Earthbag-building

Constructing with sandbags also called “earth-bags”, is,compared with the bottle-brick methode a very fast construction technique.  The earth layer stored in the sacks is responsible for the weight carrying.

The sacks can be either simple fabric sacks made of polypropylene or specially made elongated sacks. For good thermal protection it is recommended to use local soil from the subsoil.

Strong insulating effect is obtained by a filling with ground volcanic rock, perlite or grain husks.
For the foundation and the first rows it is recommended to use a coarse-grained rock mixture to fill the sacks. The bags are most easily closed with a piece of wire after filling.
Between the individual “earth bag” layers barbed wire is laid, which fixes the bags.
The important thing here is the compaction and precise shaping of the sandbags, which is done with the help of a metal or wooden pounder. For windows and doors, the use of reinforced concrete lintels is recommended .

The walls are usually plastered in order to protect the walls from the weather. It is also possible to cover the entire wall with wooden shingles.

The construction of “earth-bag doms” is particularly simple and cost-effective, as it does not incur any costs for an expensive roof construction.

For a good guide to this construction method, visit: www.earthbagbuilding.com