Home About Custom Homes Process Founder FAQ Contact

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are Earth Blocks?

A: Earth Blocks, or compressed earth blocks (CEBs), are machine-made adobes, a modern variation on an ancient building material. The blocks are typically composed of 60% soil with high clay content (30-35% is ideal), 35% sand, and 5% lime as a stabilizer to create a water-resistant block. The percentage of each ingredient will vary from region to region depending on soil composition. Each of our earth press machines uses a high pressure hydraulic ram to form approximately 7.5 blocks per minute or 450 blocks per hour.

Q: How are Earth Blocks different than adobes?

A: Sun-dried adobes are made by pouring a mixture of mud and straw into forms on the ground, with the frequent addition of asphalt emulsion, a petroleum by-product, as the most widely used stabilizer. The adobes cure in the sun for as little as two weeks before being used and considerably longer depending upon weather conditions, but do not reach full strength for at least 30 days. Among the reasons we prefer earth blocks is their consistent size and quality, the speed of production, and the more natural and non-toxic stabilizer. In addition, their uniform size makes for a more rapid building process, with associated savings in labor costs, as the courses of blocks are even and only a thin layer of slurry between courses is required as opposed to a thick mortar joint. Finally, earth blocks have a much higher PSI, a measure of compressive strength, than sun-dried adobes which typically average between 300 and 350 PSI. While sun-dried adobes are sufficiently strong enough to meet the state of New Mexico's code requirement of 300 PSI, Earth Blocks typically test out at over 750 PSI. Strengths as high as 1800 PSI have been recorded for stabilized Earth Blocks.

Q: How much does an Earth Block building cost?

A: Building costs vary depending on site location, soil composition, and architectural design. If the site dirt is not suitable for making blocks, either dirt is trucked on site to make blocks or the blocks are made elsewhere and trucked to the site. Trucking costs for dirt or blocks can be very expensive depending on the location of the site and amount of dirt or number of blocks needed. The design of the building ultimately determines the number of blocks and man hours involved in construction. Curved walls, multiple stories, and eccentric details are more difficult to construct and may require highly skilled laborers, thus creating more labor costs.

Q: How does Earth Block construction compare to conventional building techniques?

A: An Earth Block building is not only healthy for the individual, but also for the planet. Dirt, an Earth Block's primary ingredient, is a renewable, non-toxic natural resource. Earth Block walls are virtually breathable, soundproof, bug-proof, fireproof, and even bulletproof! Requiring less transportation of materials than conventional construction methods, Earth Blocks have a lower embodied energy than conventional building materials. Energy savings are immediate with thermal mass equating to lowered heating and cooling requirements. The durability of an Earth Block building means it will last for centuries! Ancient earthen structures still stand today in certain parts of the world. The expected life span of a wood frame building is just 70 years.

Q: What does it mean to have a 'breathable' wall?

A: A breathable wall is porous and allows indoor vapors, toxins, odors, and moisture or humidity to pass slowly through the wall to the outside, as well as fresh air from the outdoors to enter the building, thereby maintaining a healthier indoor environment. In addition to promoting the health of the occupants and facilitating temperature control, the longevity of the wall is enhanced by its porosity and flexibility. Insulation and other synthetic materials such as stucco applied to Earth Block walls will hinder its breathablity, whereas lime or clay plasters do not.

Q: What is thermal mass?

A: Thermal mass is the ability of a material to retain heat. The thick walls of an Earth Block building create thermal mass, protecting the occupants from extreme temperatures with a building that stays cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Heating and cooling requirements in an Earth Block building are substantially reduced in an Earth Block home.

Q: Are Earth Blocks safe in earthquake-prone areas?

A: Special techniques may be used to resist ground movement in seismic zones, including horizontal wire ladder reinforcement, vertical steel-reinforced concrete columns, and through-tied galvanized stucco wire on both sides of the walls. Shake table tests in Berkeley, California and Peru have clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of these procedures.

Q: Does an Earth Block building require insulation?

A: In extreme climates Earth Block buildings can be double walled with an air space in between that is either left empty or filled with dirt or foam. Walls can be covered with foam sheets or sprayed foam for added temperature maintenance on those sides of the building that are exposed to extreme temperatures.

The Most Renewable Resource on Earth

™

™

The most renewable resource on Earth™ • Timeless Technology™

© 2011

Web Design by SpikeSocial™ and Working Dog Group