How to Dry Adobe

The dryer the adobe, the stronger it gets.

Adobe is a clay-like material that is used to make bricks. It is a simple and cheap material that can be used to create structures and buildings. It can also be used as a sculpting material since it is clay-like. A careful mixture of dirt and water creates the adobe. Drying it takes very little effort, but a lot of time, especially if you live in a humid or moist area. Bricks can take anywhere from five days to a month to dry, depending on your access to sunlight and wind.

Things You'll Need

• Sand or straw
• Dry, flat surface

Instructions

1. Shape your adobe into the form you desire. This can be bricks or a sculpture. The adobe will be wet and have a dark brown color.

2. Sprinkle the ground with sand or hay. This ensures that the adobe doesn't stick to the ground while it dries. Remember that what the adobe dries on will stick to it. This is why you just need a light sprinkling on the ground.

3. Lay the adobe on the sprinkled ground and leave it to dry for three days. Direct sunlight and wind will dry the adobe bricks. The edges will start to turn white as they dry.

4. Turn the adobe on a dry side. For example, if you are drying bricks, turn them 90 degrees onto a dry side. This allows the side that was face down to dry. Give the adobe another two to three days to dry. As they dry they harden, so make sure they are completely dry to get the strongest adobe possible.

References

• Cold Splinters: Adobe Bricks
• Desertphile: Making Adobe Bricks