Manufacturing technology of adobe blocks. Do-it-yourself adobe house The nuances of building a house from adobe

Recently, I have often been asked questions about how the construction of our adobe eco-house is progressing... Therefore, I think it's time to continue the story about our "construction of the century".) this year’s construction season was opened only in May, so we didn’t have time to set up a lot (not even “we”, but Denis, for the most part, because my time, so far, is completely occupied by gardening and endless mowing of grass).
In case someone does not know, or wants to refresh their memory, I will give links to the previous parts of the construction epic:
1. About the foundation: http://bespalovka.blog.ru/157899475.html
2. About the walls and all sorts of general points: http://bespalovka.blog.ru/157963219.html
3. About how we covered the roof of the garage adjacent to the house: http://bespalovka.blog.ru/161153331.html

Well, today I’ll tell you about the window boxes that we build into the walls. In principle, there are no special nuances in this matter, so my story will not be long.)
Well, perhaps, I’ll repeat about the location of the windows (or did I not talk about it? I don’t remember, but I’m too lazy to re-read)). On the cold north side, we have a garage, respectively, there are no windows there (except for one - in the future restroom). But the southern wall, which is a semicircle in shape, is covered with window openings very generously. I will demonstrate it today.

Here it is: the first window frame mounted on the wall this year!

Actually, nothing complicated: they took the boards, put together a box (in our case, this is such a semicircular-angular shape (I wanted, in general, an even semicircle, but taking into account the fact that the window frames will also be wooden, and bending a tree in an arc is not a very easy task, we decided to do these - with corners)), wooden blocks were stuffed on the bottom and sides of the box so that it would better hold in the wall, and that's it - they put it on the wall, imprinted in freshly plastered soft adobe.
Further, the level (yes, not just one) double-checked the correct location of the box several times (which is what Denis does in the above photo), and then a board was screwed to it, the opposite end of which was attached to the wooden bars of the "floor" in the house. You can see the board in the photo .. This, of course, is a temporary measure to keep the box in the right position, as the walls of the board grow from the windows, they will be removed.

Photo of the same window, and other boxes waiting in line

And they are already on the wall

And from a different angle. Actually, this photo is called "Find a white dog"))

Hint: the dog cools his ass in the trough for kneading adobe: D

…
But let's get back to the windows ... although, in principle, there is nothing to return to: I told everything.)) To the boxes, in the future (when the whole house is completed), frames will be attached, which I will definitely tell here. But since we figured out the boxes, I would like to turn to the readers!

So, I try to cover here all the important, in my opinion, points regarding construction, however, I understand that I can miss something. Therefore, if someone has questions, then ask me them without hesitation and fear, and I will certainly answer them right on this blog! :)
Once again, I will give my contacts, which tend to change from time to time:
ICQ (ICQ is even on now almost always when I'm at the computer): 669-882-164
VK: http://vk.com/annbrejneva
FB: https://www.facebook.com/ann.brejneva

The likelihood that I will quickly notice your question is highest in contact. ;)

The construction of a residential building can be reduced in cost several times if adobe is used to build walls. It is not difficult to make it, besides, this material has good thermal insulation and is the most environmentally friendly. In appearance, an adobe house with your own hands is no worse than a brick or wooden one, if you choose the right finish.

The strength of the structure directly depends on the quality of the adobe. The low density of the blocks, their humidity, irregular shape - all this complicates the laying process and reduces the reliability of the structure. It is necessary to make adobe in advance, because the construction will require a lot of blocks, and it takes time to form and dry the material.

To make adobe blocks you will need:

• straw;
• clay;
• water;
• large capacity for kneading;
• boards;
• nails;
• hammer and hacksaw.

Step 1 Assemble the adobe mold

A box without a bottom measuring 35x18x14 cm is knocked down from boards 2 cm thick. The form can be made double, but it will be too difficult to lift it. Boards should be chosen as even as possible, preferably with a smooth surface. There are no standard sizes for adobe, but the indicated parameters are the most practical.

Step 2. Preparing the drying areas

To properly dry the adobe, you will need to prepare 2 sites. To do this, brick racks or wooden beams are laid out on a flat piece of land, and shields from tightly knocked down boards are attached to them. A canopy is built over the first platform, while the second is left in the open, but paved under a slight slope.

Step 3. Procurement of material

The most important component of adobe is clay. As a filler, not only straw is used, but also wood shavings, dry grass, sand, gravel and cement. Clay must be clean, free of impurities, very plastic and durable. It is very simple to check whether the clay on the site is suitable for construction: a little clay is diluted with water and rolled into a ball. If, when dried, it does not crack and does not break when dropped from a height of 2 m, clay can be used. It should be noted that about 10 cubic meters of clay is used for 1000 blocks, so you need to prepare a sufficient amount of it in advance.

It is better to take straw not fresh, but last year's, from 9 to 16 cm long. Fine cut is unsuitable for these purposes. To increase the strength of the blocks and increase their water resistance, it is recommended to add lime to the composition. The standard ratio of clay and straw is 4:6, but the proportions may vary depending on the type of adobe. In the light clay is 10% less, in the heavy 10-20% more than the norm.

Step 4. Forming and drying blocks

You can prepare a solution for adobe directly on the ground by clearing a 2x2 m area and making a depression in the center. For a small amount of building material, a container in the form of a trough with low sides is suitable, you can also assemble a frame from boards with a thickness of 3 cm and sheathe it with galvanized sheets. In such a container, the solution will not mix with the soil; in case of rain, it will not be difficult to cover everything with plastic wrap.

The mixture is prepared as follows: clay is poured, water is added to it, mixed well and left for 12-20 hours. This will allow the clay to acquire maximum viscosity and plasticity. Then add straw or other filler and mix thoroughly. Usually, such a solution is kneaded with your feet - it is quite difficult to do it manually. The finished mixture is left for a few more hours for uniform impregnation of all components.

For molding adobe, they take a flat wide board, put a mold on it, moisten the surface with plenty of water and sprinkle with sand and dry fine straw. They pick up the solution with their hands and tamp it into the mold, be sure to compact the corners. Excess material is cleaned off with a trowel or a piece of thin wire, and then the block is pierced in 3-5 places with a sharp stick. This is necessary for uniform drying of the adobe.

The open area is sprinkled with straw, sawdust or sand and the workpiece is laid out on it. Here, the opinions of experienced builders are divided: some recommend leaving the block in the form for at least 3 days, others advise immediately removing the form and drying it flat for a day, and turning it on its edge for 3-4 days. In any case, when drying, there must be free space between the blocks for air circulation. It is easy to check the adobe for readiness: if a block thrown from a height of 2 m does not break and soak in water in 2-4 hours, it can be used for construction.

Foundation construction

For an adobe house, you should choose a flat area with a low level of groundwater and dense soil. It is desirable to make the house itself one-story, without a basement or cellar. If space permits, it is better to build a cellar and other outbuildings at some distance from the dwelling.

For the foundation you will need:

• large gravel;
• broken brick or stone;
• clay;
• sand;
• fittings;
• cement mortar;
• building level;
• boards;
• self-tapping screws;
• wooden spacers;
• polyethylene film.

Step 1. Digging a trench

The trench for the strip foundation should be 15-20 cm wider than the thickness of the wall. Walls made of light adobe have a thickness of 30-35 cm, of heavy adobe - about 60 cm. They dig a trench around the perimeter of the future house and at the locations of the internal load-bearing walls. The depth of the internal trenches is 70-80 cm, the depth of the external ones should be 10 cm more than the level of soil freezing. Usually this value is 1.2-1.5 m.

Step 2. Foundation pouring

A sand cushion 15 cm thick is laid at the bottom of the trench, and on top it is covered with stone, broken brick, rubble, not reaching the top about 25 cm. . If the soil on the site is not too stable, the clay is replaced with cement mortar.

Formwork is assembled from the boards, upholstered with plastic wrap and installed inside the trenches. Outside, the formwork is reinforced with struts made of beams. After that, they check the structure with a level, mount the reinforcing cage and fix it between the boards. All this is poured with concrete mortar, the surface is leveled and covered with a film.

Wall construction

After hardening, the foundation surface is covered with two layers of roofing material and glued with bituminous mastic. Such waterproofing will protect adobe blocks from excessive moisture.

Lay out the walls start from the corner of the facade; masonry, as for brick, is done in a checkerboard pattern. A mixture of clay and sand is used as a binder solution.

Step 1. Building the bottom rows

In one day, the construction of 2-3 rows of blocks is allowed. If you put more, the adobe can shift under load and the wall will be uneven. Having laid the first row, it is necessary to determine the location of the doorways and leave free space between the blocks. It is not recommended to install door and window frames immediately, since the adobe shrinks by 3-5% during drying. Every 2 rows, you need to check the walls horizontally and vertically to prevent distortions of the structure. At the window level, the construction process is a little more complicated.

Step 2. Laying jumpers

Leaving openings under the windows, the masonry is raised to the height of the window frame and proceed to the manufacture of lintels. To do this, take boards 5 cm thick and knock them into shields, the width of which is equal to the width of the walls, and the length is 30 cm more than the width of the window. The shields are treated with an antiseptic and dried, and then wrapped with roofing material and fixed with staples.

Finished lintels are laid flat over the window openings so that they capture 15 cm of the wall on both sides. A beam is placed inside the opening and a jumper is supported by it. Then continue laying on top of the shields until they reach the top of the doorway. A wooden shield is installed above it in the same way and another 1-2 rows of walls are laid out.

To reduce the load from the truss system on the adobe, the roof must be made quite steep - at least 30 degrees, and preferably 45. The recommended length of the roof overhangs is about 70 cm. The best option for a roof for an adobe house is a straight gable. When installing the attic structure, the load on the walls increases significantly.

For the device of the truss system you will need:

• wooden beams;
• beam with a section of 150x100;
• boards 30x250 mm;
• waterproofing film;
• insulation;
• roofing;
• primer;
• fasteners;
• level;
• roulette;
• screwdriver;
• a hammer;
• hacksaw.

Step 1. Ceiling installation

When laying the last two rows of walls between the blocks, holes are left for the ceiling beams. In places where the tree is adjacent to the adobe, the beams are wrapped with roofing material and smeared with mastic. They should protrude quite a bit beyond the perimeter of the wall, by about 2-4 cm. The beams are laid at a distance of 1-1.5 m. After that, another row of blocks is erected and proceed to the assembly of the truss system.

Step 2 Installing the rafters

Lathing boards are stuffed onto the ceiling beams. The beam at the ends is cut at an angle of 45 degrees and connected to each other. Having strengthened the structure in the middle with a jumper, they lift it up and install it above the side wall. In the same way, they put the rest of the rafters and connect them with longitudinal beams. Between the ceiling and the lintels of the rafters, support posts are additionally installed, gables are nailed.

Step 3. Attaching the waterproofing

The rafter system must be protected with a waterproofing layer. You can use roofing material, plastic wrap or a special membrane for this. The fastening of the hydrobarrier starts from below along the eaves of the house. The material should sag a little between the bars, so you can’t pull it too hard. Adjacent pieces of the film are overlapped and glued at the seams with construction tape. If roofing material is chosen as protection, the joints are smeared with mastic or resin.

Step 4. Roof insulation

Mineral wool, polyurethane foam or polystyrene foam boards are suitable for roof insulation. To lay the heat-insulating layer, first mount the crate from the timber. Insulation plates are inserted between the cells of the frame, compacted, the cracks are blown with foam. After that, the roofing is fixed, the cornices are screwed, the snow retainers are mounted.

Facade finishing

The walls of adobe houses require mandatory finishing. An unprotected surface will get wet from rain and snow, collapse from mechanical damage, and be blown out by the wind. As a finish, you can use waterproof vapor-permeable plaster based on lime, acrylic or silicate. To do this, a reinforcing mesh is attached to the wall, and plaster is applied to it. You can sheathe the facade with siding, wood, special tiles.

Inside the house, the walls are sheathed with plasterboard, clapboard or plastered. The floor is rammed, logs are laid on top and boards are laid. You can make a concrete screed and lay linoleum, laminate, any other coating on it.

Video - Do-it-yourself adobe house

An adobe house is considered the result of aesthetic and practical design solutions and construction work. Such a building is filled with sensuality, it is not just an object for living, but a masterpiece of building craftsmanship. Synthetics, which surrounds us everywhere, forces us to pay attention again and again to the natural origin of the material and its environmental friendliness. Abandoned technologies are starting to come to mind, when artificially created materials were not used due to their absence.

The properties of the material fully depend on the amount and composition of light filler components. The average density of heavy adobe is 1,550 kg per cubic meter, which is slightly less than that of a simple brick. Light adobes are distinguished by a density of 550 kg. The thermal conductivity coefficient does not exceed 0.3. This means that compared to brick material, adobe is twice as warm. Saman in the dried state has a tensile strength of 50 kg per square centimeter.

The values ​​of strength and plasticity of clay and adobe plaster are increased by adding dry and fresh crushed dung to the mixture. A mixture of clay and manure, prepared at the rate of 10 to 1, is thoroughly mixed and left alone for several days. During this period, the mixture is plasticized by the action of digestive enzymes. It is important that the manure contains a sufficient amount of plant fibers that give strength to the adobe.

Adobe construction is allowed in regions with seismic activity of no more than 8 points and in rural areas. One-story objects are erected from this material, but the frame with diagonal ties is made of wood material treated with antiseptic compounds.

In places with increased seismic hazard, it is allowed to build two-story houses if their foundation consists of reinforced concrete materials, and the floors of the second tier rest on the entire perimeter of the walls.

Advantages and disadvantages of an adobe house

Consider the pros and cons inherent in an adobe house.

A comfortable microclimate is always maintained in the premises. The main reason for this is the high hygroscopicity of the material. As soon as the level of humidity rises in the house, the adobe surface absorbs excess, accumulating water inside itself. On hot days, the created moisture reserves are pushed into the air. Such walls can successfully replace air conditioning units and air humidifiers.

It should be recalled that the material has an acceptable cost, since all raw materials are of natural origin. In addition, the manufacturing process does not cause difficulties, since it excludes firing, which is needed, for example, brick or expanded clay.

Due to its impressive mass, the adobe wall has a decent thermal inertia. In addition, the surfaces are distinguished by good soundproofing abilities even without additional finishing.

The presence of aluminum in the clay allows good shielding of electromagnetic waves.

To make the picture complete, let's deal with the disadvantages of an adobe house.

Block material is not resistant to moisture. To eliminate this shortcoming in the erected building, it is necessary to perform additional work - to plaster or simply whitewash the walls with lime mortar in order to create protection from the effects of atmospheric precipitation on their surface.

If the material is prepared with a large amount of added organic matter, you should prepare for the fact that insects and even rodents will start in it. In addition, this material is already less fireproof, because organic additives ignite perfectly.

Houses just built from adobe must stand and dry for a long time if the construction was carried out in regions with moderate climatic conditions. For hot regions, this feature is not characteristic. If the building is not given the opportunity to reach its full strength, the organics contained in the blocks can begin to rot. As a result, the microclimate in the room can no longer be called pleasant.

The construction of adobe houses is carried out in a limited period. The best time for this is the summer season.

Weakly compacted adobe walls give significant shrinkage, reaching 1/20 of the height of the wall.

The use of heavy adobe, containing a minimum amount of organic additives, will require additional work on the installation of insulating layers. In this case, it is recommended to use pressed straw, which is subsequently plastered with clay or a clay-lime mixture.

If we consider labor costs, the manufacturing process has not changed much. Everything is done manually, specialized units are not used. Here's another drawback for you - the productivity in the preparation of building materials is low.

Features of the construction of the house from adobe

During the construction of an adobe house, certain technologies are followed.

For example, when installing a ceiling, it is necessary to provide a margin of twenty-five to thirty centimeters. For this reason, a do-it-yourself adobe house shrinks somewhat. This feature should be provided, otherwise living in the room will be uncomfortable.

The plinth must be protected from getting wet. For this purpose, in addition to roofing plumb lines, blind areas are being constructed.

Through the adobe walls, rodents easily penetrate into the room. To prevent this, it is recommended to strengthen the lower part during external finishing work with a fine-mesh metal mesh and cover it with a special acrylic-based plaster composition. You can use special mixtures that repel rodents.

All structural elements of the object, made of wood, must be treated with antiseptic compounds and agents that prevent the process of decay.

External finishing work is carried out a year after the building is built - it is necessary to wait until the shrinkage ends.

The nuances of building an adobe house

Before proceeding with the construction of an adobe structure, it is recommended to understand how to build an adobe house so that the finished object is used for a long time. To do this, there is a whole list of certain kinds of recommendations that have been formed over hundreds of years. It is also important that GOSTs for adobe construction simply do not exist. The master applies only his own experience and existing historical facts of construction.

Foundation construction

The foundation foundation for the adobe house under construction is shallow-depth, and reinforcement is mandatory when pouring. The width of the base should be more than the width of the adobe block by two dozen centimeters. Having installed the base, it should be finished on all sides with waterproofing material.

Manufacture of adobe blocks

To begin with, we will prepare the required number of adobe blocks. You will need two sites for storing material: shaded and well-ventilated, the second - sunny, with a slope so that the moisture from the finished bricks goes to the side. We are also preparing a place for mixing adobe. A hole measuring 2 by 2.5 m is best suited for this.

The production process looks like this:

• we put clay in the recess, in which there are already selected additives. Laying is carried out in fifteen-centimeter layers, holes are formed around the perimeter;
• the next laid out layer is poured with water. But remember that the amount of moisture in the mixture should not exceed a quarter of the entire composition of the adobe material. The total laying level should not exceed one meter;
• when the clay is completely saturated with water, hay or sawdust, previously soaked in water, is added to it;
• the mass is thoroughly mixed and left for a day. To gain viscosity;
• prepared forms, the inner sides of which are moistened and sprinkled with straw and sand, are filled with a solution. The adobe is rammed, the top is trimmed with wire. In order for the blocks to dry evenly, up to five holes are made in them, the cross section of which reaches one and a half centimeters. The surface is coated with sand and straw;
• raw bricks fall out onto a sloping site, left for a day;
• then they are turned on edge and kept for a few more days;
• after that, the brick is stored under a canopy in a checkerboard pattern or in pairs on the ribs. Gaps should be left between the blocks so that the drying is of high quality;
• full readiness for use occurs in fifteen days.

Wall construction technology

Everything happens in the same way as in the case of construction from other block materials. The next row is placed in a dressing, with an offset. Instead of a solution, a mixture of sand and clay is used, to which straw or flax fibers are added. The thickness of the seam between the blocks should not exceed one centimeter.

It is very important not to rush when erecting walls - no more than two rows should be laid per day. Above the opening sections, the ceilings are made of boards.

Features of installing a roof in an adobe house

They do not suit a very steep roof; the slope should be thirty to forty-five degrees. This allows you to reduce the bursting forces from the roof to the walls of the structure. The assembly is carried out along the rafters, which are securely fixed in the strapping beam. Places where wood comes into contact with clay are reliably isolated from moisture. The roof ledge must be at least seventy centimeters.

Facade finishing

Remember that building houses from adobe is prohibited in areas with a high level of humidity, in shaded areas. In places where the soil does not contain clay, it is impractical to build such houses.

The desire to own your own home often drives the modern resident of the metropolis into numerous debts, loans and mortgages. But few people think about the fact that it is quite possible to build your own house with your own hands, without spending fabulous sums on it. And in this case we are talking exclusively about the good old technology of building from natural material - adobe. About how to build an adobe house with your own hands and get your own housing for personal use within a year or two, in our material below.

Important: the first adobe buildings were erected thousands of years ago, and this directly speaks of the strength and reliability of adobe as a building material. That is why an adobe house is a strong competitor to any building erected from modern building materials using the latest building technologies. And here it is noteworthy that the construction of a house from adobe does not require special education. It is possible to mount buildings from such material like modeling from plasticine, and any blunders and mistakes on the construction site can be corrected on the spot.

Saman and all about him

Saman is a natural mixture of clay and fillers in the form of fibrous inclusions of straw, flax, lime or cattle dung. Water acts as a binder, with the help of which the mixture is brought to the desired consistency. At the same time, fibrous additives (straw and flax fiber) are cut into pieces up to 16 cm in length. Sand can also be added to the adobe mixture to reduce the fat content of clay. Since too oily clay can burst when dried, and this will lead to the destruction of the wall over time or a decrease in its heat capacity. Also, depending on the requirements for the finished adobe house, the following impurities can be added to the mixture:

• Flame retardants - enhance the fire resistance of the building;
• Antiseptics - prevent the negative effects of moisture on the finished walls of the house;
• Earth, sand and lime increase the fire safety of blocks;
• The earth in the mixture will help to increase the compressive strength of finished adobe blocks;
• Tensile strength is enhanced by all plant fibers plus dung;
• And to reduce the percentage of shrinkage of the finished house will allow gravel and sand in a mixture of adobe;
• Lime strengthens the structure and makes it more moisture resistant;
• Liquid glass, bone glue or whey will make the adobe mixture more plastic, which will make it easier to work with;
• Expanded clay and sawdust - increase the heat capacity of the finished adobe brick.

Important: but adobe itself meets all operational characteristics, such as heat capacity, environmental friendliness, strength and moisture resistance.

Advantages and disadvantages of adobe

Note that a house built of adobe is not inferior in technical characteristics to many modern wooden cottages or stone buildings. So, for an adobe house, the following advantages are inherent:

• High environmental friendliness of the house. The use of exclusively natural materials for the preparation of the mixture in tandem with sunlight provides the finished house with only natural characteristics.
• Economy of construction. Indeed, for the installation of an adobe house, there is no need to purchase expensive building materials. All components for the preparation of adobe blocks are literally under the feet of the master. In addition, the use of exclusively natural materials does not require knowledge of complex construction technologies. And this means that you can also save money on hiring specialists in a certain area and do all the work yourself.
• Ample opportunities in the embodiment of architectural ideas. In the literal sense of the word, a clay house can be sculpted at your discretion. Curved semicircular walls, graceful arches, bay windows, etc. will be appropriate here.
• Among other things, an adobe house has an increased heat capacity and sound insulation. And this means that in such a building it will always be warm, quiet and comfortable, regardless of the season and the noise level on the street.
• In addition, we note that an adobe house can last about 100 years or more.

But adobe also has some disadvantages that are predetermined by the origin of the mixture:

• So, the house will have a low resistance to moisture. Therefore, you will have to additionally protect it from the effects of water from the outside.
• Rodents may like the adobe mixture of the finished house.
• A house made of adobe blocks undergoes long-term shrinkage, and therefore it is necessary to make a higher ceiling height at the construction stage than is laid down in the project. Otherwise, after shrinkage, the house will not be entirely comfortable.
• Well, the construction time will be delayed, since it is possible to build from adobe only in dry, warm weather.

Important: the construction of an adobe house is categorically contraindicated in areas with high humidity or in heavily shaded areas. And where the soil is not clayey, it is simply not economically feasible to build an adobe house.

The nuances of working with adobe

Before starting the installation of an adobe house, you should understand how to build an adobe house in such a way that the finished building lasts as long as possible. There are a number of specific recommendations here that have been shaped by hundreds of years of use of this technology.

Important: it is noteworthy that there are simply no GOSTs for adobe construction. Here the master uses only the existing history of construction and the experience of the ancestors.

• It is better to make the foundation for an adobe house with a shallow-depth tape with mandatory reinforcement during pouring. The width of the base must exceed the width of the adobe block by 20 cm. At the same time, having made the basis, it must be waterproofed from all sides.
• To protect the walls of the adobe house from rodents, the lower part of the building (about 150 cm from the foundation) must be additionally reinforced with a reinforcing mesh and acrylic plaster should be applied to it. Such a mixture of rodents will be too tough. For the same purpose, you can use a special impregnation for walls.
• It is better to equip window sills with drainage systems, and it is desirable to place visors above the upper part of the windows, which will drain rainwater from the walls of the building.
• All wooden thresholds of the house must be waterproofed.
• Exterior and interior decoration of the finished house can be carried out only after the final shrinkage of the house.
• For a greater strength of the house, in all places where the walls meet, in window and door lintels, as well as in the lower parts of the openings, a kind of reinforcement in the form of reed or brushwood stalks should be laid. The same can be done every three to four rows of block masonry.
• If work is suspended, then the adobe wall must be covered with a film in case of rain.
• Clay for construction is best checked for fat content by specialists.
• A do-it-yourself adobe house will be stronger if it is assembled from blocks, although a monolithic adobe wall using formwork can also be mounted.
• And most importantly, clay for construction must be prepared ahead of time. It is better if she lays the winter on the site under the influence of frost. In this case, she will gain fortresses. It is also worth preparing the straw, which is harvested.
• The foundation of monolithic concrete, rubble or rubble concrete is also mounted in advance in order to start work in the spring.

Execution of construction

We make adobe blocks

First of all, blocks should be prepared for the installation of an adobe house. To do this, prepare two sites. One of them should be shaded (under an awning or roof) and well ventilated. Finished bricks will be stored here. And the second is placed in the sun with a slight slope so that the water from the finished brick can freely leave. It is also worth preparing a place for kneading adobe. This should be a recess of about 2x2.5 m.

So, the production process of an adobe block looks like this:

• Clay, pre-mixed with selected additives, is laid out in the prepared recess. In this case, the clay is laid out in layers of 15 cm, forming holes in them around the perimeter.
• Each layer of laid out clay is poured with water. It should be understood that the amount of water in the mixture should not exceed ¼ of the total composition of adobe. As a result, the level of the laid out mixture should not exceed 1 meter.
• As soon as the clay is completely wet, hay or sawdust, previously moistened with water, can be added to it.
• Now we carefully knead the mixture with a shovel (which is convenient for small volumes of the mixture), with a concrete mixer, or simply by inviting the neighbor's children to trample in the clay. The mixed mixture is left to gain viscosity for a day.

Important: after a while, you can check the readiness of the adobe. To do this, a lump of 3 cm is formed from the mixture and thrown from a height of about 2 m. If the lump does not deform and crack when it falls, then the solution is ready.

• Now we take the forms and begin to fill them with a solution. But before that, the inside of the template is moistened with water and densely sprinkled with straw and sand. The adobe is rammed into a mold, and the upper edge is cut off with wire for evenness. In order for the blocks to dry evenly, five holes are made in them along the perimeter with a section of 1.5 cm. The top of the mass is coated with straw and sand.
• Then the raw brick is dumped onto the prepared site with a slope. The site also needs to be sprinkled with sawdust, sand and straw. The blocks are placed at some distance from each other and left for a day.
• A day later, the blocks are turned over on edge and left in this position for another 3-4 days.
• Then the adobe brick is removed under a canopy, stacking it in a checkerboard pattern or two per edge. At the same time, it is important to leave gaps between the blocks for high-quality drying.
• Completely adobe brick dries within 10-15 days.

Important: completely dry and strong adobe has a uniform shade and does not break as a result of falling from a height of human growth.

Tip: it is better not to prepare the adobe mixture for future use. It is necessary to prepare such an amount of solution that can be developed completely in one day.

Wall masonry made of adobe

The walls of an adobe house are laid out in the same way as the walls of any other blocks. That is, dressing with the displacement of the blocks of the upper row relative to the blocks of the lower row. As a mortar for bonding adobe bricks, a mixture of clay and sand is used in proportions of 1: 1 or 4: 3. Chopped straw or flax fibers are also added here. When laying adobe walls, the thickness of the interblock seam is made no more than 1 cm.

Important: when installing adobe walls, do not rush. In one day, it is better to lay out 1-2 rows of blocks so that they can grab well, and excess moisture from the solution has time to evaporate.

If openings are provided in the wall, then the ceilings for them are made of a wooden board, driving it along the edges by 15 cm into the walls. Where a tree rests on adobe, it must be waterproofed.

Roof of an adobe house

• It is better to make a roof for a house from adobe not very steep. Approximately 30-45 degree angle. This is done in order to reduce the bursting force of the roof on the walls of the house.
• The roof is assembled along the rafters, securely fastening them to the strapping beam at the top of the wall. At the same time, do not forget to waterproof all the joints of wood with clay well.
• It is better to make the roof protrusion at least 70 cm so that the walls of the house are reliably protected from rainwater.
• And for the exterior finish of a finished adobe house, it is best (and most importantly economical) to use vapor-permeable plaster based on acrylic, silicate or lime.

Important: the floors of an adobe building are made on the ground, having previously covered it with waterproofing and thermal insulation. A board is used as a fine finish.

Two years ago programmer Denis Yasnitsky and journalist Anna Brezhneva changed their registration in Kharkov to a semi-abandoned village 65 kilometers from the city in order to live in harmony with nature. Young spouses have given up meat, alcohol and medicines, now they eat vegetables grown on their plot. Hares and foxes walk near their house, a hedgehog lives in the barn, and once a bobak even came into the yard.

The first straw house in the region was built near Poltava. Summer 2010

It turns out that the most advanced builder was the fabulous pig Nif-Nif, who made himself a house out of straw. Modern architects have learned how to make straw housing durable and warm. The inhabitants of such a hut are not only not afraid of a wolf, but also financial crises. Soon one family will celebrate a housewarming party in a thatched house near Poltava (the village of Krotenki). Similar buildings are already settling in the Rivne and Kyiv regions, but in the Poltava region it is the first. The house is quite small - 120 m?, one-story with a small attic.

A family of physics teachers built a straw house in Chernivtsi. Summer 2011

I guarantee, my eco-house will stand for a hundred years and nothing will happen to it, - Maria Shutak is sure - the owner and developer of the first straw house in Ukraine. The search for environmentally friendly and energy-intensive technologies in the family of Mrs. Shutak began with large heat losses in an ordinary brick house. We were looking for a way to reduce gas consumption while increasing the heat capacity of the house. At first they remembered the adobe technology, however, it turned out to be too laborious and required a significant consumption of clay. The experience of European countries helped, where straw houses have been built for a long time. How the house turned out - see this article.

Construction of houses from straw in the Kharkiv region. Fall 2011

Environmental construction is also developing in the Kharkiv region. One of the good examples of such construction is a frame house with walls filled with straw bales near Kharkov (). This building technology is gaining more and more popularity in Ukraine. Reason for that: ecological purity of the material(wood + straw + clay) and good thermal insulation properties. Read an overview of this building object in this article.

Near Kharkov began the construction of a house from bags of earth (Earthbag). Fall 2011

This earthen house is being built by a young family Dmitry and Irina in the Zmievsky district of the Kharkov region. Construction began in June 2011. In this article I will give a photo of what has already been built by October 20, 2011. A few words from the owners of the house: "We decided to move to the village on our land in order to reduce dependence on the harmful influence of civilization. We do not drink alcohol, we do not smoke, we do not eat meat, we are engaged in hardening. When we have free time, we ride bicycles, fish, pick mushrooms , supporters of organic farming.

The pioneer of eco-building - Taras Palatny and his house made of adobe blocks

One of the main qualities of a man is not to give up and go towards his goal. The story of Taras Palatny is an excellent example to confirm this truth. Wanting to build his dream home, Taras sold his apartment in Kyiv and started building a house out of adobe. But the house is not simple, but amazing. It will have a green roof (with a lawn), a sauna, a cellar, and a stove, and the layout will be in the style of a traditional Ukrainian hut. But this article will primarily focus not on the house, but on the person who started this construction ...

Straw houses are gaining more and more popularity in Ukraine

An unexpected competitor appeared at the houses made of aerated concrete. The environmental situation and rising energy prices encourage Ukrainians to look for alternative technologies in construction. One of them was, gaining popularity, construction technology straw houses(straw house). In Europe and America, such houses do not surprise anyone and are in stable demand. In addition to high environmental friendliness and thermal efficiency, straw houses allow the use of local raw materials and resources.

In the Zhytomyr region, a monolithic adobe house was built using Weisburd's adjustable formwork

What is the best way to build an adobe house? From blocks? By monolithic technology or by filling with a mixture of formwork (clay)? Or maybe a light adobe is better? The house, which will be discussed in this article, took the best of each technology. Meet the experimental adobe house of Sergey Bozhenko in the Zhytomyr region. We were lucky enough to visit this house in October 2011. Read about what we saw and learned at this facility in this article.