Erika House

John C Daley wrote:Ricos 1st picture has 2 walls coming out from the structure, thats what I am suggesting.
The contene
ts of earth bags can be water damaged.
Also the bags are usually covered with a plaster which reduces sundamage.

Rico himself said that first pic was a bad idea...

So it's not the best idea to use the "mud home" website as a useful reference?

John C Daley wrote:

an area that has high flooding probabilities and earthbag is really good for that.

If I was learning earthbag construction I would start with a shed of some sort instead.
And I would look at the alternatives given for the steps.
I also doubt earthbags as actual steps would be a good idea because of the wear factor.
But 2 earthbag walls sticking out from your building with provision for timber as a deck and the steps may be a better idea.

I currently don't need a shed but I do need some type of way to exit out that door.

I hadn't thought about the wear factor on the steps.

I'm not picturing what you mean by 2 earthbag walls sticking out from the building...could you give me more explanation?

Huh. I was under the impression that earthbags are made of the same material as sandbags, just different fill material, and that with a rubble trench foundation they are very good at withstanding flooding. That plan is at least ten years out though, so I'll have to do more research into that.

With my very rudimentary computer drawing skills I made it sort of look like what I picture in my mind.

I'm thinking the Red section would need to be solid earthbag layers, the Purple section would be just earthbag walls, and the green part would be wood for the top floor.

Anne Miller wrote:I am unclear about how you plan to do this.  Will this structure be walls like a house with wood frame for the deck or will it be solid earth bags?

Will the steps be made from earth bags?

How many earth bags with this project use?

I'm a little unclear on how I plan to do this too. That's what my questions are for/about.
Would it make more sense to do it as walls like a house, or as solid earthbags? Depending on which answer makes more sense, I'd then figure out how many earthbags it would take.
Could the steps be made with earthbags? Would earthbags work to make the steps?

I'm in the very preliminary stage of planning this as I wouldn't be able to start work on it until May at the earliest.

Glenn Herbert wrote:From the photo, I would say there are no foundations beyond some piers at intervals.

With only 10" of rain per year, you may be able to use a strawbale structure with plaster sealing. You would need a solid and strong enough top surface to not crack under foot traffic. It would have to be rigid enough to span between sidewalls whether you have bales underneath or not. I tend to think that it would be enough work to reinforce the top of a strawbale structure that you would be better off just making strawbale walls (plastered) and putting a wooden deck on top.

Yes, it's a manufactured house so it's on piers and not a slab foundation.

Strawbale building doesn't interest me at all. I'm looking to get experience with earthbags because I have another property in an area that has high flooding probabilities and earthbag is really good for that.

Two things: 1. Not having adequate floor support for the weight (and not easily having a way to fix that). 2. Really loving the view of a fire in my fireplace and not yet being willing to sacrifice that for the efficiency of a RMH.

The Best In The West Rib Cook-off. It's not the same type as most of the events posted here, but it's my personal favorite event in my area.

R Scott wrote:That sounds like a pretty low risk way to practice.

That's what I think too. But I can't find a single example of someone doing it (and I've googled, and permies searched extensively).... Which makes me a bit concerned that it's not a viable project. Or that I'm missing some important detail that would make it unsafe.
So I figured, might be worth asking for help in my thinking.