keithbien McCoy

Wise words, indeed.  And thanks shiva for the tip about green singles.  I will check it out.--K

Yes Pangea, I agree this thread did wander a bit.  Thanks for your comments about foundations.  The trench would be less work than rammed tires, though I am not convinced that would be a bad idea.  Since I am planning a slipform stem wall, I could probably just build that right on top of the trench as it will act as a bond beam.  The wall will only be 30 in high and 18 in thick to support timberframing posts and about a 5ft cob wall up to the plate.  I do need a retaining wall on the north end of the home and I am still planning to do a tire wall there.  Do you recommend the trench below that, or can I backfill with a couple feet of washed gravel with a drain tile in the bottom as I was planning? The retaining wall should be about 4 ft high and will weigh enough to keep it stable.  I plan to put a bond beam atop that and it will also support timberframe posts and a shorter cob wall to the plate.  I am gathering info, so I appreciate any thoughts you have on my project.  --K


Hey XUL, it seem everyone went off on a tangent about concrete. Some options for foundations (depending on where you live) 1) frost protected shallow foundation, drastically less concrete usage than a conventional stem wall, less digging and code approved ta-boot. 2) A rubble trench is a great option, (it you need to talk to a building inspector it's called "engineered fill" trench) That is a someone already responded is a 2' x 2' trench with 1.5" to 3" rubble in it. Anything will work, rock, brick, broken china, glass your name, as long as it wont break down. The drain tile goes in the bottom of the trench and make sure to compact the fill before putting the bond beam on top. The bond beam is what your walls will actually sit on. It can be urbanite (recycled concrete) or you can pour virgin concrete, and there are also earth bags.  A combination of the two listed above is a frost protected engineered fill trench. This is a engineered fill trench that has 2" rigid foam around the outside of the foundation. (This is the foundation I'm using for a load-bearing BaleCob cabin I'm building this summer.) And with an engineers stamp it will pass code.  Hope this helps.  Cheers

Okay, I am joking... Sort of.  I am recently separated from my wife and in the midst of trying to plan and build a homestead on my own.  I would like to have a partner in the effort at some point, but it seems hard to find permaculture minded  people out in the world.  Here on this forum are so many like minded individuals, some of whom may be single and interested in meeting people and exchanging ideas and growing things together.  It did get your attention didn't it?  I have read non-stop on this forum since I discovered it and just thought I would see what kind of reaction I would get if I posted something a bit off topic.  In the best of spirit---Peace, Love and Happiness  --K

Is there a link?  If you want to share it and possibly get donations for your effort, you could make a blog out of it so anyone could see/use it piecemeal and not have to download some huge file just to see what it is.  Just a thought--K

Mule,
I operate a small wireless internet service in a fairly rural area in N GA.  I don't have much to offer you except that it is possible to get high speed internet where none is available.  We are working on developing a package that someone could use to start a similar service in a rural region elsewhere.  We have the advantage of a fiber optic connection which we rebroadcast from a mountain location to other 'repeaters' in our area and connect users to them.  But, a good satellite connection could work in place of the fiber.  I wish I could be more helpful.  I know your pain.  Good luck--K

Glen
I appreciate your comments greatly.  I am building in NW Ga which is fairly wet and humid, at times.  My soil has a good clay content and I think it will compact well.  The slipform foundation wall should act as a bond beam and keep any additional compaction even.  Also, the slipform technique should allow for even settling between courses so there is not a dramatic shift you could get from a poured wall compacting all at once.  The foundation wall will carry about a 5-6 foot cob infill wall as well as the timberframe posts, so it will be bearing a lot of weight down to the tires. 
Do you have  any personal experience with rammed tire foundations?  Or with cob or stone in conjunction with them, or do you just have  hunch about it?  I haven't been able to find much at all in support or against the idea, but would really like to get some good advice either way.  Also, what is your alternative to the tire foundation?  I am really trying to avoid the expense and eco-footprint of a standard poured concrete footing.  Thanks in advance for all your comments--K

View Profile Email Personal Message (Offline)
Today at 01:31:32 AM Reply with quote
Hi Keith,if you don't mind i will chime in here.I'm not a big fan of rammed tire walls if your building stone or cob on top.I see an issue with properly ramming the soil in the tire to create a solid enough base to carry the weight of stone or cob.If you don't compact it enough I see a lot of settling and cracking occurring.Infact,I can't see how one could compact the tires enough that you would not get stretching(tires) and or settling??.Keith,I didn't get were you were building.In a dry desert area is on thing,in an area where you are compacting with a moist soil is another.

glen

Ronie, I hope the foundation will keep the cob high enough to keep weather off.  That and big overhangs.  I would still like to get some more feedback on my foundation plans, so I may start a new thread another time.  Progress will be slow for sure, but I am charting progress on my b l o g.  newenglandroad.blogspot.com  hoping to break ground this spring  Thanks for your comments and advice--K

Ronie,
The reason most people don't use portland in their exterior plaster is that it doesn't breathe as a lime plaster will.  You can end up with trapped moisture and then mold. 

As to my stone wall, I do worry about the thermal transfer.  I am thinking of using foam board  or rock wool panels on the interior side of the wall to help with that.  I don't plan to do the round wall, but rather slight offset toward the hill to stabilize it against the backfill.  Back wall will only be about 4ft tall, and the slope is not steep.  It will not have slipform on top.  Tire wall will be uphill wall with french drain and gravel.  How does the overall plan sound to you? Or anyone else?--K

Ronie,
I got you now.  I am planning to excavate a flat spot into the gradual slope my proposed site is and then begin laying tires that I will backfill.  Seems like it would be very stable.  Washed rock on the inside and around the base on the uphill side.  The stone foundation wall is mostly a "toe-up" for the cob walls that will infill the timberframing, and because I like the look.  Foundation wall will be around 18in deep to support the 8in posts and cob that is 10-12in at the base. Slipform construction will have facing stones on the front and urbanite and 'uglies' on the inside.

I don't think there is much more stable than 400 lb tires on the ground stacked two high and pinned together with rebar and the slipform wall will act as a bond beam to hold it together as a whole.  Also, the foundation wall is only 30 inches high.  Timber posts will anchor in that.  Why would earth bags be more stable than tires?  I am not being combative.  I just need more convincing that I don't have a reasonably good idea.  Thanks for your comments--K