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Earthbags....
When bags of dirt are laid flat atop one another
and solidly
tamped into place, they serve as a variation of "rammed earth"
construction (which has a long tradition here in New Mexico) and can
achieve a strength & stability equal to adobe bricks or
concrete blocks. They've earned a reputation internationally as a
low-tech building material & method that's accessible to
anyone, and continues to rise in both popularity & reputability.
While the idea isn't new (think of the sandbag trenches &
fortifications from World War I), their application as an alternative
building material can be largely credited to Iranian architect Nader
Khalili, who recognized that people left
homeless in war zones and disaster areas around the world often have
(if little else!) abundant access to three things; sandbags, barbed
wire, and dirt.
The beauty of earthbags, especially in contrast to more conventional,
rigid,
mass-produced material (like cinder blocks),
lies in their simplicity, their ease of handling, and their
ability to be laid in curves...
perfect for bordering sinuous walkways, garden beds, terracing, erosion
control, building arches, serving as foundations for cob or straw-bale
constructions, or more ambitious projects!
Advantages :
Aesthetic - easily
smoothed over with plaster
or stucco
Non-toxic - no fumes or allergens
Versatile, graceful, and easy to work with
Low-tech, requiring a minimum of tools or
experience
12" thick walls provide superb insulation
Stable; excellent earthquake resistance
Perfect for managing erosion, rain &
sediment runoff,
and
flooding
Ideal for low-cost ponding & concrete
washouts
Making
your
own: With the
basic materials
(bags, clay-rich soil, barbed wire,
and a tamper), anyone can design and build with
earthbags. If you're new to this,
you'll find
information, links, and resources on these pages to help you
get started.
Empty
bags: We can supply those for you - in
colors, if
you prefer (white,
green, yellow, or orange). Our standard
size is
14"x26" (approx. 36 cm x 66 cm).
Polypropylene
bags (standard size) are available in lots of
100
for $59.99 (plus
shipping). Click HERE to
see our prices
on poly bags.
Burlap
bags (new, 9 oz. weave, standard size), in lots of 50, are $46.99 (plus
shipping). Pre-payment is required on burlap.
Click HERE
for prices on burlap bags.
Bags in either material are available (by special
order) in a variety of
other sizes,
up to
3 feet long and beyond. Expect a few days for us to get them in.
Pre-filled
bags: Some people lack the sifted
dirt to fill their own bags, or
simply don't want to deal with the
hassle, the time, and the mess.
For those
of you interested in trying their
hands at
earthbag construction, either on a
small or trial
basis (a garden wall,
for example) or on a grander scale
(check
out our
links),
we offer filled
earthbags.
Our simplest filled earthbags, when solidly
tamped, weigh in at about 25 lbs
each & tamp down to an average measurement
of 12" wide by 15" long by 3" high.
These come in your choice of:
·
Sturdy unlabeled polypropylene
(tear and puncture resistant, UVI protected) .......... starting at
$2.00 each *
·
Biodegradable brown jute
burlap bags (9 oz weave)...........................................
starting at $2.50 each *
Delivery
of our filled earthbags is an option,with prices starting at
$3.00 each
for polypropylene, and $3.50 each for burlap.
Delivery prices are based
on
your location and on the quantity of your order. Large orders may qualify
for discounted rates. Contact
us
for details.
After
building,
you'll need to cover your structure. Popular materials
include lime, cob, adobe mud, papercrete, stucco,
and earthen plasters.
Typically, you'll want to add one or more rough
basecoats, and then a
finish
coat that will add color, texture, durability, and
weatherproofing.
See our products
and our plastering/rendering
pages (in progress!).
*
New Mexico residents, please add NM
gross receipts tax of 7.00% to all orders.
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