Building Details
Let’s take a closer look at some of the features of these houses.
My main goal has been to reduce the cost of housing, while also making them sustainable, easy to build and livable. The easiest way to cut costs is to build small, so almost every design is less than 1,000 interior square feet. (All measurements here and on the plans are always expressed as interior measurements.) Most plans are in the 400 to 900 sq. ft. range, with 500 to 800 sq. ft. being the sweet spot. If you have a large family and need more space, there are some plans over 1,000 sq. ft. The most economical plan (and largest) in this category is the Habitat Earthbag House at 980 sq. ft., plus unfinished basement.
As far as house size, I’ve tried to return to the sizes prevalent 50-100 years ago, when an 800 sq. ft. bungalow was perfectly satisfactory. People didn’t feel deprived or poor in these houses. In fact, 800 sq. ft. is spacious in comparison to many houses around the world. Our current attitude of larger is better needs to change to meet the reality of dwindling resources, lack of affordable housing and global climate change. Not only are small houses less expensive to build, they’re also easier to clean, and have lower utility and maintenance costs.
I’ve tried to offer a wide range of sizes and styles, because everyone wants something different. Over time, I’ll add more plans according to the feedback I receive. And keep in mind, these plans are just suggestions. They’re not etched in stone. It’s not that difficult to stretch things this way and that.
Please note: many construction details such as dimensions and patios are not shown on preliminary drawings.
Cost: This is probably the most common question of all, and at the heart of everything I do: How much do earthbag houses cost? It’s sort of like asking how much does a car cost. Well, it depends on the size, features, construction details and how much work you are willing to do (versus paying contractors). The short answer is it can cost as much or as little as you want.
As explained on the Introduction page, a small, simple house made of natural building materials could be built by a DIY builder for about $10/sq.ft. This assumes doing most everything yourself and using the low-tech building ideas listed on this site and my other sites. (I have five websites at this time, all on low cost, natural building. They are listed in the menu on the right.) And just to be clear, $10/sq.ft. doesn’t include things like land, building permits and utility hookups. Note: it’s much easier to build this way in rural areas with minimal building codes.
Kitchens
A great deal of thought has gone into the kitchens presented here. Years ago I was a National Kitchen and Bath Association certified designer, and have applied this training toward all of my projects. The key to good kitchen design is an efficient work triangle, which all of my plans have. In general, food moves from the refrigerator, to the sink, to the stove and to the table. There is adequate work space between each area for chopping, mixing and so on. Even though these are small, affordable homes all of the kitchens are quite spacious and very efficient.
Kitchen by Owen Geiger
Cabinets: All cabinets shown are standard sizes – 24” deep base cabinets, 12” deep uppers, except for the 24” deep cabinet above the refrigerator (not shown for clarity). Standard sized cabinets make it easy to add all sorts of organizers: roll-out trays, spice racks, towel racks, recycling bins and so on. I love 24” pantries, and these have been added where space permits. Space is provided for Lazy Susans in corner base cabinets. Don’t settle for standard quality Lazy Susan hardware, it won’t last. Insist on heavy duty hardware, which is only slightly more expensive. You can run the plumbing to the kitchen sink behind this cabinet. Consider adding LED lighting under upper cabinets to brighten the kitchen and reduce eye strain. Add task lighting above each main work area. For attachment of cabinets to earthbag walls, embed wood nailers between rows of bags. For example, you could place 1x4s at several heights to match your cabinet sizes. Adding horizontal 1x2s to the outer edges of the 1x4s makes it easier to screw in cabinets. Another option is to build your own cabinets to save money. One approach is to build the cabinet sides, partitions and countertops, add curtains and finish them later. This allows you to move in sooner. Open shelving can be used instead of upper cabinets to save money, although this tends to collect a lot of dust.
Kitchen appliances: Some plans call for apartment-sized appliances, which are slightly smaller than standard. Energy efficient refrigerators, often slightly smaller than standard, will work perfectly. In most cases cabinets can be adjusted slightly if you want a full-sized stove. Some plans provide space for a dishwasher, but not all. Add a good quality exterior vented range hood above the stove to remove smoke and excess humidity. A few designs call for undercounter washers and dryers. Space is at a premium in small homes, and this is one way eliminate a laundry room. And, of course, you could replace these appliances with cabinets if you prefer. Again, these are just suggested layouts.
Countertops and sinks: Standard sizes are used throughout. This makes it easy for everything to fit correctly. Tile countertops are highly recommended for their low cost and durability. One option is to mix and match different colors and designs. I’ve probably seen thousands of countertops (and built quite a few) and the most beautiful countertop I’ve seen was done this way – a colorful mosaic of tiles obtained for free or at dirt cheap closeout prices. (The owner is an artist.)
Common plumbing wall: Most designs consolidate the plumbing on one 2×6 plumbing wall to reduce plumbing runs and save on materials and labor. In almost every case the kitchen sink is strategically located to save on venting. That’s one less vent and one less hole in the roof.
Linen closet: A small closet is shown next to the bathroom. This could be modified to fit brooms, etc. Wood doors or curtains could be used.
Coat closet: Added where space allows.
Baths
All baths are standard 5 feet wide except 1-2 plans where the size had to be reduced slightly. This enables a standard bathtub (recycled or new) to fit without modification. Recycled tubs are very inexpensive and can last for decades. I like bathtubs because you can soak or take a quick shower. An efficient on-demand water heater can be added above the bathtub. Most vanity cabinets are 21” deep by 30” to 36” wide. A few are longer. A few baths have pedestal sinks, but I much prefer a vanity cabinet with countertop space for setting things. A medicine cabinet, of course, can be added over the vanity (not shown). Extra shelves can be added over the toilet. A window is provided for daylighting. This saves turning on lights during the day. Tile is ideal for the tub surround, floor and countertop. It’s easy to find good prices on small quantities of tile – just ask for closeouts or go to yard sales. Also, invest in a good, quiet bathroom fan to vent humidity to the exterior (not the attic).
Floors: I recommend floors made of earth, stone or recycled brick. You can save a lot of money and resources this way in comparison to wood framed floors. Tamped earth floors are my favorite. Here’s a good article on tamped earth floors by Frank Meyers.
Plaster: Most people use earth or lime plaster on earthbag houses. Some use cement plaster, but it’s best to use plaster that allows moisture vapor to pass through the wall. Use wide roof overhangs if you live in a rainy climate.
Wood stoves: This serves as the heating system in virtually all my designs. A few designs have space for installation of radiant floor heat (another excellent choice). Because these houses are small, most can be heated with a smaller than average wood stove.
Windows: All windows are standard sizes. Most windows are 24”, 36” and 48” – the most readily available sizes – and which are often on sale. Be careful using recycled windows. Most older windows are not energy efficient and could cost you more in the long run. You’ll notice window and door openings are curved. This creates beautiful openings that enhance views and allow maximum light to enter. Square openings are easier to build, but they result in primitive “tunnel” openings that look crude in comparison.
Doors: Exterior doors are all 36” wide. Most interior doors are 28” or 30”. It’s easy to adjust these sizes slightly to meet standard metric sizes.
Closets: Closets have been carefully placed between private and public spaces to buffer noise. In some cases they are placed between bedrooms for added privacy.
Closet doors: Some plans show curtains. This is another way to save money and resources, and speed the construction process. It’s also a great way to add color in your home, but you could use wood doors, of course. If you do use curtains, I encourage people to build standard sized openings to make it easy to add wood doors at a later date. Also note, always use wood doors on closets with water heaters to reduce risk of fire (and meet code, of course).
Furniture: The furniture layouts are merely suggestions. I’ve added furniture to make it easier to visualize the final home. Showing the furniture is important in small homes to make sure everything fits as planned. Some furniture, such as benches, can be built-in to save money. For example, instead of buying a sofa and end tables, you could build these out of earthbags and earthen plaster. Add pillows and you’ll have comfortable furniture for hundreds of dollars less than store bought, and it won’t offgas chemicals and fall apart in a few years.
Computer desk: With the proliferation of the Internet, I have tried to add at least one desk in every home (this is highly unusual in small house plans). I work online and understand how the Internet is vital to many homeowners. Some plans have large desks for home-based businesses.
Many features such as solar panels, solar water heaters are not shown and can be added according to individual needs.
Earthbag House Plans 
Just a couple of thoughts. Unless you are building in an area with few or no building codes, the county or city building departments will want the house to be completely finished before you will be allowed to move in. I have worked on houses where missing even a door knob or light switch cover will hold up a move in date. The idea of building cabinets and finishing them later would not work under most Ca building codes. If you are on the grid , you will need an occupancy permit or release before you can get lights and natural gas. Most cities will not release until the structure is totally finished.
why the adobe wall on the duplex? why not just use the earthbags?
Earthbags could be used on this wall, of course, but I’m adding another aesthetic element to the mix of earth plaster and other natural materials. This detail, like many others presented in my plans, are open to other possibilities. Earthbags, stone, adobe are all good options.
[…] can continue reading his thoughts on the details page of his earthbag plans site. He’s also got a strawbale house plans site – he’s got a lot of strawbale […]
Hi!
Im writing from Chile.
Me and my friends are in the process of create the Chilean permaculture institute.
I want to build my home with this technique in the mountains, in a millenary wood. My friends are willing to help me, but im worried that we dont have the experience that is required.
¿do you sell plans with very aqurate instructions?
¿do you travel to other countries?
I wish you the best and aprecciate your time
greetings
Carolina.
Earthbag building is a good building method for Chile. I don’t know your skill level so all I can do is make general recommendations. Be sure to buy Doni and Kaki’s Earthbag Building book: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0865715076/ref=nosim/hartworkscom-20 This is the best book on the subject and you’ll want to use it every day when you build your house.
We have lots of free information on our websites. See the links in the right column of this website. Spend a few weeks and study everything on our sites and in the Earthbag Building book and you should be ready to build on your own. In general, it’s one of the simplest building methods and so it’s well suited for beginners.
My plans are being sold at Dream Green Homes.com: http://www.dreamgreenhomes.com/materials/earth/earthbags.htm
All plans include everything you need to build, including specifications and building details.
Sorry, I’m too busy to travel to other countries unless it’s a major project for an NGO, etc.
i L O V E that kitchen window
s
I do too. It helped me get a lot of new jobs.
[…] Details […]
I really appreciate the thought you put into making the kitchen. I hate when I’m cooking with friends and family and we seem to bump into each other every 5 seconds. Having a well designed kitchen definitely makes the cooking process more fun and less frustrating. And of course, the green aspect of everything is absolutely fantastic!
Thank you very much. I try to design my houses from the inside out, often starting with the kitchen layout as priority. If the kitchen doesn’t ‘work’… well, it’s not much of a house, now is it?
I may have missed this element, but what are the bags made of that you use for these projects? And do you put an adobe coat over the walls after you have finished putting them together? Can these houses be built on stilts or partially underground? What keeps them from leaking?
By the way, I really love the concept and can see how you could get very creative with these homes. I’m glad I stumbled onto this website. Any answers would be greatly appreciated.
We provide dozens of pages of info on every aspect of earthbag building. See links on the right.
Most people use polypropylene grain bags for their moisture resistance and durability, although you could use burlap bags.
Earthbag walls can be plastered with earth plaster, lime plaster or cement plaster (stucco). My favorite is earth plaster.
You can build on stilts, but the higher you go the less efficient it is. It’s difficult moving lots of heavy materials up high. You could fill the bags with scoria (lava rock) or perlite if you’re building high off the ground.
Many designs featured here incorporate earth berms or are earth sheltered. Poly sandbags (earthbags) are ideal for this, since they have a long record of use for flood control and retaining walls. If protected from sunlight, poly bags will last indefinitely.
The other key is a good roof — same principles as any type of construction. Domes require extra effort and are best suited to dry climates.
how many sandbags would this need?
Kelly Hart’s Earthbag FAQ answers most general questions: http://www.earthbagbuilding.com/faqs.htm
He addresses this question at: http://www.earthbagbuilding.com/faqs/fillingandlaying.htm#number
First, you calculate the total wall surface area (multiply width x height of each wall). Each 50 lb. grain bag covers about two thirds of a foot of wall area, so multiply your total wall area by .75 to determine the number of bags needed.
Thank you for your prompt response, Owen. I felt kind of silly shortly after sending those questions because I realized the answers were all contained in the website. I just had not read far enough yet. This is proving to be an invaluable site. Thanks again.
I understand what you’re saying. There’s a massive amount of information available now (on our sites and others) and it’s almost impossible to absorb it all.
Hello, I ran across your site by accident , I have been researching dome homes for some time now primarily the American Ingenuity Concrete domes, we even went as far as traveling to North Caroline to see a 40 foot dome under construction and visit they’re rental dome as well . I am very interested in the Earth Bag construction method that you show in you’re web site , I see that the earth bag domes are not as large as the American Ingenuity Domes , but your plan for the three dome cluster really got my attention , it offers plenty of room and has a really good layout. I’ve been researching Earth bag construction since I ran into your site a week ago and my thoughts are that this method is more hands on and defiantly doable for us and I would imagine that the cost is considerably lower than the Concrete domes. I will definitely be contacting you for your plans on the 3 dome cluster in the near future. I don’t know how I missed this alternate building method.
Earthbag domes are definitely less expensive than concrete domes, and as you can see you can configure them in many different ways to get a unique home just the way you want.
Kelly Hart’s dome building guide shows how to build earthbag domes in detail: http://www.earthbagbuilding.com/articles/riceland.htm
My husband and I have been researching alternative construction with the intention of building our own net zero home within the next year or so. Our attention was originally caught by Michael Reynold’s earthship designs. I’ve read all 3 volumes of his earthship series and there seem some very interesting concepts that we’d like to incorporate into our own home (i.e. attached greenhouse, water catchment, greywater use…). My primary concerns are that it is not as easy to get that many similarly sized tires as it sounds, a recycling program in Canada makes it difficult to get cans too, and wood on the prairies is not easy to come by either without a hefty price tag (for roofing, etc.). The sheer amount of work and time pounding tires is also a major concern. We were therefore very excited to come across Khalili’s earthbag domes, and further your own work (incredible photos by the way). It seems if we were to use sandbags our dream would be well within our reach rather than years out. I am wondering though, how would water catchment be applied in the case of earthbag dome structures? (We would like to stick with the dome shape if possible, negating the need for expensive roofing.) Also, would it be possible to build a series of connected domes with an attached south facing greenhouse? Finally, I see in your answer to a previous question that you feel that domes are best suited for dry climates. We live on the prairie in Alberta, Canada. The temperature ranges from -40 celsius to +35 celsius and although our area is considered quite dry, we do get snow and rain storms. Is earthbag building a realistic option for us?
Hello and thanks for the kind words. Earthbag domes take a fraction of the time and effort of building earthships. I suspect as people look into it, the whole rammed tire method will fall out of favor. The same systems Reynolds discusses can be applied to houses built with other methods. He does deserve a lot of credit for demonstrating how all these systems can be integrated. As far as domes in Canada, I recommend reading my article on insulated earthbag building: http://ezinearticles.com/?id=1935442. You want lots of insulation in a cold climate, not solid walls of thermal mass. Also, I recommend adding a roof. Here’s one example: http://www.earthbagbuilding.com/projects/kentucky.htm. This provides added protection from moisture and enables you to capture roofwater. And yes, domes can be clustered in many different configurations, and greenhouses can be added. A large solar greenhouse would be wonderful on the south side.
hi! I’m a student doing my thesis regarding socialized housing. I’m planning to use the earthbag system for the affordability for the users. i was wondering if you could give me any advices or suggestions regarding the design or anything that could help my study.i will appreciate it very much.thanks!
Glad to hear this Jan. You know, this is what has been behind all my efforts in studying sustainable building (including earthbag). A combination of natural building techniques appears to be the best solution — earth floors and plaster, scoria or perlite insulation, small diameter wood, rubble trench foundations, recycled materials, solar design and so on. I’m totally convinced earthbag housing has enormous potential, from the lowest cost emergency shelters up through really nice homes.
There’s a huge amount of free information on our sites listed on the right. I encourage you to read through as much as time allows, and then write again if you have questions.
From Milt: We have a big question about venting the crawl space. People are saying that we really need vents in the earthbag foundation to let moisture out in the summer time. What’s your take on that? Jamie really doesn’t want to do it. But I have been thinking that we could put PVC pipe in about 4 places and let it be open in the summer – when there is a lot of moisture and closed in the winter – when it’s really cold. Do you have experience with venting crawl spaces?
From Owen: In most climates you’ll need to vent the crawlspace so excess humidity doesn’t build up. This also helps remove radon gas. Good brands of vents are closeable so you can close them in the winter. You could probably do something similar with PVC vents.
My preference is to build on grade to reduce labor and cost of materials. But in your case I would put insulation under the floor and seal it with polyethylene sheeting.
From Dustin: I’ve got Doni and Kaki’s book. Read it cover to cover 3 times. I had already envisioned doing several of the things they described (anchoring outlets and cabinets).
I’m just very worried that scoria won’t give me the longevity I want. I don’t want to build a structure that is only going to last a few years. Having a medium that doesn’t compact like road base makes me wonder how it will shift/settle over time, leaving the interior and exterior plasters to crumble/deform as it moves. It would also be dependent on the bags holding it together. The insulating quality would be highly desirable, tho. I’m not opposed to hard work, or even ridiculously hard work; so long as I only have to do it once! 😉
I’m also planning significant, if not excessive, berming.
I much prefer the shape of the Peace Dome elevation [over Kelly’s more pyramidal shape].
I really appreciate your help on this. Discovering earthbags, and people with real dedication to promoting them, has given me hope for not being homeless. Something the wealthy development construction industry doesn’t care about, greedy bastards. I’ve worked for years fulfilling their selfish and destructive ends, and still not even close to having hope of affording their junk houses.
I’m so hesitant because I hate to waste/lose what little money I have. Possibility of any future replacement money if this is lost, is pretty much zero. It is so very hard to ‘pull the trigger’ on an investment like that. I may never see another penny as long as I live. I have seen so much about how great earthbags are, yet have seen maybe 2-3 fairly old pictures of anyone actually living in an earthbag home. If it is so great, why are there virtually zero interior pictures? Is anyone actually living in an earthbag corbel home? I guess my misgivings are at this level, mostly.
From Owen: Good comments. Thanks for sharing.
Absolutely no worries about using scoria in the bags. I lived in Kelly Hart’s house one winter while they were vacationing in Mexico. Plus, I saw first hand how his house, guest dome and shop were built. I recommend buying a 1/2 pickup load of 1/2″ scoria from a landscape store and stacking a few bags. (Clean scoria with no fines offers the best insulation.) There’s almost no shifting. Scoria has a rough texture and the pieces lock together. Tying courses together as Kelly did seems prudent. Even better is to build a storage shed so you will know exactly what is involved.
Longevity: Ha! How can you beat scoria? It doesn’t burn, rot, attract insects or other pests, and is highly resistant to water damage. Even wood framed houses can last 100 years or more and you know that wood burns, rots, twists, gets attacked by termites, etc. And rodents love living in the insulated cavaties between studs. Maintain the plaster, and keep walls protected during construction and the bags will last indefinitely like plastic does. And you get a superinsulated structure with far less labor. It’s also perfect for berming. Read Kelly’s website. He bermed his domes and pantry on the north side.
You can build the Peace Dome like Doni and Kaki describe or use Kelly’s method. Both will work. Kelly’s method is faster and easier, although the other shape is more graceful since it’s based on a catenary arch.
Consumerism/materialism: Yeah, that pretty well sums up a lot of people, maybe most of society. And yes, many in the construction trades are driven by profit. Don’t buy the crap that’s being built. Go to a typical jobsite and look closely at how things are built now: low quality lumber, sheet rock, pressed board, vinyl everything. I’ve been in construction my whole life and know how crappy most houses are. That’s what has driven me to find better, more affordable alternatives. I’ve looked into dozens of alternative building methods. Strawbale and earthbag are at the top of the list, in my opinion, with adobe a close third if you don’t have bags available. (This list can change depending on what’s locally available. If you live in a bamboo forest… then maybe bamboo is the best for you.)
Earthbag building is a fairly new building method as far as using bags to build houses. (They were used for decades to build military structures.) So there are a limited number of homes that have been built, somewhere around 1,000 – 2,000. People are naturally resistant to adopt new methods. After all, building a home is often the largest investment of a lifetime. The movement is largely led by innovators thinking outside the box in rural areas, and many don’t splash photos of their homes across the Internet. We try to find the best pics and then post them in this gallery: http://www.earthbagbuilding.com/projects/projects.htm and in this slideshow: http://www.earthbagbuilding.com/slideshow.htm. You can also do a Google Image search for earthbags, earthbag houses, sandbag houses, superadobe, etc.
I see the earthbag movement in the same place as strawbale was about 10 years ago. Since then, strawbale has exploded in popularity and now there are dozens of books and videos, and hundreds of websites. I’m still a big fan of strawbale building, by the way, but I’m also throwing my time and effort into boosting earthbag building because I believe it’s the most practical building method for many situations.
I was excited to find your “Earthbag Cistern”. “No off the grid system is complete without adequate water storage.” I agree. My hair and skin always feel great after I get cought in the rain,…makes me wonder about our “clean” tap water.
Will you please point me in the right direction for a rainwater harvesting system to use if planning to build/grow a living roof? Maybe something diy friendly or inexpencive.
My husband and I are looking at your “Green House” home plan.
Thank you.
There are many different rainwater collection systems. The final choice will depend on your climate/rainfall, if you are going to drink the water or just use it for bathing, if you want a comprehensive system for landscaping, size of storage tank, etc.
Lots of free info on the Internet. Here’s a basic system: http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Rainwater-Collection-System
Comprehensive system: Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands by Brad Lancaster
Water storage: Oasis Design ferrocement water storage tanks http://www.oasisdesign.net/water/storage/index.htm
Note: ferrocement or nylon cement may prove easier and more practical than earthbags. The design posted here is intended to offer one more option. I favor two nylon cement or ferrocement tanks (one for potable water, one for plants and washing) that provide gravity feed into the home.
From Bill D.
I’m confused as to how earthbags are closed. What methods can be used?
Owen: Most people fold the ends over and butt the bags tight against the previous bag. That’s the fastest way. If money is really tight, you can sew the bags closed with twine or wire, or pin them closed with nails. These methods use fewer bags because you can fill them completely.
I was curious as to the possibilties of filling earthbags with scoria and nothing else. Is this structuraly sound? I’m also wondering if anyone has done this and/or tested its strength.
This is one of the best ways to build earthbag houses. Scoria is lightweight, easy to work with, has good insulation value, doesn’t rot, burn, etc. Kelly Hart built his house this way and I highly recommend it if you can find a supply of affordable scoria.
http://www.earthbagbuilding.com/projects/hart.htm
Hi, I’m the organizer of the Ark of Gibralter Survival Project, contacting you from Los Angeles, CA. I’m putting together a survival group and we need to build a Dome, in the Spanish Sierra Nevada mountains, 6600 feet above sea level.
Can you help us? I think our group is going to be small, but the most important thing is that it have reinforced concrete walls, use basalt, have solar panneling and or wind power, have hvac, an eco toilet, some kind of water catchement and water treatment system to recycle water.
Your advice is greatly appreciated.
Jen Gordon
Ark of Gibralter Survival Group
I’ll email you in a few minutes.
I think this style of building is great, but instead of cone shaped domes is it possible to build more rounded domes? Is it possible to span 14meters using earth bags?
No, that’s way too big unless you have a frame supporting the bags. For example, you could build a ferrocement frame with rebar, mesh and cement, and then put the bags against it.
The maximum earthbag dome with be around 7 meters without extra support.
Rounded earthbag domes are much more difficult to build. The bags want to fall inward. If you want a rounded dome, then build a frame to support the earthbags.
Hello,
We are looking at building a home on acreage in central north Michigan. With the recent changes in the economy, our budget has been drastically reduced, and we need to economize wherever possible. Earthbags look like a great method, but it is extremely cold in the wintertime where we are looking. We would want to incorporate passive solar design and wood heat, but how much is enough for that climate?
Would an earthbag home insulated with rice hulls (using 10″ tube sandbags) be sufficient for that kind of climate? Looking at the price of Scoria ($52/ton) the cost of a whole scoria wall seems prohibitive.
When using rice hulls outside the structural earthbag wall, how do you protect the lower courses of rice hulls from moisture from the ground to prevent rot?
Also, we would be interested in a home with a traditional shape (rectangular). What kind of roof system works with earthbags, and how is it best attached to a wall in a high wind area like Michigan? Is there a span limit for a rectangular earthbag home? We would ideally like to have a home roughly 28′ wide, so it could be spanned by a single truss with no internal supports.
I have so many questions, and there are so few web resources as of yet for earthbags. Is there a resource (book, web site, etc.) that you would recommend starting with?
Thanks so much for your insight.
-Jeff
Jeff,
I have several articles on the Internet about building in cold climates. Adding 10″ of insulation to outside of walls should be plenty. That’s more than what’s in typical 2×4 and 2×6 walls. At R-3, that’s almost R-30 walls! (But it’s probably less than that because of the shape of the tube.) Build a footer and fill lower tubes with scoria — something that doesn’t rot. Use rice hulls once you’re above the level where moisture can cause problems.
Select a passive solar design, add thick wall insulation as explained above plus extra insulation under the floor and in the roof, wood heat, good windows and weatherseal and your house will be superinsulated.
Any kind of roof can be used. Standard trusses are most common. Raised heel energy trusses are great, as are flat bottom trusses. Both provide extra insulation near the bearing walls. They’re attached to a bond beam along the top of the wall. 28′ span is no problem. The span limit is primarily that of the truss, which in most cases can be quite large.
Any more questions? Put them here so everyone can learn.
Hi!
My husband and I are planning to build “the house we’re going to die in” 🙂 in the mountains that surround the city of Caracas, Venezuela. When the opportunity to buy land came along we knew we wanted to build in an eco-friendlier, innovative way. After rejecting straw bale (my initial favorite) because there are no straw bales here (straw is burned), we turned to earth bags and I have been obsessively reading your materials, Earthbag Building by Hunter and Heffmeyer, and everything else I can get my hands or computer on about the subject. We are looking at your plans, focusing on the more “traditional”, rectilinear designs that are on the large side in part because those houses will serve us for the long haul and we don’t want to have to re-do this once we’re done. But also because we hope to be a first example of this construction technique here in Venezuela and influence in some way the profoundly regressive, ecologically destructive and wasteful approach to construction that currently exists and has been entrenched here for decades. In order to address these attitudes, it seems prudent to begin with a house that won’t make people turn up their noses at a house that looks “weird”, like a dome, but to build a house that appeals to their more traditional “houses are square” aesthetic and then let them know that even a house like that can be built in from earthbags. From there, little by little, minds can open to other shapes and formations.
We have many, many questions, but I’ll start with a few general ones. The drawings you’ve done for the “Modern House” – the one that keeps calling us back – has a gorgeous wall of windows that, from what I’ve read, seems like it couldn’t be supported by earthbags because it doesn’t appear to have sufficient space between the windows – is there a supplementary construction technique used there? Or am I misinterpreting the drawing? Speaking of wall stability, how do the houses you’ve drawn reach 2 stories? I don’t see buttresses in the drawings – do they have other reinforcement? And speaking of second stories, I’ve found nothing written about the construction of the second level floor – what are the possible ways to do that?
Two more questions specific to our situation. You specify that the Modern House if for locations far from the equator because of that wall of windows – we are fairly close to the equator but our land is at a pretty high elevation – temps up there range from 50-85 degrees F, with a tendency towards fog and cooler nights and early mornings. What adjustments would you recommend in that case? Finally, we get an average of 36″ of annual rain fall – do you think a rubble trench + gravel bag stem wall would be an appropriate foundation?
Venezuela has had an urban housing crisis for decades, and it recently worsened dramatically as record-setting rains washed 130,000+ people out of their homes. Now more than ever, we need to open our minds to new ways to satisfy the human need for shelter that is simultaneously sustainable and soul-satisfying. The benefits to individual and community of auto-construction, not to mention the reduced negative impact on the environment of earthbags, make your work valuable beyond words. Thank you so much!
Thanks for writing. Yes, be sure to choose site appropriate designs. It’s not a good idea to build strange designs that people won’t accept. The best way is to have your home blend into the community in such a way that others will emulate it.
The south facing wall is a framed window wall with posts between windows. This is general carpentry.
For your climate, you’ll probably want to add a small overhang at mid-height on the window wall to prevent overheating. See the Solar Santa Fe overhang: https://earthbagplans.wordpress.com/2011/01/03/solar-santa-fe-2/
No buttresses are needed if you use post and beam or the reinforced wall method developed by Precision Structural Engineering, Inc. http://structure1.com/ Details are at: http://earthbagbuilding.wordpress.com/2010/12/04/reinforced-earthbag-specifications/
Two story earthbag is less efficient than one story, because the earth has to be moved higher. You could switch to lightweight infill on the second story (ex: bags of scoria) or use a different but complimentary lightweight building method to save labor (ex: bamboo). Use what is most appropriate for your area.
Rubble trench foundations are fine for rainy climates if they’re designed correctly. Build on high ground, raise the site so water flows away from the building and use a French drain in the trench.
I see earthbag building as a key part of the solution to the housing crisis. As energy prices increase, low tech solutions become more affordable. I don’t see any ‘miracle’ energy sources coming online in the near future, so that means low tech sustainable solutions will likely become the norm as energy intensive materials skyrocket in price (concrete…).
How good a material are earth bags for building under ground or partially under ground this would be less expensive than concrete. I have been considering straw bails but earth bag might be better thoughts?
these houses are fantastic… are you currently only building them in Thailand?
we live in Australia and I am very interested in looking into building our home using the earthbag system. I’m wondering how these houses stand up to the building standards etc, they look sturdier than the houses that are built here now but not sure how the government would accept this form of building.
There are thousands of earthbag structures around the world. Take some time to read this blog and our main site EarthbagBuilding.com, where we have all the best videos, project profiles, articles, testing, etc. Earthbag is way stronger than almost any building in the world if it’s built correctly.
You’ll have to check with your local building officials, but you should be fine if you present them good documentation. Building with earth has a long tradition, so earthbag is really just a variation of this. (Very similar to rammed earth, which can last thousands of years.) Print some testing info, photos, etc. and do as much reading as you can so you know what questions to ask. The bottom line usually involves getting plans stamped by an architect or engineer. Right now, there’s only one engineering firm that’s stamping earthbag plans: Precision Structural Engineering, Inc. at Structure1.com.
thanks for your fast reply… will certainly be looking into building one of these houses in the distant future.
Thanks for all the information too.
Owen,
I believe earthbag construction will do everything we need, thanks for the phenomenally informative site. I am wondering who out there is drawing up plans (or customizing them) for earthbag dwellings. We have some specific needs for our house that we would love to incorporate into an existing plan or have something drawn up custom.
I believe you had mentioned Precision Structural Engineering, Inc. as the only entity currently stamping earthbag plans. Are your plans (as sold at earthbagbuilding.com) engineer approved, or would that be the responsibility of the buyer?
Thanks again for the wealth of information, look forward to learning more!
-Jeff
I’m currently offering the largest number of earthbag house plans at over 110 designs, and more in the pipeline. Custom plans are available for very reasonable cost. All plans are available through DreamGreenHomes.com. http://www.dreamgreenhomes.com/materials/earth/earthbags.htm
You’ll have to do the engineering directly through PSE. Show them the plans you’re ordering through me and they’ll give you a quote.
Hi Owen
Great site!
Do you have an area of this site or another that shows various construction details?
I am interested in building a house using the EB as in-fill. I have studied the earth bag building book by Kaki Hunter and Donald Kiffmeyer.
From your experience how much does the New Mexico adobe building code carry over into earth bag building?
Thanks
Milton
Construction details are on our Earthbag Building Blog and at EarthbagBuilding.com. Plus, my new book is coming out in 1-2 weeks.
I don’t think the NM code will help much. Earthbag is quite different. If you need to pass code, contact Precision Structural Engineering, Inc. in Oregon. They’re licensed in all major states.
we are curently planning on building an earthbag home in oklahoma do you know of anyone eles that is in our state? thank you so much for you site its amazing.
No I don’t. Here’s the best list of earthbag locations: http://earthbagbuilding.wordpress.com/2011/01/02/earthbag-locations/
Thankyou for making information freely avaiable 🙂
Low cost housing of minimum ongoing energy inputs
is my interest…
Do you know if your method/plans have been approved
by building authorities in Australia ? Specifically New South
Wales ?
Does part of your websites record where (geographically)
your methods/plans have been successfully approved by
building authorities ? (if not , could I humbly suggest a place
where people worldwide could post their experiences and
Photographs to inform/ encourage others to consider your
methods/plans )?
Keep up the good work !
Ray.
I’m about to build an earthbag house in Ecuador (2 seasons: wet & dry) where the Andes are not very stable. I was told that the way to build a house there is to excavate 1 foot or so and fill with round rocks so that when the earth moves the house is isolated from the movement. Then pour a concrete floor on top. I’m not clear about whether that idea/plan is good, or required, for earthbag houses. I do plan to reinforce the walls with rebar as suggested at earthbagstructures.com. Can you suggest a good way to isolate an earthbag house from the earth’s movement? I’m currently thinking on either your Chonburi or Country House for the plans.
Reed Harris
First of all, I recommend one story earthbag buildings in seismic regions. It would be very dangerous have all that weight high in the air. I’m sure you’ve heard of “a body in motion tends to stay in motion”. If you’re determined to have a second story, go with light framing that’s reinforced for seismic areas.
Rubble trench foundations are recommended as you say. There’s not 100% agreement on the other details however. Some recommend a reinforced concrete foundation. Some prefer the flexibility of earthbags. The strongest method has been developed by Precision Structural Engineering, Inc. http://earthbagbuilding.wordpress.com/2010/12/04/reinforced-earthbag-specifications/
Precision Structural Engineering, Inc. is the only engineering firm currently stamping earthbag plans for code approval. http://www.structure1.com/ They have reciprocal agreements with engineers in other country so they may be able to help you.
Here’s a summary of their process: http://earthbagbuilding.wordpress.com/2010/12/04/reinforced-earthbag-specifications/
Most people do not want to publicize their project and risk having lots of people dropping by. For this reason we don’t know about most projects, only those who publish their info on the Internet or send us reports. We regularly post all types of projects as we learn of them. Hope that helps.
Grat site. I am planning to use earth bags in a project.
Whats about the temperature inside the units? My project is in a hight temperature zone.
thanks in advance.
Earthbags work great in hot climates. Is it dry or humid climate? Humid climates need lots of ventilation. Dry/desert climates use fewer windows. We live in a hot climate and the temperature is 8 degrees C. cooler inside. We used lots of cooling techniques: high ceilings, vents above the bond beam, casement windows that catch breezes, windows on all sides, shade from trees, large roof overhangs that shade the walls, etc.
Thanks for your reply and all the information in the site. Its dry almost part of year but rains to much in january.
Which perimeter of bag is better for this construction? Which plan do you recommend?
Chose a plan with a roof so you don’t have to worry about roof leaks. (Domes are difficult to waterproof.)
Roundhouses are the fastest, easiest shape. Search our Earthbag Building Blog for information on roundhouses, and see this article on how we built ours: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Build-an-Earthbag-Roundhouse/
Where is the link to buy your book? What do you think about semisubterranean build? I am in the east of Bolivia, far away from cities and I have clay and sand in the soil. The weather is hot, I prefer to do a dome since seems easiest than a roof but if you say that I will have problems whith leaks…
Hello. Here’s the link to my book: http://www.earthbagbuilding.com/articles/ebbuildingguide.htm
I would build a roundhouse if you have wood poles for the roof. Search our Earthbag Building Blog http://earthbagbuilding.wordpress.com/ for all the details. You can also read this Instructable: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Build-an-Earthbag-Roundhouse/
For instance, there’s a new compression ring that makes the roof extra easy to build: http://earthbagbuilding.wordpress.com/2011/11/17/new-compression-ring-design/
I don’t know how much rain you get, but domes evolved from desert regions with very little rain. They’re difficult to waterproof in higher rainfall areas.
You can build subterranean, but build on high ground so water flows away from your house.
I am very interested in your 1200 sq.ft. size plans (1 level)
Rural areas for sure, but I need the list of materials please.
The weather is humed 84 avg temp 38 lowest and 105 the hottest.
Please advise me what kind of materisls.
For answers to very specific situations, I am available for consulting. Email: strawhouses [at] yahoo.com
who do I talk to about material list and cost of building?
You have to do this yourself or hire me as a consultant.
I will be moving to the Nelson area of British Columbia Canada and wondered what the insulation value of the earth bags are. The temperature here is quite humid except in July/August. The coldest it gets here is about 14 degrees F and the warmest it gets is about 86 F. Also we would like to build a earth bag triple garage with rental suite up top, how effective are these earth bag homes when it’s a two storey structure. Thanks for your time. Maggie
You’ll want to add 2″ rigid insulation board on the outside of the earthbag walls, an insulated foundation and floor, and about R-45 in the roof. That and good windows and doors would give you a superinsulated house.
Two story earthbag walls are possible, but it’s not efficient moving lots of soil high on the walls without some sort of machinery. You’re better off building a lightweight frame for the second story.
We always recommend building a small tool shed or something low risk so you can test out the process and develop skills.
We are looking into building an Earthbag home in Central Oklahoma. Right now we are in a drought but usually have about 3 weeks of very rainy weather in the Spring and again in the Fall. It can get has low as -10 in the winter, the most snow we usually see at a time is around 20 inches over a few consequtive days. Summers are usually very hot up to around 115 this summer with not much rain yet very high humidity. Our is soil is mainly composed of clay. We have recently started experiencing earthquakes 5.6 thas been the largest but if the New Mardrid fault should let loose I would except something a lot larger. We also have to be prepared for strong tornados.
Are Earthbag homes a good option for our area? I would be very interested in having an underground home due to the tornados but I don’t want to have to worry about the house coming down on use during an earthquake. I’m also concerned about problems with condensation. I’m very sensitive to mold.
Thank you for offering this forum forum for discussion. I really enjoyed reading all the post.
Earthbag houses can be a good fit if you design it correctly. For one, I would build a small earthbag dome tornado shelter to start off with. This would be earthquake resistant, very low cost (few hundred dollars), tornado resistant and give you some actual practice building this way. Free earthbag dome plans are at Instructables.com
But I wouldn’t build the main structure with domes — too many problems with roof leaks. It would be easy to seal a small dome, but a nuisance on a large home. Keep reading our websites. Everything you need is there for free: Natural Building Blog (over 1,300 articles) plus EarthbagBuilding.com (main site).
Having read through your website several times, we are thinking of building an earthbag guest house. I live in Scandinavia and was wondering how well the structures hold up in the cold winter climates and what is the ideal temp range for the structures?
Many Thanks
Hello. Yes, you can build earthbag houses in cold climates. See this article: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Build-an-Insulated-Earthbag-House/
Write back after reading the article if you have more questions.
Thank you for all your info…!!!! I am new to Earthbag houses, but have been doing a lot of studing on: Sustainable and Survival type things over the last 3 years. -Since I am new to Earthbag houses – I notice you mentioned to someone to read: Doni and Kaki’s Earthbag Building, and to check out Google search. I found info on Mother Earth News, which lead me to Earthbag structures, which led me to your blog site. Can you recommend any other books that would help me to learn more about them, building, and where to get the supplies. Where would be the best type of place to get the best prices for the Bags and Silica?
-I have another question – I am organizer for a Preppers group, in which I am involved with a couple other preppers groups, and milita. Could you do circle structers around a main structure and court yard greenhouse? Would that be feasible? I live in the NE part of Washington State.
If you can email me directly, I would appreciate it.
Thank you again for all your hard work, & helping out so many people with their questions.
Thanks, Vic
How can I start to build and price these beautiful homes? Please contact me!
Read the FAQ page at Natural Building Blog http://www.naturalbuildingblog.com/faqs/
My email is on the About Us at the top of the page there.
Considering building but what can i do for moisture from the ground coming up into my house? i’m in Illinois and am worried..(actually a friend brought this to my attention)
This is easily avoided by building a raised floor with crawl space and a moisture barrier between the earthbags and foundation. Keep in mind that people are building earthbag structures in the tropics where it rains way more than Illinois. So just use the appropriate building details. For instance, you’ll want to add a layer of rigid foam insulation on the exterior and then plaster or add siding.
Hi Owen – absolutely great job!
I’d like to build 14 houses for teachers in Malawi. My organization is supporting education in Malawi. I love this idea of sandbag buildings. Do you know about projects already running in Malawi? I would very much appreciate a hint. And maybe to contacts in Germany as well.
And also many thanks for all your Information provided!
Take care
Heinrich
Here’s a previous story about a project in Malawi: http://www.naturalbuildingblog.com/mlambe-earthbag-project/
They’re great guys, seem to really know what they’re doing, and so it would be helpful to hook up with them.
We now have thousands of pages of free information. Search our sites and you’ll find 99% of what you need to build with earthbags. Our main site is Earthbag Building.com. http://earthbagbuilding.com/
Hi my name is connie I’m thinking of doing this my property in in the Ozarks of mo. when you say sand bag house or cabin could I use sand and cover it with adob would love to here back with any advise
Yes you can if the building is small. Sand will shift so it won’t work on big buildings. Add even a little soil to help solidify the mix and stabilize the walls if possible. Here’s the best guide for beginners: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Build-an-Earthbag-Roundhouse/
Small roundhouses are the fastest, most stable, simplest way to build with earthbags. Our roundhouse which is somewhat fancy cost us $2,100. Remember you can add on later or build more structures later if you want.
ok , no sand, so I’ve decided to go with a mix of the dirt that they put under the roads (dirt , gravel and some lime what do you think? it is all ready mixed this is a 24×45 -2 bed 1 bath
That’s called road base. It’s perfect. That’s what I use. Our Natural Building blog talks about it many times.
I have 2 more questions. I want wood floors and was thinking on about the 3ed row lay the 2×4 what do I do (nail ,or just lay bags on top. The roof will be tin how do I attach it . My land is off grid and no codes (Ozarks) I love this site. So informative
Realize that most parts of the house will be the same as other houses in your area — the floor, roof, windows, etc. You can get an illustrated carpentry book from a library. You don’t need to be a carpenter, but you’ll want to learn the basics or you’ll have to hire someone for these parts.
Floor: build a typical floor frame that rests on the earthbags. Separate the wood from the bags with plastic sheeting so the wood doesn’t wick water from below. The next 1-2 courses of bags go between the floor joists. Then keep stacking bags above that.
Roof: pour a concrete bond beam on top of the earthbag wall or build a wooden bond beam. The roof is fastened securely to the bond beam so it can’t blow off.
You can build at around 1/10th the cost of those who live in areas with building codes. Our Natural Building Blog is packed with ‘dirt cheap’ building ideas that you can use. There are currently over 2,000 blog posts that you can browse by topic or use the search engine to look for particular topics.
Would there be anything else I could use to put between the bags besides barbwir e? What kind of clamps do I get for the roof? And do I have to dig a trench around it. Or can I just lay the bags on the ground. I am doing this myself i’m a 62year old! Gandma I thank you. For your help
Some people are pounding 1/2″ rebar down through the bags to pin them together. It’s easier and faster than using barbed wire, and very strong. Add rebar pins every 3′-4′ or so in elevation. How many pins are needed depends on wall height, number of door and window openings (which weaken the wall), and local conditions such as wind loads and earthquakes. One option is to add fewer pins — just enough to stabilize the walls — and then use poly or nylon strapping to tie the walls to the bond beam. Same process as used in straw bale construction. The strapping is the same type used to secure loads to pallets.
You want to build on a rubble trench, bedrock, or strong foundation because earthbag walls are very heavy and can cause the soil to settle and crack the plaster.
Get help if you can find it. This is a lot of work. Look for ways to rally volunteers. And keep your bags protected from sunlight! Our blog explains numerous ways of doing this. Use lightweight fill materials if your strength is limited. People have had good success with rice hulls and lava rock. Protect rice hull walls from moisture.
I was wondering wether I should wet down the road base before I put it in the bags, and will it get hard when it drys
It only has to be a little bit moist, not wet. Make a test bag, let it dry and then test for strength by dropping it on a corner from chest height. It should remain intact with maybe a little chipped off the corner.
My free YouTube videos show every step: http://www.youtube.com/user/naturalhouses
Step-by-step Instructable: http://www.instructables.com/id/Step-by-Step-Earthbag-Building/
You can buy my $20 earthbag book that condenses everything into 80 some pages to save hours of research: http://www.naturalbuildingblog.com/owens-book-dvd/
My DVD can save time on downloading videos.
EWP(in france) economic housing project with sandbag(earthbag) house
Hello
I am Jae myung JANG and I’m going on the group project for building the economical house with sandbag in Cameroon in Africa. We study in HEI engineering university in France. We haven’t been to Africa, so we have no idea about a situation for actual site. During the searching step we found your project, and we are interested in your 10×10 Sandbag House Project in Cape Town in South Africa. So, we would like to get more information about that or about sandbag house. That’s why I contact you. Can I get the response for below questions?
– Are there special technics for building sandbag house in South Africa, and what are these, how does it work if there are? (We want the more professional and practical information that we can’t find on internet..)
– Can I get some documents such as Plan, Section, Elevation, Exact site for the building of the 10×10 Sandbag House Project in Cape Town?
– We need the features of the project, and if it possible we would like to get documents of another project such as Plan, Section, Elevation..
– We think it’s better to build the house with 2 floors. If you know more advanced technics for building 2 floors house that we can’t find on internet easily, I would like get information about it.
– If it possible, we can go there to see the building. Plus, can we work with you there? I hope to receive your answer soon.
Because we find a site to build sandbag houses.
Regards.
I was wondering if I needed to add anything to the road base ,for the bags, what makes it hard?
Road base has a certain % of clay to bind the aggregates together. No cement or lime needed. Use gravel bags on lower courses to raise the earthbags above risk of moisture damage. Always make test bags to make sure your soil mix is good. They should dry into a hard brick that withstand dropping.
You’ll have to contact Dr. Anderton, the inventor of this particular building method.
Can I Strip out or fir an earth bag house and then nail vinyl siding to it? I would be using poly bags. Another question is can I use sheetrock on the inside? What would I have to use?
Yes to both questions. See our Natural Building Blog for information on every aspect of building with earthbags. Here’s one previous story about using wood siding on earthbag walls: http://www.naturalbuildingblog.com/wood-siding-on-earthbag-houses/
I do not recommend vinyl siding. It’s a toxic product that harms the environment. There are much better alternatives such as recycled/reclaimed wood.
Thank you Owen. I work construction and we take off tons of vinyl and was thinking about re-using the good pieces, and I know how to finish conventional drywall-
Can you anyone point me in the direction of a good consultant for an Earthbag home? I’m looking to build very soon in the Southwest.
My email is natural houses ‘AT’ gmail dot com.
Thank you Owen for this great development.
Together with the Roscher Youth Development Centre in Rumphi, Malawi, I built a wonderful prototype of sandbag house last year, which now is impressing and convincing everyone about construction with earthbags (http://supportmalawi.org/en/projects/58-sandbaghouse). Aaand we now almost finished a first house for a teacher’s family.
Now the next on our plan is to erect a school block with 4 classrooms. Question: should we necessarily stabilize the walls with oblique transversal parts, which are sometimes seen? On the other hand on page 3 of your guide there’s a huge school building in Burundi showing just strait walls.
Wonderful! Thanks for contacting us. This will make an excellent blog post.
Engineers design reinforcing details based on local conditions. All forces acting on the building must be analyzed. In your case flood resistance is important. It’s best to hire a local engineer because they will know soil conditions, flood risk, etc. In developing countries you can find engineers who will analyze small structures for $200 or so. In general, straight walls are usually okay if there’s adequate reinforcing. I would add earthbag partition walls between classrooms, 1/2″ vertical rebar pins through the bags or tubes every 2′-3′, and a reinforced concrete bond beam. Use about 3 courses of gravel bags below grade and 2-3 courses above grade. Also, use strong galvanized stucco mesh that wraps up and over the entire wall. Avoid putting sand bags over doors and windows. Instead build lintels or extend windows and doors up to the bond beam.
Feel free to write if you ever have questions.
You have got incredible stuff here.|