How to Make Sod Bricks

Grass, or sod bricks, are an eco-friendly building material.

Sod is soil held together by the tangled roots of grass. For sod bricks, a strong grass, such as wiregrass or buffalo grass is preferred, with matted roots that bind the soil together tightly. In areas such as the prairies of Iowa, where trees were scarce, sod bricks became the standard building material for the early pioneers. The method for cutting sod bricks hasn't changed much -- you cut them, one at a time, with a spade.

Things You'll Need

• Grass cutter
• Tape measure
• Wooden pegs
• String
• Sod cutter or spade.

Instructions

1. Cut the grass to a height of about 4 inches throughout the area from which sod will be cut. Remove the grass clippings and other debris to leave only the living sod.

2. Hammer two pegs into the ground, one at each end of the first strip of sod. Attach a length of string between the pegs to form a straight line. Place a second pair of pegs 12 inches to one side of the original pair and attach a string between them. The result is two parallel lines of string, 12 inches apart. Add further parallel lines until sufficient strips of sod have been marked out on the ground.

3. Remove the soil to a depth about 5 inches along the unused edge of the first line. Create sufficient space to be able to cut under the first line of sod parallel to, and 4 inches below, the surface.

4. Cut vertically into the ground along each string line, to a depth of 4 inches, using a straight spade. Every 2 feet, cut a line across the sod from one string line to the next to divide the strip into 2 feet long slices. The result is a strip of sod 12-inches wide subdivided into rectangles 2 feet long.

5. Undercut each rectangle 4 inches below the surface and lift the "brick" out of the ground. The result is a sod brick 12-inches wide, 2-feet long and 4-inches thick.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a straight spade rather than one with raised edges or a curved profile.

• Tractor attachments are available for cutting sod, but they are not commonly available.

• Don't cut sod after heavy rain. The sod can double in weight.

References

• Iowa: Past and Present: Jeri Freedman
• Nebraska Studies.org: Searching for Shelter - Building a Sod House
• Complete Guide to Alternative Home Building Materials & Methods: Jon Nunan