What underground houses. Do-it-yourself house from the earth. Ecohouse from the earth

Earth houses - you stand on building material.

Long bags are filled with sand and arranged in layers. Sometimes cement, lime are added as stabilizers, but the main composition of the ideal mixture is 70% sand, 30% clay. Straw is also sometimes added. Then earthen walls are coated with clay and plastered. Architecture in balance www.flickr.com



Polypropylene bags made from recycled plastic bags can last for hundreds of years, especially if they are covered with clay, adobe or plaster on top to keep air out. Arquitectura en Equilibrio, Colombia. www.flickr.com

Earth kneading differs depending on the area. Here, in a rainy area, a stone foundation was laid under the bags for drainage. Notice the barbed wire that keeps the bags from slipping and creates a stable frame during an earthquake. Arquitectura en Equilibrio, Colombia. www.flickr.com


The hardest part is filling the bags. The bags are filled in place on the wall. With a reasonable approach, you can lay 30 linear meters of bags per day. Arquitectura en Equilibrio, Colombia. www.flickr.com

Arch strength testing

Seres project, Guatemala. projectseres.org

CalEarth is an earthen building in California.
Iranian architect Nader Khalili founded earthbuilding technology and in 1991 founded the California Institute of Earth Art and Architecture (Cal-Earth), a research non-profit and educational organization. Photo by James www.flickr.com

Initially, Nader Khalili presented the technology for building such houses for NASA as an option for building and living on the Moon and Mars. Photo by Ashley Muse www.flickr.com

In some places, he left layers visible.




Aerodynamic shapes are resistant to hurricanes, and the frame structure is resistant to earthquakes in California. Also, earthen houses are not afraid of floods and fires. A double eco-dome can be built (from bags) in 10 weeks. Photo by James www.flickr.com

Classical arches, domes and vaults. Their combination protects from the prevailing winds. Photo by James flickr.com

CalEarth - inside is light and cozy. calendarth.org


CalEarth - vaulted ceilings. calendarth.org


roof structure


Building an earthen house in the Philippines. Long sandbags add stability, but using barbed wire between layers of short sandbags is fine too. Long bags certainly take longer to fill than short ones. Photo by SCDLR8899 www.flickr.com

Construction of an earth house at a boarding school in San Juan Cosala, Mexico.


This is the first earthwork to receive official building permission in New York State. A project by Marsh Allen Rochester's sister, she hopes that the students who helped build this house will join her in Haiti, where she hopes to build many of these buildings. www.rochestercitynewspaper.com

Start of construction of the Gainesville, Florida earthen house. Photo by Justin Martin www.flickr.com


Kicked out the walls and covered


Stucco of an earthen house in Gainesville, Florida. www.flickr.com


Reconstruction of an earthen house in Argentina. www.superadobeserrano.blogspot.com


Compaction of the first layers. Initially, trenches are dug and then filled with gravel, cement, or several layers of bags. Each layer is leveled before the next one is laid down. www.ecocentro.org


The plastering of the earthen house is done by hand. Some of them use bags as a temporary owner of Adobe. The bags may rot, but the building will still be strong. With this construction scheme, the bags should be filled with a small percentage of reject material (eg adding 5%-10% slaked lime or cement, mixed well and then lightly moistened before filling and tamping into bags).


Earthen house from the inside, ready for plastering. Eze is one way to knead. Mix soil; clay/sand, and insulating material such as volcanic stone, slag, pumice, perlite or vermiculite and put into polypropylene bags (which have a half life of 500 years). must be protected from sunlight by plaster. structure1.com/Earthbag.pdf

If you don't like the idea of ​​plastic bags, you can use organic linen or hemp. Fill them with clay, sand, lime, crushed stone or other cement-forming material, and, after installation, lightly pour water over them to harden them. You will receive a very durable and reliable material.
earthbagbuilding.wordpress.com


Earth house project. earthbagplans.wordpress.com

Earth house. Andrey Bobrovitsky Lvov. Ukraine
The earthen base can be used as a component, in the construction of, for example, a straw house. Here, the walls of the bag are laid out for the construction of the basement of the house.
Reinforcement with mesh between layers.


Insulation of the earthen part of the house, first clay plaster, then extruded foam. As a foundation, a trench is dug out and covered with gravel.


they compact the foundation in an earthen house, constantly ramming it and pouring it with water. The main components are crushed stone, sand and granite screenings. Concrete screed 5 cm above. Andrey Bobrovitsky Lvov. Ukraine.


Waterproofing is placed between the first layers so that it does not draw moisture. The sand is sieved each time before filling the bags.


The plinth is ready, now you can lay down straw bales. In our latitudes, an earthen base is very economical and environmentally friendly. And the layout with straw and clay is very practical. The house will be both warm and dry.
Big photo

In former times, the construction of dwellings from earth and clay was a necessity. Over time, this technology was forgotten, as new more modern materials. But the high safety for the environment and for humans made us think again about building a house underground.

Only now such a dwelling will not look gray and boring. On the contrary, it attracts with its eccentricity, comfort with the right approach to selecting a project and performing all the work.

The subtleties of construction and features of underground dwellings

The dwelling, equipped at a depth, remains unusual and unique. Its implementation requires a special approach, compliance with safety regulations during work. Digging a pit is considered the most dangerous moment, there is always the possibility of a collapse of the walls.

Of course, a preliminary study of soils and their bearing capacity, humidity level, freezing. In any case, digging occurs at a certain angle, as if it narrows down, where it goes to required level. Be sure to perform waterproofing and other manipulations that protect the base of the dwelling.

Formwork is assembled, arranged monolithic slab overlap. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to build a house underground with your own hands. Although the conduct of all work must be entrusted to specialists, this choice is much more economical.

1. The object does not have a facade, the implementation of which requires considerable financial investments and time.
2. There are unlimited opportunities for using the adjacent territories of the site for the construction of a beautiful landscape park, recreation area.
3. Such a dwelling will turn out much warmer in winter period, and in the summer it will keep the necessary coolness.
4. It is absolutely safe not only in environmental terms. You can not be afraid of the penetration of thieves.
5. Owners can always feel protected, especially if windows with mirrors are installed. This will allow you to enjoy the surrounding beauties. But none of the neighbors or other personalities will be able to see anything in such windows.
6. Natural disasters such as tornadoes will not harm such a building, since it is underground and is not afraid of such influences.

And yet, in some cases, it is possible to build a house underground with your own hands, if you choose not a completely buried structure, but only partially created in the thickness of the earth's crust. Sometimes this allows you to work completely independently, using special clay blocks, stone, wood and other natural materials.

A modern dugout resembles a cozy underground house that organically fits into the landscape. The interest in building a dwelling similar to a “fox hole” is justified not only by the desire to be original, but also by the economic benefits of building and operating a house. The options for deepening a dugout into the soil, as well as construction methods, are diverse, so the construction budget fluctuates in a wide price range.

What are the benefits of building a dugout?

The disadvantages of the dugout of the usual design are obvious: due to the lack of walls and natural lighting, the climate inside is humid. Use for building dugouts quality materials began in the late 60s of the last century, which brought the cost of such an environmentally friendly structure on a par with similar buildings located on top of the ground. If you need an inexpensive underground home, there is a possibility of problems with good ventilation of the room and humidity control.

If you have found the right place to build, then take advantage of the following natural advantages:

1. energy saving due to poor thermal conductivity of the earth, so the dugout inside is provided with a stable temperature, which makes the underground house a comfortable place in a harsh climate.

Interesting. Dry earth has the same properties as brick, so temperature fluctuations on the surface of the earth reach the depth with a delay. For example, with a soil layer depth of 3 m, the temperature of the warmest moment of the year arrives with a delay of 3 months. So, in a temperate continental climate, the soil temperature at a depth of 2 m is: in winter - 6-8 0С, in summer - 15-18 0С.

1. Excellent sound insulation from external sounds, which is important for homes in noisy areas, such as near freeways or airports. Neighbors won't hear too much either.
2. Safety from thieves, the effects of hurricanes or earthquakes, Fire safety, especially during martial law, the dugout will serve as a bomb shelter, and the landscape as a disguise.
3. Preservation of the original landscape, which is important for unique places. Maximum landscaping of the site is the key to its ecological cleanliness.
4. Development plots (slopes, hills) that are unattractive for development or crops, which will significantly reduce the cost of buying land (unsightly territories cost several times less).
5. Cost reduction to keep the underground house safe, since the dugout will be reliably waterproofed, and the roof or walls covered with a layer of soil with grass do not need special care.
6. Reducing the time of building a house because part of labor-intensive facade and roofing works is not required, respectively, and materials for them do not need to be purchased.

Features of the dugout:

• limited view, depending on the specific area;
• water penetration due to incorrect calculation of the level of groundwater, their rise or soil shift;
• small glass area for natural lighting.

Which area is more suitable for an underground house?

To determine how expedient the construction of a dugout will be, one should take into account all the features of the site, namely:

1. terrain, the preferred option is a slope or hill, so that the building will look more successful, and you will save on earthworks. On an inclined platform, it becomes possible to make the house completely underground, and on a hilly place, the walls of the dugout should be partially covered with earth. Therefore, if you have looked after a beautiful, but difficult hilly allotment, then turn the disadvantages of this land into advantages.

Important. The greater the angle of inclination of the site, the faster surface water drains, leaving the soil dry. Therefore, places in a ravine, lowland or thalweg are not the best place to build.

1. Orientation. A dugout with a southern orientation of the slope will provide an underground house with solar lighting, and the northern slope will cover with its coolness homeowners living in a hot climate (not the best option in terms of hygiene). If the terrain is as horizontal as possible, then simple rules construction also apply to it: orientation front door and windows to the sunny side.
2. Soil type. It is better if it is a well-permeable soil, for example, sandy, sandy loam or loam. Clay is not suitable for lining an underground house; it retains moisture for a long time, eroding when moistened. But the clay will serve as a waterproofing lock in the layers that are adjacent to the main structures under the globe. For the final coating, fertile soil is used, therefore, before construction begins, this layer must be removed and stored.
3. Ground water level should be at a sufficient depth from the dugout to lower the structure as much as possible into the ground. Check also the places where underground streams flow.
4. Microclimate, namely dry, since excess moisture will cause problems with dampness and increase the cost of improvement.

If you have not yet chosen where the dugout will be located, then build an underground house on the top of the hill, because more convenient place can not found. Everything favors this construction site: orientation, diversion from water sources, good visibility and the maximum percentage of natural lighting. The top of the hill is torn off, and at the final stage of the construction of the house it is sent again.

Today, a very fashionable movement and an urgent need has become the construction of environmentally friendly housing. Crowds of people flee from cramped, smoky and dirty cities and strive to settle "according to the laws of their ancestors" - some in five-walled log cabins, some in adobe huts, and some in dugouts.

In the public Russian concept - the definition of "dugout" does not at all cause consumer excitement and does not promise increased comfort of living. The classic dugout, which, in fact, was the cradle of mankind, naturally cannot be called an environmentally friendly and healthy home. The thing is that in a primitive underground dwelling it is very damp and there is very little sunlight. Dugouts have always been the lot of the poor.

Almost every fifth person in our country has experienced in his own skin the conditions of the competition in a specific Russian triathlon: "firewood, water, slop", picked up the hardships of the dungeon and experienced the taste of "smoky charms" in anticipation of heat.

However, abroad of our Fatherland, interest in such structures is growing rapidly. It must be stated that the disdainful attitude towards dugouts began to change from the end of the 60s of the last century. Then solutions began to appear that would bring the comfort of the dugout to modern requirements.

Over the hill, a "dugout", "earthen house" or "underground house" becomes a kind of tool that can diversify the backyard landscape and at the same time provide additional living space. Modern "dugouts" are very convenient and affordable, although sometimes excavation and sophisticated engineering make them not cheaper, and sometimes even more expensive than the cottages of conventional above-ground structures.

According to the existing technology of buried dwellings, it is possible to build a guest house, a sauna, a playhouse for children, a cellar, garden house or a change house. At the same time, this building is guaranteed originality and complete harmony with the surrounding landscape.

On the typology of "earthen houses"

There are three types of houses, conditionally called "earthen". This underground, bunded and open houses.

In the first In this case, most of the house is below ground level. In the second- the building is sprinkled with soil on all sides, but at the same time located above the zero mark. If the house enters the hill, then it is called built-in, although it may look like a bunded one. In third case, the walls of the structure are formed from bags with soil.

The traditional dugout is an underground structure. Areas with a slight slope are best suited for it. On the surface of the earth, only their roof is visible, which can be disguised as a hill. The entrance to the dugout is arranged in the end wall.

If earlier the dugouts were dark, today natural light enters them through the windows in the gables and through skylights. The width of the underground house, as a rule, does not exceed 6 m, due to the possibility of overlapping.

A dugout is built in a dug pit. Waterproofing fences and supports for the roof are being created. After the construction of the roof, it is covered with earth. In general, nothing complicated.

A bunded house can be built on a site with any relief. It can be slightly deepened, as well as attached to an existing hill. This design allows you to make the house two-story, multi-room, with windows overlooking different parts of the world. These are most often elite bunded houses.

The walls of a bunded house must withstand the pressure of the soil, for which they are erected as retaining walls. From the outside, the walls are waterproofed to prevent dampness. Thermal insulation in the construction of walls, as a rule, is not used. Only the floor is insulated.

A house built into a slope can be built in two ways.

The first method involves the complete excavation of soil over the premises, followed by backfilling over the ceiling.

In the second case, the premises are dug in the slope like tunnels, arranging strong ceilings there. If the hill is small, then the house can be made one that permeates it through and through.

From bags of earth, you can lay out walls of any shape, arches and even domes.

Iranian architect Nader Khalili invented new way build houses cheaply and quickly: from bags filled with earth. Until now, bags of earth have been used only for the construction and repair of dams "in haste", as well as in fortifications.

Flat bags made of non-rotting polypropylene fabric (cement, grain, chemical fertilizers are stored and transported in such containers) are filled with any earth available at the construction site. The neck of each bag is wrapped and sewn up with metal staples.

Then rows are laid out of the bags, as if from large bricks, and two strands of barbed wire are laid on top of each row for fastening. To maintain the shape and size of walls, as well as door and window openings wooden formwork can be used, but in general, timber consumption is reduced by 95% compared to a traditional frame single-family cottage. In conclusion, the walls are plastered outside and inside in the usual way.

The house turns out to be inexpensive, fire resistant, not afraid of rot and termites. In areas with high humidity, cement, lime or bitumen can be added to the ground.

Tests of Khalili buildings conducted in the USA showed that their strength exceeds the requirements of the US building code by 200%. Earthen houses, standing in different countries, have successfully proved their resistance to fires, floods, hurricanes and earthquakes with a magnitude of 6-7 points.

Thick earthen walls have significant thermal inertia, slowing down heat transfer for 12 hours. This means that in the hottest time of the day it is cool in such a house, and warm at night.

Features of the requirements for construction sites

Despite the universality of the underground dwelling, it will not be possible to build it on any site. The relief, soil and hydrological conditions and not only matter.

Let's start with terrain. For the construction of a dugout, sloping or hilly areas are very successful.

The house can be built right into the slope. The part of the house that is surrounded by soil can be expanded and thus most of the premises will be protected by the earth. That is why many underground houses are built on rough terrain. The advantage of sloping areas in this case is that the water drains from them quickly, not having time to soak the ground. It is impossible to build dugouts in lowlands and ravines, as they will be flooded.

The most successful slope orientation for the construction of a dugout is southern. The northern slopes are practically not insolated, which is not suitable from a hygienic point of view. In regions with a hot climate, an advantageous orientation is east. If the dugout is being built on a flat area, then its entrance and windows should be oriented to the sunny side.

The most preferred soils for the construction of underground structures are sands, sandy loams and loams. They filter water well and dry quickly. They are also suitable for above-ground embankment. In this case, the embankment is carried out with soil taken out of the pit.

Clay is considered an unfavorable type of soil for dugouts, and for many uninitiated this is a discovery.

But regardless of the soil, clay can be used to build waterproofing locks. The outer covering of the dugouts is poured with a fertile layer of soil so that the vegetation fastens it faster and more reliably.

The groundwater level in the area where it is planned to build a buried house should be low. Below this level, lowering the dugout will not work. Rather, it is technically possible, but very expensive.

Areas near water bodies are not suitable for the construction of a dugout. It will be difficult and expensive to deal with high humidity in an underground house, and living in a humid microclimate is uncomfortable and unhealthy.

On the experience and practice of building dugouts in Russia

Based on the traditional Russian conviction that “everyone can heal, teach and build in Rus'”, it is not difficult to build a dugout with your own hands.

But what is a dugout, no matter how a dwelling of the most ordinary need - a square or round shape, which is deepened into the ground and has a roof of logs covered with earth on top. Such a simple dwelling was always furnished quite simply - in the middle - an oven, along the walls - beds.

They are really easy to set up. Then, building a dugout with your own hands will cost less than buying a change house, and finally, a homemade dugout is a simple object even for a novice builder who can spend from a couple of days to a couple of weeks at worst.

But it is necessary to remember a few nuances of the building trade and to have hands that grow from the right places and are more or less accustomed to axes and other building tools.

Before starting construction, you need to draw a plan and choose a place. The place must be chosen on the slope of a hill or mountain, or on a small hill, so that the groundwater passes deep enough and does not penetrate into the dugout.

At a minimum, you will need a shovel, preferably even two - a bayonet and a shovel-scoop, a saw, an ax, chisels, a chisel, a drill, measurement tools (meter, angle), a knife, a stapler, a hammer, a planer, several square meters roofing material and Consumables(nails and staples for stapler).

First you need to mark the area. The square or rectangle of the future recess must be very accurately marked by checking the distance along the diagonals.

It is important to remember that when you set the internal size of the dugout with your own hands, you need to give an allowance for the boards equal to twice their thickness - after all, the boards are stacked on both sides.

After marking the site, the turf layer is carefully removed and folded next to the future dugout. It will then be put back on top of the roof.

After that, the longest and difficult stage- digging a pit. First dig the whole area bayonet shovel to loosen the ground, then the soil is thrown out with a shovel-scoop, but no closer than half a meter to the edge, because then the roof will be fixed on this perimeter. Gradually, the depth of the pit increases to two meters.

After the hole is dug, its walls are made oblique. They dig a separate oblique hole for the entrance, then cut out steps with a side of 0.3 meters, about three steps, more is optional.

At the bottom, at a distance of a meter and a half from each other, pointed logs are driven into the ground to a depth of half a meter. Warming is arranged behind the logs - you can use a dry tree in the form of brushwood, branches or boards.

In the center of the pit, at a distance of one and a half meters from each other, to a depth of half a meter, long log-racks are dug in with a height of about 220 cm above the ground, these logs will hold the roof and a log-run with a diameter of about 0.15 m is laid on top of them - rafters will lie on it .

Support logs are placed around the edges of the pit, at a distance of half a meter from the edge. They are fixed by driving in stakes from both sides - at the beginning, at the end and in the middle. Rafters are placed on the supporting logs and the run. A roof is then laid on top.

The walls of the ends of the dugout will then stick out above the ground with empty triangles. They need to be boarded up with boards and covered with earth.

Plywood is placed on top of the rafters, roofing material is placed on top, and the joints are glued with a special waterproofing tape. Then branches or brushwood are poured, the layer should be at least 0.2 m thick. And the earth is poured on top, a layer 2.0 centimeters thick. Finally, the first cut turf is laid.

The entrance can be different - in particular, you can hang it with thick blankets or tarpaulins, but this is the dullness of the 20th century. It is better to build a full-fledged door frame from the bars, and hang normal doors inside.

After that, the floor will come together from the boards, which are laid on the support bars located 0.6 m apart.

And you can furnish the resulting room as you please. In particular, you can make bunk beds, put up a table, build a hearth and use the dugout as a living space or a bathhouse

A do-it-yourself dugout is an extremely easy-to-make housing; to make it, you need a minimum of materials (about a dozen logs, a couple of square meters of roofing material and a sufficient number of boards) and land.

As you can see, building a dugout with your own hands is not easy, but very simple, and the range of its use can actually be very large.

Instead of a conclusion, a word about the undoubted advantages of dugouts

Among the advantages of dugouts and bunded soils of premises, the following should be noted:

1. Essential security. Dugouts are not afraid of hurricanes, tornadoes, fires and earthquakes. With a large depth, they can even save from bombing. In the event of a regional or global catastrophe, there are practically no alternatives to underground dwellings. The only thing they do not save from is flooding. But this is only if they are located in the lowlands.

2. Ability to build on steep terrain. In this way, the disadvantages of a hilly area can be turned into advantages.

3. Energy saving. The earth, especially dry, conducts heat in much the same way as a brick. Naturally, it is far from the effectiveness of modern heat insulators, but it takes not thermal parameters, but the thickness of the layer.

For dugouts, temperature stability is very characteristic. In summer, such dwellings do not overheat and do not need air conditioning.

An important factor in the energy saving of an underground house is the temperature of the soil. Temperature measurements showed that at a depth of 2-3 m the warmest period comes 2-3 months later. If a completely buried dugout is not heated, then in winter the temperature in it will not drop below 6-8 ° C (data for middle lane). In summer, in such a dwelling without air conditioning, the temperature will rise no higher than 20 ° C.

Thus, one can speak of a dugout not just as a well-insulated house, but also as a house with the possibility of passive thermoregulation.

4. Excellent sound insulation. The dugout is a very quiet dwelling. The ground protects it from sounds of any frequency characteristics. Moreover, sounds also pass poorly to the outside. Underground, so as not to disturb the neighbors, you can even locate some kind of noisy production, such as a turning shop or a blacksmith shop.

5. Landscape conservation. After the construction of the dugout, the landscape will change minimally, and it will be possible to grow any crops on the roof.

6. Reduction of labor costs during construction due to the uselessness of labor-intensive facade and roofing works;

7. Minimum operating costs. The dugout does not need to be painted, its roof and drain should not be repaired.

So, dear reader, forward to the dugout!

Boris Skupov

Features, types and methods of construction of earthen houses. The advantages of buildings and some of the difficulties associated with their operation and design. The technology of building a domed house.

Features of earthen houses

The technology of building houses from the earth in its modern form, which was called Earthships, was developed almost half a century ago and is developing to this day. The soil as the main participant in such construction refers to materials taken from natural resources, such as wood, straw, leather, cotton, stones, peat and many others. All of them are neutral or beneficial to human health and do not pollute nature.

The choice of soil for the construction of walls is largely due to the energy intensity of the material, which is extremely low compared to brick or steel and amounts to 0.5 GJ / t. Therefore, with the correct orientation of the earthen structure and the use solar energy to the maximum, it will require minimal heating even in severe frost.

Earthen houses, which are operated in various climatic zones, successfully demonstrate their resistance to fires, floods and even seven-point earthquakes. Due to thermal inertia, thick earthen walls slow down the inflow or outflow of heat by almost 12 hours. And this means that during the day in an earthen house it is cool and warm at night.

In favor of the use of soil as building material says a few important factors:

• Availability;
• No need for transportation, and this reduces the time and cost of construction;
• Ecological safety of the wall material, which does not harm the microclimate of the house and the environment;
• Excellent thermal insulation of the material, its plasticity, which makes it possible to give earthen houses different shapes;
• The possibility of dismantling the walls and reusing their material.

Most projects of houses from the earth are strictly individual, as they take into account the relief of a particular site and use local natural materials to create enclosing structures.

The benefits of building earthen houses include the following:

1. High construction speed. For such structures, a foundation is usually not required. Therefore, for example, a one-story building in the form of a dome with a base diameter of 6 m can be erected by four people who do not have special skills in a week. The technologies of such construction make it possible to create buildings for various purposes: residential or utility.
2. Low thermal conductivity. The enclosing structures of earthen houses are less susceptible to changes in air temperature outside than buildings made of stone and even wood. The low thermal conductivity of the soil as the main material of the roof and walls allows the inhabitants of an earthen house not to feel the effects of bad weather and significantly save on heating in winter, maintaining the optimum temperature of the premises.
3. Availability of materials. To build an earthen house, they can be found anywhere, even on your own site - wood and stones, soil and clay. This reduces the cost of their delivery to the construction site. You can decorate such a building from the outside with local plants that fit perfectly into the overall landscape. Do-it-yourself home maintenance costs from the ground are also minimal. Since the structure is almost completely covered with earth, it requires very little paint or other material.
4. Fire and environmental safety. Earth houses don't burn. For this reason, they can be safely used as a sauna, for example, or a bath. Due to the environmental friendliness of the materials, the fragments of the structure do not need to be removed during dismantling - several seasons will pass, and they themselves will crumble in the open air. Slightly protruding above the ground level, such a house practically does not change the relief of the site, due to which the land area is used to the fullest.
5. High reliability. Walls finished house frost-resistant and practically do not shrink. If the exterior structures are dried and then covered with plaster, they will not absorb moisture. For a long time of its existence, earthen houses have proven their increased resistance to hurricanes, droughts, fires and even earthquakes. The strength of such structures, according to the testimony of the soldiers of the Afghan war, allows them to withstand the hit of a projectile fired into an earthen wall from a tank.
6. Long service life. The durability of earthen houses is confirmed by the fact that the oldest of them, discovered in Jericho, is over 8,000 years old.

The disadvantages of houses from the ground include the inability to build buildings with a height of more than 2 floors. However, this can be corrected by building additional structures next to the main building, connecting them with the help of corridors. It will come out very nice!

A strong enemy of Earthships technology is the dampness that rains cause. Therefore, if the plastering is not performed after the house is built from the earth, the structure may creep. In damp regions, the arrangement of such buildings with a waterproof roof is mandatory.

Certain difficulties in the construction of earthen houses can be caused by the psychological attitudes of the owners of the plots. For some of them, life under a layer of earth is associated with imprisonment, poverty and even death.

The construction of small structures from the ground is within the power of any master. But, in order to build a building with an area of ​​​​more than 20 m 2 or a whole composition of such objects, a competently designed project, the help of architects and builders of environmental facilities will be required. Today, such specialists are difficult to find, because due to the minimum cost of materials, there are few people who want to have a small income or short-term employment. Here you can not save on the "waste" of building materials, get a "kickback" or a dealer discount.

The introduction of the finished building into operation is also fraught with difficulties. Supervisory authorities use long-established SNiPs and DBNs, and new environmental standards are under development.

With regard to mortgages, banks foresee the maximum risk for earthworks, considering this technology to be experimental. Therefore, they take their percentage increased, according to such a risk.

Varieties of earthen houses

The choice of the type of house from the ground depends on the type of soil, the topography of the site and the climate of the region. According to the method of construction, such buildings are buried and ground. In turn, each of them has its own varieties.

Ground houses include:

• Earthbite. The walls of such a structure are erected by filling the formwork with soil, or from earthen blocks, previously made using special forms by sealing or by plastic molding. The second method is the most widespread in the world, since before laying the strength and shape of the blocks are more stable than in the first case. In addition, when the block wall dries and shrinks, cracks are unlikely to appear.
• Adobe. It belongs to composite materials, it is laid manually during the construction of monolithic walls of the house. Adobe is a mixture of clay, soil, water, sand and straw.
• Earthbags. This is a technology for building walls and creating domes from bags filled with soil. The construction of such houses is now actively underway all over the world. Traditionally, such technology has been present in the construction of military fortifications, dugouts, flood control, etc. If a little cement is added to the soil mixture, a house made of bags of earth can stand for decades.
• Geocar. This is a peat block house. The material has properties that allow it to be used both as a heater and as a structural element in the construction of houses up to three floors. Peat blocks are most suitable for the natural conditions of the Non-Black Earth Region, they meet all the requirements regarding strength and environmental safety standards.

Buried houses include:

1. atrium house. This is the name of the underground structure in which the atrium is the center of the house, as well as the entrance to it. The concept of "atrium" refers to the central space of the building, illuminated through an opening or skylight. Such a house is built on a flat area and covered with earth. The depth is 2.7 m and the minimum thickness of the turf present on the roof is at least 0.2 m. All four walls of the atrium are open to daylight. Living quarters are located around the courtyard, which is opened by glazed openings that provide the house with the warmth of sunlight. The atrium is naturally ventilated, rises slightly above the ground and hardly changes the landscape, while providing reliable protection from the wind in winter.
2. protruding house. From the facade, it is open to light, while its other sides and top are covered with earth. The open wall of the house, usually oriented to the south, allows sunbeams it is easy to penetrate inside the dwelling, providing heat from the facade to its entire area, including bathrooms. Structural elements buildings compared to other earthen houses are the cheapest.
3. penetrating house. In addition to windows and doors, such a structure is completely covered with soil on the sides and top. The advantage of a penetrating house from the ground is cross natural ventilation and sunlight from one or more of its sides.

The main goal of creating any of the listed earthen structures is the maximum conservation of energy in the complete absence of harm to human health.

Basic technologies for building a house from the ground

Earthen houses are built using three methods:

• Sliding formwork method. It is designed to build a building with right angles. Racks are installed on both sides of the walls around the entire perimeter of the future house. Then identical shields are attached to them against each other. The resulting formwork is filled with soil mixture. After tamping and setting, the formwork is dismantled and installed in a new area. The finished wall usually consists of 15 cm of compacted soil and a lime lining t. 5-6 cm. Due to the high labor intensity, this method is used infrequently.
• From earth blocks. This method is more widely used than the previous one. For the manufacture of piece materials spread out forms are used. They are filled with a soil mixture, compacted, then the finished bricks are removed and dried.
• From bags of earth. This method allows you to build buildings that differ in shape and have a unique style. Dome-shaped houses or round walls with an equipped roof are very popular.

We will consider the features of the latter method in more detail below.

How to build a dome house?

Before you make a house out of the earth in the form of a dome, you need to choose a suitable place for it. In terms of it will have round shape. Therefore, in the center of the planned structure, it is necessary to stick a stake, tie a rope to it, measure the desired radius on it and indicate the circumference of the walls of the house.

When the marking of the site is completed, on the resulting circle it is necessary to provide for the location of the entrance, determine the size of the doorway. It should be noted that the base of the entrance to the domed house should go inward a little so that the door can be installed vertically on an inclined wall.

Then, along the finished circle, you should dig a trench about 40 cm deep and a width corresponding to the size of the bag. After that, it needs to be covered with rubble, which will play the role of drainage and foundation.

For the construction of walls, propylene sugar bags or sleeves made of rot-resistant fabric are suitable. The bags must be filled with moist soil, without adding 25 cm to the top in each of them. Due to the large weight of such “bricks”, this work is recommended to be performed on the wall of the structure. To prevent the soil from spilling out, the free edges of the bags should be sewn with wire.

The first layer of bags filled with soil must be laid around the circumference of the house and compacted in any way. The second layer should be placed in the same way as brickwork performing suture ligation. It should have a smaller circle relative to the previous layer. Such alternation will give the house a domed shape.

Before laying any bag under it, a piece of synthetic twine should be stretched to tighten the next two or three levels of the wall. In the future, this will facilitate the plastering of the house. Between the layers of bags with soil, two strips of barbed wire should be laid, which in this case plays the role of reinforcement and a fastening solution.

When laying a round wall from bags of soil, it is necessary to leave openings for windows and doors. Often they are made in the form of arches. After drying, the house outside must be plastered with cement or clay mortar.

How to build a house from the earth - look at the video:

Finally, advice: before building a house from the ground, we recommend that you practice on a small structure such as a sauna or a barn. Good luck!