Api Ipo

Hi Guys,

Just an update, posts are in. Packed in with 65mm sharp rock and posts were put on top of a large rock. Posts were treated with a bio oil, hoping they last longer in the ground then my lifetime! The diametere of the large home is 8m. I have sourced strawbales and hope to move onto walls by late Jan 2024.  Its been a long year and we are glad o be heading onto the roof stage. My sarking timber inbetween rafters will be poplar as it was the best i could afford apart from trying to mill my own, which by the way takes a lot of time. If you are married like me, my wife lacks patience and wants in the house yesterday. We will work on the stem wall once the roof is up 200-300mm deep with loose rock and building up from there 250mm with mortared river rocks. Looking to break the river rocks to roughen up the edges so they are not so smooth and round, hoping this works. Its a free source from our river and plenty of it. I will post a picture of the rough design when i get a chance so you can see the windows and layout of the home. Hope you are well, witht he holiday season upon us.

T Phillips wrote:We did what Ty and Don outlined when we built a 6' fence in Westcliffe, CO. Because this was to enclose a 1 acre site and because we are not spring chickens, we paid a crew with a small machine to auger the post holes 8" in diameter and 4'- 5' deep. We then put 3/4" angular rock (gravel) in the bottom of the holes and placed the 10' tall, 4x4 cedar posts in them. We then added gravel and tamped 4-6" lifts of gravel into the holes, keeping the posts centered. The fence has held up beautifully for 10+ years. It was one helluva lot of work, but it was worth it.

@T Phillips, how are the post now?

Hi Paul, I have a question about green logs inground and shrinkage, would this be a problem if i was looking to live in it?
I will use sharp stone to inground around the logs. Thank you Api

Cristobal Cristo wrote:I second above comment.
I would never build anything on the fill material without proper compaction, especially in seismic or mud flood zones. Even with compaction I would still prefer to build in the cut part of the hill.

Hi Cristobal,

I will be building on the cut part (most solid part) of the hill.

cheers

Sourdough Al wrote:Be caution of doing too much on the fill area because it doesn't look like it was packed and anchored to the hill.  With the right seismic activity and moisture it may become liquefied and "flow" down slope.  

How deep are your posts?  

Thanks Sourdough,

I'm looking to get posts 1500mm deep. Dig holes, compact bottoms, place big rock at the bottom, place log in hole, fill sides with sharp rock to the top. Sound ok? Would there be another way to keep posts out of the ground and build on a hill like that without problems? Be good to avoid logs making contact with soil, but not sure what would be best.

cheers

Phil Stevens wrote:Kia ora Api and haere mai ki Permies! That is a beautiful spot there...I hope it didn't take too much of a hammering the past 24 hours.

In light of the seismic risk, you will probably want a reinforced concrete ring foundation. Consider an inner and an outer wall and then fill the void with stones or rubble, then make a mortared cap. A moisture barrier will go on top of this, and you will need rebar extending from the rings into the bales to tie it all together. This design can be done without too much portland cement, since most of the foundation volume is fill material, but will give good tensile performance when the ground wiggles.

Kia ora Phil!

We were inland close to the Uruweras, did not get much of the storm by us, hope you pulled up ok. Keeping that in mind we are quite open on our hill, wind would be something to consider, assuming round homes are pretty good with this thing, not sure reciprocal earth roofs though?

As for concrete ring foundation, I apprefiate thst idea and will probably impleement that. Would the base of the ring be concrete then building walls on top of that? Would you be putting some stone under the concrete ring as well for drainage?

Ted Abbey wrote:Looks like you burned the bottom of the posts.. good move. By foundation, I’m guessing you mean a contact barrier between the straw bales and ground. I would suggest a nice masonry stem wall of stone. Could be drystacked or mortared, depending on the stone. Congratulations on a good start, and your beautiful site. I spent my early life in Hawaii, but now I live in the desert. All that green gave me a touch of nostalgic feels. Please keep us updated on your progress.

Thanks Ted,

Appreciate the advice. By foundation I just wanted to see if post inground up on a hill was sufficient. I will be doing a stem wall of mortared river rocks. The depth im thinking of for my log posts is about 1500mm.

Just to clarify, the picture of the of the round post frame is not my build but a reference pic of something similar.

Hi Guys first time poster here!

My name is Api and I am building a round log post in ground strawbale home in the Bay of Plenty New Zealand. Also looking to have a reciprocal roof with earth on top. We have already excavated a small building pad on top of an established hill. Excavation for the pads were sloped toward the hill for runoff. Excess dirt was pushed to the sides of hill. The common soil type here is loam.

I need advice with building on top of a hill, what I should do for foundations considering location and soil type? Keep in mind New Zealand is in a seismic zone.

We are building with material that is close by, our trees, clay, sand, but straw will be delivered. We have plenty of hay close by but I’m not sure you can use hay? We have endless supply of river rocks and builders mix and natural spring, river and creeks for water.

Pictures will be added so you can see what I’m working with and also an example of the log frame home we hope to build.

Any and all advice would be greatly recommended.

Api