How to Build Adobe Homes
Despite being one of the oldest building materials in the world, adobe has been modified over time to include elements that waterproof the brick, thus allowing for a weatherproof and long lasting building material. When building an adobe home, the first step is creating the bricks that will form the walls. Building an adobe home is a challenging project and sufficient skills are a requirement. You also need an extended period of time, the proper materials and equipment, as well as building permits from your local building authorities. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Emulsified asphalt
- Straw
- Sand
- Clay
- 2-by-4-inch lumber
- Shovels
- Trowels
- Beams
- Lentils
Instructions
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Make the Bricks
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1
Place two 2-by-4-inch, 10-foot long boards on edge and parallel to each other. Connect 14-inch boards at intervals of 10 inches between the original two boards, thus creating an adobe brick form with five cavities. Build several forms to speed up the brick making process.
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2
Mix sand, clay, emulsified asphalt, water and straw to create a test batch of bricks. Add approximately 1/2 gallon of emulsified asphalt per cubic foot of brick material, while the clay content should be between 25 and 45 percent of the final mixture. Add the water and sand to create a thick, heavy mud. Place the mixture into your brick form and let it sit for approximately two hours, then remove the form.
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3
Let the brick sit on a flat surface and dry for several days. As the bricks lose moisture, the edges will change color slightly; when this occurs, set the bricks on edge and allow them to dry some more. Once they have dried completely, check for cracks in your bricks that measure wider than 1/4 inch or longer than 3 inches and check for bricks that are brittle in general.
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4
Make more bricks to form your house if your test bricks have no defects.
Construct Your Home
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5
Pour concrete for the footing, which will act as a level foundation for the walls of your adobe home. This is necessary in order to elevate your first layer of bricks from the ground, creating a higher-quality structure.
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6
Make a mortar using the same mixture you used when you created the bricks. Lay down the first course of adobe bricks with 1/2 inch of mortar underneath and between each brick.
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7
Continue adding levels of adobe brick to form the walls. Leave spaces open where you will be placing doors and windows and set a lentil--a concrete, metal or wood beam--at the top of each open space that will be sturdy enough to support the weight of the adobe bricks and mortar that will be placed above them.
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8
Complete the walls to your desired height and appearance and place beams above the living space to support the roof. Add your doors, windows and floors and construct the roof.
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Tips & Warnings
Employ the efforts of able-bodied friends and family to help you with the construction of your adobe home. The work is extensive and physically demanding, but can also be very rewarding and an opportunity to teach children about construction projects.
References
- Photo Credit David Barnes/Photodisc/Getty Images
