Workshop Schedule



Earth Building Workshop and Construction Techniques. 
These workshops are designed for anyone wishing to learn the basic theories and techniques of earth building.  They should be especially useful for people setting out to build their own adobe house, or for anyone interested in the possibilities of sustainable, inexpensive methods of construction.


Workshop 1
Saturday, May 23
Soil testing, Rubble Trench Foundations and Adobe Making: An Introduction to Adobe and Earthen Buildings 

In this first class we learn how to test, evaluate and, if necessary, amend the soil on  site for use in adobes, mortar and earth plasters. - Bring a glass jar with earth from your site, labeled with your name, and we will conduct a simple, reliable test on it.-  Next, we learn how to construct simple wooden forms for making adobes (at the end of the day, each student will take home their own form.)  Then we will mix mud and learn the process of making adobes.  In addition we will  observe and learn how to make a  rubble trench/grade beam foundation and ready the foundation for adobe walls. This workshop will be both a hands-on workshop and an overview of adobe building. 

Workshop 2
Saturday, May 30
Introduction to Adobe Wall Construction

We will begin with a short overview of Workshop 1 to refresh our memories and bring newcomers up to speed, then a look at the components of an adobe wall, including the adobes themselves, gringo blocks, rough bucks, lintels and bond beams. We will set the corner story boards and strings necessary for laying up a straight and true wall, and then begin to lay our adobes.


Workshop 3
Saturday, June 6
Advanced Adobe Wall Construction 

This workshop will be the most  hands-on workshop where we will really work hard and see the results that come from proper preparation.  We will be placing gringo blocks and rough bucks as well as lintels over door and window openings.  Time permitting, we will begin to install the bond beam at the top of the adobe walls.  In any event, we will discuss materials for this and methods of forming(for concrete bond beams) and placement and anchoring for wooden bond beams.

Price per workshop (includes lunch)  $55
All three workshops                        $150

Week of June 8-12:  Limited openings for  free internships for those interested in continuing to learn and work in adobe.  Camping, meals included.  Hard work inevitable,  fun expected.

Coming Fall 2009 Building a Nubian Vault with Simon Swan of the Adobe Alliance

Contact cabras@bmi.net