Construire avec de la boue : les techniques
There are many ways to do all these building methods and people who specialize in them. This is just to show the difference between some of the methods and how little difference there is in the mix.
Thanks goes to my great video team, my brother Kalin Steen – videographer and graphic designer, and my mom Athena Steen – graphic designer, and text editor.
Music
State of mind by Julian Avila, extended for video.
Recipe ratios will vary greatly depending on your soil, but here they are as general reference.
Many of these mixes can also be used for things other than what’s shown in the video.
Mix 1
1 clay, 1 sand, ¼ water
Uses: rammed earth, earthen-floor subfloor, earth-bag fill, earthship tire fill
Mix 2
1 clay, 1 sand, ½ straw, ½ water
Uses: cob
Mix 3
1 clay, 1 sand, ½ straw, ¾ water
Uses: adobe, plaster, mortar, earthen-floor finish layer
Mix 4
2 clay, 1 sand, 1½ straw, 1 water
Uses: wattle & daub, base-coat plaster
Mix 5
2 clay, 1 sand, 2½ straw, 1¼ water
Uses: straw-clay block, base-coat plaster
Mix 6
2 clay, 1 sand, 3½ straw, 1½ water
Uses: straw-clay infill, lighter straw-clay blocks
Clay mortar:
1 clay, 1½ sand, ¾ water