Sneak Peek
Learn to Construct with Natural or Alternative Materials and Techniques.
- Straw bale, wattle and daub and other alternative techniques.
- Alternative roofing - thatch, tiles, domes etc
- Alternatives for floors and foundations
Build small or large, economically for a unique aesthetic - anything from a garden seat to a small office or storage shed; through to a home or commercial building.
Man has been using ingenious techniques to construct buildings since the beginnings of civilization. The earliest buildings used the raw materials that were readily available – earth and plant materials; and whenever a construction issue arose a solution was found. When buildings made from plants began to deteriorate they were covered by mud
to reinforce them and plug gaps in the walls. When the earth walls deteriorated being washed by rain or turned to dust by wind, they were sealed using wind and water resistant materials such as animal manure. Today there are lots of other options for sealing a vulnerable surface.
Buildings made from straw, sticks and logs have evolved over thousands of years.
There are various reasons to choose these alternative building techniques today.
- Cost - Alternative building can be cheaper
- Environmental - using natural or recycled materials can be more environmentally friendly
- Aesthetic - The appearance of some of these building materials is unique, and to many people very appealing
Obviously In many of the poor parts of the world – from Africa through Asia to the Americas; buildings are still constructed cheaply and effectively using earth and plant materials or variations of those traditional construction techniques. Many alternative techniques discussed in this course are also still often used in some of the wealthiest countries though - sometimes to maintain historic structures; and sometimes because of the unique benefits they give.
This course covers everything you need to know to construct your own structure, large or small, using alternative materials.
This course covers the following lessons:
LESSON 1 INTRODUCTION TO ALTERNATIVE BUILDING
Strength and durability
Covering the structure
Types of straw, wood & mud construction
What can be built & why
Review what you have been learning
LESSON 2 SCOPE, NATURE, AND APPLICATIONS
The basics
Straw bale construction
Sustainability
Ease of use
Durability
Cost
Non-toxic
Insulation
Fire and pest resistance
Aesthetics
Community involvement
Seismic resistance
Applications for straw bales
Review what you have been learning
LESSON 3 PROBLEMS AND CONCERNS
Potential problems
Structural movement
Permits
Maintenance
Fire risk
Rising damp
Rain
Humidity and moisture
Pests
Odour and allergies
Gaps
Review what you have been learning
LESSON 4 WORKING WITH BALES
Types of bales
Types of straw
Shape and dimensions
Size
Working with straw bales
Moisture content
Laying bales
Different systems of using straw for construction
Fixing bales in place
Loadbearing walls
Roof plates
Roof plate tiedowns
Pinning the bales
Settling and pre compression
Infill bale wall
Retrofits
Mortared bale walls
Review what you have been learning
LESSON 5 FOUNDATIONS AND FLOORS
Foundations
Stone foundations
Pier foundations
Other options
Floors
Review what you have been learning
LESSON 6 WINDOWS, DOORS, ROOFS
Framing and roofing
Roofs
The pyramid roof
The gable roof
The shed roof
The flat roof
The living roof
Windows and doors
In loadbearing bale walls
Lintels
Bale infill walls
Fixings
Frames
Review what you have been learning
LESSON 7 FINISHING
Finishing options
Coatings, sealers and sealants
Plastering straw walls
Netting
Finishes
What type of plaster?
Cement stucco
Lime plasters
Gypsum plasters
Earth plasters
Latex/vinyl paints
Final effects
Colours
Sealants
Plaster additives
Rub down
Other effects
Lime or ammonium casein paints
Calcimine distemper paints
Simple oil paints
Coloured washes
Other products
Maintenance
Review what you have been learning
LESSON 8 ALTERNATIVE ROOFING MATERIALS
Introduction
Thatching
Durability
Types of materials
Thatching process
Standard method
Single layered method
Non-standard and traditional thatching
Tiling
Types of materials
Notes on methods
Wood tiles
Suitable varieties of wood
Wood tiling process
Slate tiles
Mangalore tiles
Bark roofs
Japanese bark roofing
Australian bush huts
Dome roofs
Constructing a geodesic dome roof
Mud brick dome
Skylights
Skylight placement
Materials and installation
Review what you have been learning
LESSON 9 ALTERNATIVE METHODS FOR BUILDING WALLS
Introduction
Components of wall construction
Reinforcing and stabilising
Protecting against deterioration
Wattle and daub
An early English description
Poured earth
Rammed earth
Bottle walls
Tyre walls
Review what you have been learning
Final assessment
Comment from John Mason - ACS Principal:
I stumbled across alternative building in the 1970's and early 80's. I built a garden wall at first, then a room around an outdoor spa. I tried mud brick and wattle & daub.
You don't need to build a whole house. I've used alternative building to make garden sheds. I built a straw bale garden room a few years ago, and some wattle and daub garden walls last year. Playing around with alternative building can be fun, economical and create some very interesting features around your property.