Adobe and Rammed Earth Buildings: Design and Construction [Paperback]

Paul Graham McHenry (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1989

Earth is the oldest and most widely used building material in the world today. It's abundant, inexpensive, and energy-efficient. But if you're building with earth, simplicity of material needn't be an excuse for poor planning. Paul Graham McHenry, author of the best-selling Adobe - Build It Yourself, here provides the most complete, accurate, and factual source of technical information on building with earth. Lavishly illustrated with scores of photographs and drawings, Adobe and Rammed Earth Buildings spells out details of: • soil selection
• adobe brick manufacturing
• adobe brick wall construction
• rammed earth wall construction
• window and door detailing
• earth wall finishes
• foundations
• floor and roof structures
• insulation
• mechanical considerations. Whether you're designing a new building or renovating an existing structure, Adobe and Rammed Earth Buildings can show you how to achieve better results.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A handsomely illustrated text on the design and construction of adobe and rammed earth buildings . . . A must for anyone contemplating or studying adobe or rammed earth construction." —Choice "The silence of earth walls is uncanny. The inciting, photograph-laden Adobe and Rammed Earth Buildings is more than a primer; the author addresses engineering and design, too." —Whole Earth Catalog "A valuable book, and it works as a force for diversity and practicality that is much needed in American housing." —Folklore Forum

Product Details

• Paperback: 217 pages
• Publisher: University of Arizona Press (September 1, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0816511241
• ISBN-13: 978-0816511242
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #255,855 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

62 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent first book on adobe and rammed earth buildings., April 9, 2000

By 

Mark Carnett (Sierra Vista, Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Adobe and Rammed Earth Buildings: Design and Construction (Paperback)

This book is easy to read and understand when the author explains adobe and rammed earth buildings. The book seems to be a bit more focused on the details of adobe brick making which is great if that is what you want. The rammed earth sections are very informative but lack some of the construction details. I would have liked to have seen more detailed decriptions with better drawings of forms, for example. The author also has several table having containg soil composition that was a bit too technical for practical use. Overall,I believe this book is well worth the money for an introduction to adobe and rammed earth buildings. Additional books would be needed to learn enough to build one yourself though.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars How to Build Your Own Adobe Home, August 16, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Adobe and Rammed Earth Buildings: Design and Construction (Paperback)

This book is for the individual who wants to and is able to build his/her own home. The details are geared towards someone who is already familiar with building techniques and jargon. If you're planning to design your own adobe home but have a contractor do the actually building of it, you probably don't need to know this much and will be overwhelmed by the information provided.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Adobe book!, March 15, 2006

By 

Lisa Holliday (Oklahoma City, OK, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Adobe and Rammed Earth Buildings: Design and Construction (Paperback)

This book is full of great information and is well worth purchasing. For the average consumer it is all you will need. However as an engineer, I wish it had more technical information (shear capacity of adobe walls, etc). I've looked for such a book, but I don't think it exists.