Tag Archive: earthen plasters

Custer, Wisconsin

Instructor Mark Morgan and Vincent Miresse

http://www.the-mrea.org

Tuition $110.00

Natural Building? Think three little pigs. Straw, Wood, Stone. Building with natural materials has been happening since the dawn of humankind. Come to the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) to learn about different types and styles of alternative construction and to learn about sustainable building and decision making. The purpose of this class is for people to reconnect with the materials that surround them and regain the knowledge about local, healthy, natural material use and selection and appropriate regional wall systems. Topics to be discussed: site and design considerations; foundations; local material – wood, clay, sand, stone, straw, etc.; wall systems – straw bale, light straw-clay, monolithic adobe (cob), cordwood, earth bag, rammed earth and rammed tire; earthen floors and plasters; stick framing, post and beam, and timber frame; and steel and living roofs.

Please register in advance.

Warren, Vermont

Instructor: Ace McArleton, Jacob Racusin

http://www.yestermorrow.org

Tuition:$750

Have you always wondered about strawbale construction? Heard it is only for hot and dry climates? Think again! With their combination of insulation and thermal mass, plastered strawbale walls can be perfect for cold – and even wet – climates if they are designed and built according to a set of time tested principles. This course balances sessions in the classroom and on a demonstration project so you will learn to think your way through a bale house while gaining a feel for the nature of straw, clay and lime as building materials.

Paonia, CO

Instructor: Laura Bartels

http://www.solarenergy.org

Tuition: $795

If you are serious about building a straw bale home, in the planning and design phase, ready to build, or a professional looking to expand your design/build knowledge then you will want to take this course. This five-day hands-on workshop takes a deeper look at the design and detail considerations for straw bale construction. Expand your knowledge of the variety of styles and techniques of building with straw bales and learn more about the role and application of earthen plasters.

In this workshop participants will construct a small straw bale structure from the foundation to the roof. Tours of straw bale homes and guest instructors round out this amazing workshop designed for the homeowner and building professional. No prior building or design experience is required although people of all skill levels will benefit greatly from the information and hands-on activities of this class.

Topics Include
• All about bales
• Planning & design considerations
• Detailing for moisture
• Construction techniques
• Variations of foundation styles
• Window & door openings
• Roof styles and techniques
• Building codes
• Insurance & financing
• The continuum of plasters
• Mixing earthen plasters for basecoats
• Introduction to earthen finish and lime plasters and tools
• Preparation of walls for plaster

Quail Springs in Southern California

Instructor: Justin Kirmse, Brock Anderson, and Lyn Giesecke

http://livingcraftproject.org

Tuition: $3000. Includes all costs of living at Quail Springs (organic food, spring water, camping, library, and facilities).

Living Craft Project happily announces the successful completion of the 2009 natural building apprenticeship, and invites six new dedicated students to join us for a six week natural building intensive. During the intensive, students will build a 150 square foot modified load-bearing strawbale cottage, and gain experience in finish work (hand-crafted earthen plasters and troweled earthen floors) on a 350 square foot strawbale home.

The intensive will be divided into modules designed to lead students through both the structural and finish aspects of building an earthen home, with a high level of attention to craftsmanship and skill. Modules include, but are not limited to: carpentry, wall and roof systems, materials harvesting and processing, earthen plasters, earthen floors, and clay artistry. Classroom discussions include, but are not limited to: foundation design, passive solar design, natural wall system design, and pattern language recognition.

The intensive is for a dedicated few who want to gain the hand skills to build safely and healthily. Each student will also have the opportunity to participate in the community of Quail Springs, with access to events and feasts of all kinds.

O.U.R.Ecovillage,Shawnigan Lake, Vancouver Island Canada

Instructor: Elke Cole and others

http://www.ourecovillage.org

Tuition: $450 CAN

Call it a studio, a meditation hut, a garden shed, or anything else you like: many jurisdictions allow you to build a small structure without requiring a building permit. 100 square feet is a common size limit (do check with your municipality before you start).

In 5 days we will build a complete small straw bale building and you will have the skills to practice on your own.

Here’s how we do it:

Day 1: prepare base, intro to Straw bale building, prepare bales

Day 2: stack bale walls

Day 3: Top plate, roof framing, roofing

Day 4: pre-finish bale walls, trim, and prepare earth plaster

Day 5: Plaster

(Day 6: go home and start your own!)

Participants will work hands-on on all parts and will receive a step by step reference to take home.

Straw bale building is applicable in many locations- offering good insulation properties, compatibility with natural finishes and the beauty of thick walls. If you are looking to practice on a small straw bale structure before launching into a full size home this is a great opportunity to refine your skill.

White Oak Farm – Williams, OR

Instructor: Taylor Starr & James Haim

http://www.whiteoakfarmcsa.org

Tuition: $320

Join us this Summer as we sculpt a small cottage in the woods. In this weekend workshop you will have the opportunity to get your hands (and feet) dirty mixing and building with cob, stacking straw bales, and making and applying earthen plasters. Lectures and discussions will also cover: light-straw-clay building, design basics, foundations, roofs, and more. We will have the opportunity to tour a hybrid pole frame-straw bale-cob home, a straw bale-cob sauna, and a cob oven. Participants will walk away from this weekend with the techniques and principles needed to begin building with natural materials.

Working with natural materials for four days allows learning to take hold in your body. During this workshop you will learn how to test soil for building, mix cob, build cob walls, and learn the basics of earthen plastering, light-straw-clay, and straw bale building.

White Oak Farm – Williams, OR

Instructor: Taylor Starr & James Haim

http://www.whiteoakfarmcsa.org

Tuition: $640

Join us this Summer as we build a small cottage in the woods designed to demonstrate a wide range of natural building techniques. Over eight days you will learn how to build with cob, straw bales, lights-straw-clay, adobe, and poles. You will also have the opportunity to use earthen plasters. Lectures, discussions and demonstrations will focus on passive solar design, alternative energy, foundations, living roofs, load-bearing and non-load-bearing construction, cob ovens, and much more. We will also tour several finished natural homes.

Participants will Receive detailed instruction and hands-on experience in small cottage construction from laying the foundation to application of a living roof. This extended workshop allows for a deeper sense of community, and the opportunity to sink into the beautiful Williams Valley (an afternoon off is scheduled mid week).

Bay Area, CA

Instructor: Sasha Rabin

http://sgnb.com

Tuition: 150

This two day workshop offers a hands-on introduction to working with clay, sand, and fibers to make beautiful, non-toxic plasters and finishes. These methods and materials can be used over conventional sheetrock as well as earthen and straw bale walls. We will process both unrefined and store-bought materials into plaster and paint, and we will apply these finishes over both earthen walls and sheetrock.

Participants will leave the workshop with enough understanding of the materials and process to mix and apply their own paints and plasters on a variety of substrates.

Lunch is included both days.