Do-it-yourself earthbag construction: yes you can!

The two biggest obstacles to homeownership are expensive building materials and overly complex construction methods that require specialized skills and equipment. The problem is so acute that more than 70 percent of Americans can’t afford houses built by contractors. With the current downturn in the economy and the loss of millions of jobs, the housing situation in the US is definitely getting worse.

Everyone needs a place to live: housing is a basic need. But since the current system is bypassing the vast majority of the population, it’s time to investigate simpler and more affordable construction methods.

The answer may be right under our feet (earth). That’s how it is; building with earth is a timeless building tradition with some structures lasting many hundreds of years. More than a third of the world’s buildings are earthen structures. Earth is probably the least expensive (literally very cheap) building material and therefore has enormous potential to solve our housing crisis. Some may assume that the earthen buildings are just mud huts. Far from there! If your background is not in architecture, you may not be aware of the amazing diversity of earthly structures. Search for “terrestrial architecture” on the Internet if you are not already informed.

There are many methods of building with earth: adobe, rammed earth, CEB, etc. This article explores the growing popularity of earthbag construction (also called sandbag construction) and how it can be used to provide affordable housing that is simple enough for DIYers to build their own. By using cheap building materials (dirt, sand, gravel, recycled materials, etc.) and eliminating expensive contractors and specialized equipment, the cost of construction can be reduced to a fraction of conventional housing costs.

Earthbag construction has its origins in military sandbag construction. For about 100 years, the military has been building durable, blast- and bullet-proof structures out of sandbags. Also, sandbags have been used for many years to contain floods. Today, builders use the same basic process of filling, stacking, and compacting bags to build a wide variety of structures around the world: beautiful homes, offices, stores, schools, and more.

Besides affordability and durability, the other main advantage is simplicity of construction. What could be simpler than filling and stacking bags of earth? The main skills can be learned in a few minutes just by showing them or watching a video. Almost everything you need to know is freely available on the Internet. And most people already have basic tools around the house: shovels, buckets, garden hoses, ladders. The few other tools needed can be quickly and easily made or purchased cheaply.

Here are some ways to save money building with earthbags:

• Recycled bags are readily available in most places. Polypropylene or burlap bags are ubiquitous and are used for all kinds of grain, fertilizer and animal feed, and sometimes for concrete, plaster and other products. Talk to local farmers and food outlets.
• Poorly printed bags are often available directly from manufacturers at greatly reduced prices. Between poorly printed bags and recycled bags (in good condition) you can reduce the main expense of dirt bag construction to almost zero.
• No special mix is ​​required. Most soils, including those found on or near most construction sites, are suitable or can be adjusted with sand or clay to create a suitable mix. This makes the other primary material for earthbag construction basically free or close to it.
• You can order special soil mixes from sand and gravel producers, such as road base and waste fines, at very low prices. The main expense is delivery, but this needs to be weighed against the time and effort that goes into getting it off the ground. Spending $200-$300 for delivery of an excellent mix free of large rocks and roots can save hundreds of hours of hard work. And they will dump it in piles around the construction site to speed up construction and save even more labor.
• There is no need for a typical concrete base. Gravel-filled earthbags make an excellent base. This step alone can save you thousands of dollars.
• Build an insulated dirt floor and save thousands more. Sealed earth floors can last for hundreds of years. Think of all the wood, plywood, linoleum, etc. that can be saved.
• Use ground plaster and save thousands more. With wide roof overhangs of approximately 36″, ground plaster will hold up very well in most climates and require only minimal maintenance.
• Use recycled materials whenever possible. Door and window shapes, for example, can be made from scrap wood from pallets, discarded barrels, or tires. Sinks, tubs, doors, hardware, shelves, tile, and many other components can be salvaged for very little cost.