Natural Building Workshops 2015

2015 Workshops at Mud Dauber School of Natural Building:

Michael is once again collaborating with Greg Allen in instructing natural building workshops in North Carolina. We are offering two week long courses that will provide a thorough introduction to building with earth and straw through the construction of a community kitchen. Participants will learn through hands on experience wood framing, straw bales, cob, slip-straw, earth and lime plaster. Each course is focused on either strawbale or cob, but a wide variety of materials and techniques will be covered in each. Visit muddauberschool.com/workshops for details and registration information.

Natural Building Immersion - Strawbale focus: May 3rd-10th 2015

In our strawbale immersion, we will be stacking bales in a variety of ways: in a stud wall, in a post-and-beam-style wall, and in a “balecob” hybrid wall system. We will also use straw in its loose form to make slip-straw walls. The foundation and some framing will be in place; we will complete the framing, install a metal roof, and then build our natural walls. You will learn how to design around bales, shape them, connect them together, protect them from water, and finish them with plaster. We will integrate doors and windows, as well as sculptural details. We will tour local, permitted strawbale homes, and will have discussion surrounding the permitting process. We will additionally be building with cob and wattle-and-daub. There will be a good amount of time to get comfortable with mixing and applying natural plasters, too!

Natural Building Immersion - Cob focus: May 3rd-10th 2015 is SOLD OUT. 

New York Straw-Bale

I spent a few weeks in my hometown of Cato, NY this summer leading the exciting and transformative process of plastering the straw bale walls at John and Julia Furlong's owner built house. I've been friends with the couple for years and have enjoyed seeing their vision take shape, as they took on the ambitious task of building a house for themselves. I was happy to be invited to participate in the effort, as one of a few contractors brought on board. Family and friends contributed to the labor, and the Furlongs worked with timberframer Sarah Highland on the design that includes a timber and stud hybrid frame, bale walls, and lime plaster finishes.

It's always satisfying to turn the shaggy straw, mesh, lathe wall into a smooth, uniform, graceful surface. We did a three coat application of natural hydraulic lime plaster with the first coat shot on pneumatically with a mortar sprayer and large air compressor. Successive coats were laid on with hawk and trowel.