eabb:earthbag_building

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eabb:earthbag_building [2025/12/05 10:08] – created - external edit 127.0.0.1eabb:earthbag_building [2026/04/06 11:58] (current) – Simon Grant
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-# Earthbag building+This topic is part of [[gt:buildings|Buildings & construction]]. 
 +====== Earthbag building ======
  
  
-![](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/earth_bag.jpg)+![](eabb:earthbag_building.jpg)
  
 --- ---
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-## What is earthbag building?+===== What is earthbag building? =====
  
 According to some estimates, one-third of the world’s population is housed in earth buildings. Building in earth has a very long history, and has been practised in regions as diverse as Asia, Europe, Africa, the Americas, and in modern times Australia. The adobe buildings of the Southwestern United States are well known, as are the astonishing earth buildings, indeed [earth cities](http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/116), of Africa. Across Europe, earth has long been used in construction, either as infill, daub, or to build earthen walls like [cob](/cobb/cob_building), or witchert in places like Buckinghamshire. Earthbag building then, is a modern twist on perhaps humanity’s most important building tradition. According to some estimates, one-third of the world’s population is housed in earth buildings. Building in earth has a very long history, and has been practised in regions as diverse as Asia, Europe, Africa, the Americas, and in modern times Australia. The adobe buildings of the Southwestern United States are well known, as are the astonishing earth buildings, indeed [earth cities](http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/116), of Africa. Across Europe, earth has long been used in construction, either as infill, daub, or to build earthen walls like [cob](/cobb/cob_building), or witchert in places like Buckinghamshire. Earthbag building then, is a modern twist on perhaps humanity’s most important building tradition.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Earthbag building in Nepal with cement bond-beam in place. (timber would be more usual in eco-builds).+_Earthbag building in Nepal with cement bond-beam in place. (timber would be more usual in eco-builds)._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-## What are the benefits of earthbag building?+===== What are the benefits of earthbag building? =====
  
 One of the reasons why earthbags were so widely used for military purposes and for flood defence is that the materials are easily transportable and easy to assemble. The advantages of the technique however are much more extensive than this. Kelly Hart's colleague, Dr Owen Geiger put it this way: One of the reasons why earthbags were so widely used for military purposes and for flood defence is that the materials are easily transportable and easy to assemble. The advantages of the technique however are much more extensive than this. Kelly Hart's colleague, Dr Owen Geiger put it this way:
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 <caption> <caption>
-Turf-covered earthbag 'hobbit house' in Thailand.+_Turf-covered earthbag 'hobbit house' in Thailand._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-The toolkit of the earthbag builder.+_The toolkit of the earthbag builder._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-## What can I do?+===== What can I do? =====
  
 Wherever you have a suitable material to fill bags, you can build. Originally, for military bunkers and flood defence, burlap sacks were used, but modern earthbag builders mostly use woven polypropylene bags. The world is full of polypropylene bags, such an over-supply almost demands a use in construction. Tubes are also commonly employed, in a practice known as superadobe; and a material called Raschel mesh (which can be UV-protected) is sometimes used for the tubing - this is called hyperadobe! Wherever you have a suitable material to fill bags, you can build. Originally, for military bunkers and flood defence, burlap sacks were used, but modern earthbag builders mostly use woven polypropylene bags. The world is full of polypropylene bags, such an over-supply almost demands a use in construction. Tubes are also commonly employed, in a practice known as superadobe; and a material called Raschel mesh (which can be UV-protected) is sometimes used for the tubing - this is called hyperadobe!
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 <caption> <caption>
-Earthbag building a Nepal with ridge beam in place.+_Earthbag building a Nepal with ridge beam in place._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-A completed, rendered earthbag home - the first permitted earthbag house in Utah.+_A completed, rendered earthbag home - the first permitted earthbag house in Utah._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-Rendering begins on an earthbag roundhouse.+_Rendering begins on an earthbag roundhouse._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-A Buddhist hermitage in Ohio; the shape of the earthbags can be seen through the render.+_A Buddhist hermitage in Ohio; the shape of the earthbags can be seen through the render._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-Earthbag roundhouse with frames in place for doors and windows.+_Earthbag roundhouse with frames in place for doors and windows._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-## Further resources+===== Forum =====
  
 +This topic belongs to the section [[gt:buildings|Buildings & construction]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/buildings).
  
 +===== Further resources =====
  
-## Specialist(s)+- [Earthbagbuilding.com](https://www.earthbagbuilding.com/index.htm) - big resource 
 +- [CalEarth](https://calearth.org/) - workshops & online courses 
 +- [Dream Green Home](https://www.dreamgreenhomes.com/materials/earth/earthbags.htm) - plans for earthbag houses 
 +- [Earthbag house plans](https://earthbagplans.wordpress.com/) 
 +- [Emergency sandbag shelters](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/Khalili-emergency-shelter.pdf) 
 +- [Green Home Building](https://www.greenhomebuilding.com/earthbag.htm) 
 +- [Woman Builds Off-Grid Earth Bag Home in Turkey for $3,761](https://www.greenprophet.com/2012/01/turkey-earth-bag-home/) 
 +- [How earthbag homes work](https://home.howstuffworks.com/earthbag-home.htm) 
 +- [How to build an earthbag dome](https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Build-an-Earthbag-Dome/) 
 +- [How earthbag homes work](https://home.howstuffworks.com/earthbag-home.htm) 
 +- [Mother Earth News](https://www.motherearthnews.com/sustainable-living/earthbag-building-zmaz09aszraw/) - low-cost earthbag buildings step-by-step 
 +- [Patti Stouter](https://www.scribd.com/user/24670547/Patti-Stouter) - technical documentation 
 + 
 + 
 + 
 + 
 +===== Related topics ===== 
 + 
 +- [Low-impact building](buil:building) 
 +- [Cob building](cobb:cob_building) 
 +- [Rammed earth building](raeb:rammed_earth_building) 
 +- [Planning permission](plan:planning) 
 + 
 +===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
  
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