NATURAL BUILDING
INTRODUCTION
In almost all of human history, our ancestors have lived in houses made of local materials available to them. Even today about half the world lives in these homes.
These homes not only protect people from the elements, they also provide physical and mental comfort. There are many types of natural building, and the conditions of our environment, climate, resources ....will be important to consider before to start a project.
For example the straw bale houses are apparently targeted to people who want to build their own home. You can create very economical designs that have very good isolation to the outside, and we can save a lot of energy and money.
Morocco still has villages with adobe houses with several stories high, and it's been like this for many generations, by using natural elements you reduce the environmental impact integrating its inhabitants with their natural surroundings.
Sandbags or tires can be very useful for construction of main walls protecting outdoor heat changes, but if you prefer a more airy atmosphere bamboo would be the most suitable option.
Walls can be constructed by mixing straw with clay and sand, this original technique called Cob in England. It can be applied with bare hands, and is a very easy to work with, I could be use from a child to a teacher, getting results in south England where there are still tens of thousands of Cob houses, some of which are inhabited after 700 years.
Wattle and Cob is another simple technique, linking Cob dreads to a bamboo fence, we can build very light and resistant walls, bamboo is the more common element used to build in the tropics.
Why?
Opportunities
Control of the population
Macro corporations
Toxic. For the land and health
Environmental impact
Slavery to capital
Insecurity
Positives
Bio degradation
Integration into the landscape
Connection with the land
Economical resources
Energy savings
Save money
These homes not only protect people from the elements, they also provide physical and mental comfort. There are many types of natural building, and the conditions of our environment, climate, resources ....will be important to consider before to start a project.
For example the straw bale houses are apparently targeted to people who want to build their own home. You can create very economical designs that have very good isolation to the outside, and we can save a lot of energy and money.
Morocco still has villages with adobe houses with several stories high, and it's been like this for many generations, by using natural elements you reduce the environmental impact integrating its inhabitants with their natural surroundings.
Sandbags or tires can be very useful for construction of main walls protecting outdoor heat changes, but if you prefer a more airy atmosphere bamboo would be the most suitable option.
Walls can be constructed by mixing straw with clay and sand, this original technique called Cob in England. It can be applied with bare hands, and is a very easy to work with, I could be use from a child to a teacher, getting results in south England where there are still tens of thousands of Cob houses, some of which are inhabited after 700 years.
Wattle and Cob is another simple technique, linking Cob dreads to a bamboo fence, we can build very light and resistant walls, bamboo is the more common element used to build in the tropics.
Why?
Opportunities
Control of the population
Macro corporations
Toxic. For the land and health
Environmental impact
Slavery to capital
Insecurity
Positives
Bio degradation
Integration into the landscape
Connection with the land
Economical resources
Energy savings
Save money
TESTING THE SOIL
We got different soil samples each separately in a glass pot, and we added plenty of water. After we closed and blended well so we had no lumps, when it dissolved we left the sediments sit on.
The next day we could examine the levels of elements and saw the proportions of sand, silt and clay in the order mentioned from the bottom up, with the big sand particles occupying the down position and the clay the most slowly taking longer more time in sediment at the top.
We got different soil samples each separately in a glass pot, and we added plenty of water. After we closed and blended well so we had no lumps, when it dissolved we left the sediments sit on.
The next day we could examine the levels of elements and saw the proportions of sand, silt and clay in the order mentioned from the bottom up, with the big sand particles occupying the down position and the clay the most slowly taking longer more time in sediment at the top.
Recipes
Cob recipe
Clay, sand, fiver and water will be mixed and proportions can vary, but can never exceed between the proportions listed below, if we put more sand we are subtracting the proportion of clay.
Clay
Like most of the elements is very complex composition, is an element that is found in almost parts of the world and varies depending on location, but we can say that is composed mostly of small particles of aluminum silicate combined with various natural materials.
Before making a large project is recommended to take soil samples in different places we have to remove it, analyzing the samples we can see which places are more suitable to extract the different materials.
When making a house foundation we dug deep were in many cases we find large concentrations of clay that will serve to prepare the plasters of the house.
Clay serves as the traction member but keep in mind that when it dries it expands and in excess can make cracks, this can be avoided with a good mix of fiber and sand.
Sand
Is composed of tiny minerals in rock grains shape. Predominantly composed of quartz, or silicon dioxide, sand is a non reactive chemically substance.
The grain size can vary from 0.05mm to 2mm in diameter, and shape can vary depending on the conditions of erosion that has had to dig the thousands of years.
Making a plaster mix, sand body will give us strength and bulk, and if it is balanced with the clay structure will prevent cracking. The sand particles together by clay and fiber, which together give a strong and stable structure.
Fiber
The fiber serves to bind the mass, both when operating in wet and when dry.
We can choose between many types of fiber, but one of the things that we score more in the decision is the quality of finish we want to give, here is where we will pay more attention and use the finest fibers to have more polished results .
Cob Bricks
When we are making bricks we want to create a mass that works with compression so we can make them rich in sand, but if we don´t have this material we can play adding more clay.
First Plaster
We make a first plaster to shape the walls and structures and let the volume smooth, so the mix can be rich in clay and do not care much if it have little cracks because we will to add the final plaster on top of it.
Final plaster
(Read below)
Using concrete
Only if necessary as in exteriors, floors or water proof I add between 5% to 10% of concrete.
Cob recipe
Clay, sand, fiver and water will be mixed and proportions can vary, but can never exceed between the proportions listed below, if we put more sand we are subtracting the proportion of clay.
- From 50% to 85% of sand
- From 50% to 15% of clay
- Straw (fiver)
- Water
Clay
Like most of the elements is very complex composition, is an element that is found in almost parts of the world and varies depending on location, but we can say that is composed mostly of small particles of aluminum silicate combined with various natural materials.
Before making a large project is recommended to take soil samples in different places we have to remove it, analyzing the samples we can see which places are more suitable to extract the different materials.
When making a house foundation we dug deep were in many cases we find large concentrations of clay that will serve to prepare the plasters of the house.
Clay serves as the traction member but keep in mind that when it dries it expands and in excess can make cracks, this can be avoided with a good mix of fiber and sand.
Sand
Is composed of tiny minerals in rock grains shape. Predominantly composed of quartz, or silicon dioxide, sand is a non reactive chemically substance.
The grain size can vary from 0.05mm to 2mm in diameter, and shape can vary depending on the conditions of erosion that has had to dig the thousands of years.
Making a plaster mix, sand body will give us strength and bulk, and if it is balanced with the clay structure will prevent cracking. The sand particles together by clay and fiber, which together give a strong and stable structure.
Fiber
The fiber serves to bind the mass, both when operating in wet and when dry.
We can choose between many types of fiber, but one of the things that we score more in the decision is the quality of finish we want to give, here is where we will pay more attention and use the finest fibers to have more polished results .
Cob Bricks
When we are making bricks we want to create a mass that works with compression so we can make them rich in sand, but if we don´t have this material we can play adding more clay.
- 1 Clay + 3 Sand+ 4 Fiber + Water (liquid paste consistency)
First Plaster
We make a first plaster to shape the walls and structures and let the volume smooth, so the mix can be rich in clay and do not care much if it have little cracks because we will to add the final plaster on top of it.
- 1 Sand + 1 Clay + 2 fiber + water
Final plaster
(Read below)
- 1water+ 1sand+ 2chop straw+ 1/2 clay (R&W)+ tapioca.
- 1 Water+ 1 Sand+ 1 Coco fiber + 1 Chop strow+ 1/2 Red clay,+ 2 hands full of fresh cow manure.
Using concrete
Only if necessary as in exteriors, floors or water proof I add between 5% to 10% of concrete.
Hands on
In the pictures below we can see the practical activity where we manufacture adobe bricks. And to practice on laying bricks we continued the building of the sauna.
We have also practiced here the first basic plasters.
We have also practiced here the first basic plasters.
FINAL PLASTER
Another of the activities was the preparation and application of a final plaster on the outside wall of the volunteers's bedrooms.
We have prepared the mixture at the beginning of the course to let it ferment, and we applied this at the nearly end of the course.
Class notes
Plaster is the material used to cover interior and exterior walls, protecting the interior and providing an aesthetic finish.
There are several factors to consider before getting handed, depending on the situation of the wall, use different materials and techniques, to judge each pros and cons.
A good base mixture consists of sand, clay, fiber and water and if you want finer and robust finishes add tapioca powder to the mixture, leaving it to ferment for about 4 or 5 days, getting more adhesion to the wall and preventing stains to the touch, while giving protection against bacteria.
If you want to colour you can use natural pigments such as clay or teas from different plants.
A good plaster is essential led the air circulate between the walls, being a thinner layer the house can breathe and dry before avoiding problems of humidity.
There is no precise formula or recipe, always depend on several factors, and it is very important to practice and experiment with small projects before venturing into large buildings.
Final plaster
Mixtures:
1water+ 1sand+ 2chop straw+ 1/2 clay (R&W)+ tapioca.
1water+ 1sand+ 1coco fiber + 1chop strow+ 1/2red clay,+ 2 hands full of fresh cow manure.
Tapioka prep for plaster:
Mix 1 cup of tapioka powder with 1 cup of cool water.
This mix, we´ll do in small scale to avoid lumps.
We have prepared the mixture at the beginning of the course to let it ferment, and we applied this at the nearly end of the course.
Class notes
Plaster is the material used to cover interior and exterior walls, protecting the interior and providing an aesthetic finish.
There are several factors to consider before getting handed, depending on the situation of the wall, use different materials and techniques, to judge each pros and cons.
A good base mixture consists of sand, clay, fiber and water and if you want finer and robust finishes add tapioca powder to the mixture, leaving it to ferment for about 4 or 5 days, getting more adhesion to the wall and preventing stains to the touch, while giving protection against bacteria.
If you want to colour you can use natural pigments such as clay or teas from different plants.
A good plaster is essential led the air circulate between the walls, being a thinner layer the house can breathe and dry before avoiding problems of humidity.
There is no precise formula or recipe, always depend on several factors, and it is very important to practice and experiment with small projects before venturing into large buildings.
Final plaster
Mixtures:
1water+ 1sand+ 2chop straw+ 1/2 clay (R&W)+ tapioca.
1water+ 1sand+ 1coco fiber + 1chop strow+ 1/2red clay,+ 2 hands full of fresh cow manure.
Tapioka prep for plaster:
Mix 1 cup of tapioka powder with 1 cup of cool water.
This mix, we´ll do in small scale to avoid lumps.
- Put water to boil 6 cups.
- When the water start to boil, add the mix of tapioca into. and keep boiling in low fire and stir continuously to avoid burn it.
- Mix until you have a thick texture.
- Stop the fire and lead cool down ( in summer tropics needs 30 min before use ).
- Add the Tapioca mix to the plaster just before use.
BAMBOO INTRODUCTION (7h)
- Slides show
- Talking about: (30m)
- What is bamboo?
- Types of bamboo
- Utilities
- Problems and solutions (Moho-smoke) ...
- Cure it
Small Panya tour (20m).
Contour garden beds made with bamboo
My little bamboo bridge
Composting toilets wattle and Cob
Stock samples behind the garage
Machetes (class in the garage) (15m).
Refreshments and get ready for harvest (15m)
Transportation (9:30 pm) (15m)
Panya output
Go to the bamboo farm in the village
Harvest: (2h 15m)
Show differences between bamboo
Harvesting in groups of 2 pax
Clean branches to have a final product
Transportation back to Panya. (12:00 h). (15m)
Afternoon Workshop (1430) (2h 30m)
Bamboo hand craft:
Plate and spoon.
Panya output
Go to the bamboo farm in the village
Harvest: (2h 15m)
Show differences between bamboo
Harvesting in groups of 2 pax
Clean branches to have a final product
Transportation back to Panya. (12:00 h). (15m)
Afternoon Workshop (1430) (2h 30m)
Bamboo hand craft:
Plate and spoon.
NATURAL PAINT
This was the most creative activity in which students learned to make their own natural pigments. We applied these to the showers walls that because the tropical climate were already very damaged.