiras
For builders of natural homes (straw bale, cob, adobe, rammed earth, and other natural materials), this unique step-by-step guide takes the confusion out of choosing, mixing, and applying natural plasters.
From principles to practicalities, and with every stage of the process illustrated, The Natural Plasters Book details the entire process of plastering with earth, lime, and gypsum for a long-lasting and durable finish. Starting with an overview and history of the natural building movement, the book handles a wide variety of topics including earthen plaster versus cement stucco, tools and techniques of the trade, plaster recipes, and pigmenting plaster or painting walls with natural paints.
First-time builders will appreciate tips on common mistakes (and how to avoid them) discussed at each stage of the plastering process. Special focus is paid to the importance of planning and designing for earthen plasters— before building begins.
The only comprehensive guide available on natural plasters, this book is written for the growing number of people who have decided to build their own natural homes as well as for professionals. Heavily illustrated with practical drawings and photographs, it also includes an extensive resource guide listing books, magazines, videos, builders, and suppliers. book cover
Cedar Rose Guelberth has been working with natural home construction and plaster techniques for 25 years and is a nationally recognized natural building educator and consultant.
Paperback - 304 pages 9 Inches x 8 Inches
#N-NPB....$31.00View & ORDER Here
Appropriate Plasters For Cob
(earthen) & Stone Walls ... This pamphlet produced by the Devon,
England Earth Building Association (where hundreds of cob cottages
exist) covers use of lime renders and washes for protection and repair of
earthen cob and stone. Gives mixes, directions preparation methods,
resources in the UK. Imported, 8 pages, xerographic. #1014...$5.00...Order Here
The Rammed Earth House by David Easton NOW OUT OF PRINT- PLEASE CHOOSE OTHER LESS COSTLY BOOKLETS FROM THE WEBSITE WHICH ALSO TEACH USING MANUAL FORMWORKS AND CONSTRUCTION
Presents the methods that work for doing rammed-earth building cost
The Renaissance of Rammed Earth-VIDEO
An age-old traditional building method, and its exciting future in
natural building. Author, engineer and earth builder David Easton hosts
this documentary on the current construction methods in use and
historical use, 31 minutes An age-old traditional building method, and
its exciting future in natural building. #2008...$30.00 ...Order Here
Taylor Publishing offers an 11 page design-set of plans for making
a ceb compressed earth bock press ...aka Cinva Ram. (used by
Fernco Metal to make the unit shown here.) Design based on engineered
specifications for manual earth block press is provided. All
dimensions are given in millimeters. Press was developed and engineered
in third world countries for manual use. Welding of parts is recommended
as part of assembly, and mechanical expertise is necessary to build these
block presses. Xerographic, 30+ pages total information, sold "as is" as
received from my resources. This means the plans are shown in mm, not
inches, and you need a CAD or other program to convert; no lengthy
assembly description is given. Booklet #535 Building with Adobe &
Stabilized-Earth Blocks, and #1720 Adobe & Sun Dried Bricks booklet
($8.00 value) are included. Earth Press Plan set ..Item #
2010...$50.00..ORDER HERE
Adobe & Cinva Ram Earth Block Information Kit If you aren't
ready to build a Cinva Ram brick maker yourself but want extensive
information on manual adobe making with slop molds, forms, and rams...
then this is for you. This is over 30 pages of information on adobes.
Some materials are from the 1930s-40s and many photos are shown of a ram
and its operation to make soil blocks. Information describes soil
testing, mixing, additives, curing , plus adobe construction codes, and
building with soil blocks. Booklet #535 Building with Adobe &
Stabilized-Earth Blocks, and #1720 Adobe & Sun Dried Bricks booklet
($8.00 value) are included. All materials are xerographic. Item
#2013...$18.00...Order Here
The Mississippi State School of Architecture bought this planset in Feb
2000, and conducted a class to build one. See lots of photos and
excellent test brick performance data online at:
http://www.sarc.msstate.edu/gore/cinvablocks/cinva.html
Cinva Ram Producers:
A CEB press made from these plans is now offered by Warren Fernsler
(shown at right) at 505-354-7102 (toll free 877-369-1699) at
Fernco Metal, price is approx $895 plus S&H, makes a 4"x6"x8" block,
online information at the website:
http://www.ferncometal.com
Packer Presser in Belen, NM also produces a block press for $1500.
Mike Gross of Terra Block in Orlando, FL offers an automated
brick-a-minute machine, and larger production brick makers.
407-325-2738, www.terra-block.com
Stabilization with lime-
Fundamentals of Soils ...#1024...$6.00, by Dr. Dallas Little Texas A &M 1987,
reprinted 1997 Technical paper presented to
the NLA on stabilization of soils with lime.
21 pages, soil minerology, clay water system, clay-lime system.
Includes additional articles on lime in building use.
Hydrated Lime is used in many projects to prevent
swelling, heaving and soil problems, dry up mud,
provide strong base for house foundations and more.
Excellent research information provided.
Lime is an excellent binder for all types of clay-
used for plaster, blocks, mud suppression and more.
Order here
Build Your Own Earth Oven by Kiko Denzer
New Edition, expanded to 100 pages, color photos!
. Learn how easy and practical an outdoor baking oven is to
build and use. The design is a two layer retained heat oven,
and can be built with onsite materials such as earth and
sand, and uses a brick base-floor, or even an earthen floor.
These ovens burn a small amount of wood, get very hot,
and allow you to bake breads and meals slowly after the
coals have been raked out.
.
Item #1003...$15.00...ORDER HERE
All About Lime: A Basic Information Guide...by Charmaine R.
Taylor. Many questions are answered in this book in a binder on using
lime and gypsum. Explained are slaking quicklime, soaking hydrated
lime, the differences between Type S and N, when to use each, how to make
a natural cements, dry up mud on the worksite, and stabilize soil for
earthen bricks (for Cinva Ram block presses and others). Lime is an
amazing, very versatile building material which can be used for walls,
plasters, mortars, cements, garden and land tilth use, and in the
waste/septic system. Chapters on plaster and mortar give recipes and
current recommendations on mixing, application and use. A complete
history details how lime was used for building, and how it can be used
again for an earth friendly alternative to Portland cement.
Lists lime resources,
websites, other booklets, ASTM info, bibliography. Technical usage
articles on lime based plaster and mortars. Illustrated, photographs, 52
pages, booklet. #1009...$13.00...
Order Here
Free, downloadable articles on using lime
Lime Plaster on Lath article|Limewash article|Lime Renders
article|
This is the OLD website for The Dirt Cheap Builder. To order books fast and easy online please click on this Webstore link. It will take you to the same books shown here, and more!
Visit this Papercrete information page for basic instruction
and this
page on Fibercrete-Cobwood & Alternative recipes
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