Alternative Building Materials?

[campandtravel]

Do you have Youtube? There are countless videos of such homes.

Thanks but if asking for info on these forums is not a *lot* more efficient than watching YT videos, then what is the point?

Re: campandtravel, you might have better luck asking questions from a position of humility instead of being a jerk to everyone who responds. I've built 2 off grid homes and starting a new one this year with alternative building methods, but there is no way I'll share any info with you.

You are mostly right and I apologize. I should just ignore the wasteful comments. It's hard because in person I would just walk away or if I was in my own space tell someone to stop wasting my time and either way I would not have to deal with that person anymore. On the boards, there's no way to get away. I'm still adjusting.

Of course. If timber wasn't available mud bricks could be a good option. Better than trash.
Whats wrong with horse power? Horses have been used for a long time too.

Not the point but mostly I want to apologize for being a jerk the other day. You offered the best suggestion you could think of, so thank you for that. I should have just ignored your comment. "If you don't have anything nice to say" etc.

I just use mortar in between the bottles just like you would with bricks

Cool! What does doing that accomplish and what climates is it useful for?

this message is worth about $20...

 

[Helen Back]

Actually *I* mentioned the earthships in my first post. Probably because I used to live in one. Still don't know what the tires do.

 

[campandtravel]

@Helen Back
I love that! Yes, team mentality is a trap and it takes an "a hole" to remind people that they are individuals. I know your reason for posting was different but I absolutely love this. I think I'll print and post this next to my "If you don't know what you're talking about, just shut up" poster.

 

[Schattentarn]

@Helen Back
I love that! Yes, team mentality is a trap and it takes an "a hole" to remind people that they are individuals. I know your reason for posting was different but I absolutely love this. I think I'll print and post this next to my "If you don't know what you're talking about, just shut up" poster.

You are not completely witless after all.

 

[campandtravel]

@GaRp58
A fun fact of use to each of us: did you know that you can highlight a person's username and "Ignore" that person? I just learned this. I'm testing with you right now. Now we don't have to waste each others' time again. Isn't that great?

 

[Flying lead]

Thanks but if asking for info on these forums is not a *lot* more efficient than watching YT videos, then what is the point?

You are mostly right and I apologize. I should just ignore the wasteful comments. It's hard because in person I would just walk away or if I was in my own space tell someone to stop wasting my time and either way I would not have to deal with that person anymore. On the boards, there's no way to get away. I'm still adjusting.

Not the point but mostly I want to apologize for being a jerk the other day. You offered the best suggestion you could think of, so thank you for that. I should have just ignored your comment. "If you don't have anything nice to say" etc.

Cool! What does doing that accomplish and what climates is it useful for?

 

[Flying lead]

You must be blast at parties

 

[DrHenley]

I saw a lot of homes in Kenya with walls made of cow dung. Not much different than mixing up mud with straw, except the cows do the mixing for you, LOL. It is like a lath and plaster construction with cow dung as the plaster. The "lath" is made from tree limbs interlaced with small branches.

 

[DrHenley]

Oh, and although a lot of houses built from cow dung are one room "mud huts" not all cow dung houses are huts...

 

[Amish Heart]

Looks like a New Mexico house. Alot of adobe houses there. We had a post office made of Straw Bales in the town we used to live in.

 

[campandtravel]

I saw a lot of homes in Kenya with walls made of cow dung.

Very cool. I've used it for fuel before, but never for building materials. But why not? Makes perfect sense. Like you said, the cows eat straw and mix it all up for you.

Now if scientists can get them to output into a nice even brick, we'd be even better off.

 

[campandtravel]

You must be blast at parties

I used to throw a lot of parties. I also throw a lot of people out of them if they talk nonsense. After a few parties like that, whoever remains is probably pretty solid.

 

[EastenerWesterner]

I have politely suggested to you.

@GaRp58
A fun fact of use to each of us: did you know that you can highlight a person's username and "Ignore" that person? I just learned this. I'm testing with you right now. Now we don't have to waste each others' time again. Isn't that great?

i am testing your hypothesis.

 

[bill harrell]

Very cool. I've used it for fuel before, but never for building materials. But why not? Makes perfect sense. Like you said, the cows eat straw and mix it all up for you.

Now if scientists can get them to output into a nice even brick, we'd be even better off.

Wombats, they poop square cubes.

 

[Dave_V]

Wombats, they poop square cubes.

Gives a whole new light to the expression "Sh!tting Bricks!"

 

[bill harrell]

Gives a whole new light to the expression "Sh!tting Bricks!"

Ooooh, way to close the deal

 

[Digout]

You'd need a lot of wombats to even make the foundations, their "bricks" are about 15 to 20mm cubes.

 

[bill harrell]

Aren't you forgetting about the nearly extinct maximus wombats gigantus who pretty much crap cubes the exact size as a modern cement block?

 

[Helen Back]

I heard fertilizer mixed with diesel fuel makes a solid building, with a high insulation value. Get a wood stove to keep it warm.

 

[Jayson]

I used to throw a lot of parties. I also throw a lot of people out of them if they talk nonsense. After a few parties like that, whoever remains is probably pretty solid.