Building with earth - Gernot MINKE (1)

8.19
8.20
8.23
8.24
Illustrations 8.19, 8.20, 8.21 and 8.22 show
the production, transport and laying of
these elements. The walls of this project are
framed in timber with posts at 2.1 m centres.
The panel thus formed is divided into
three parts with vertical timber elements 4 x
4 cm in section at 0.7 m/centres. They act as
tongues fitting into the loam elements to
provide lateral stability. In order to ensure
separation of these elements during the
drying process a cut is made with a trowel,
so that the joints act as pre-designed contraction
joints. Upon drying, this gap widens
due to shrinkage, and can be favourably
filled when dry with a mixture of lime,
gypsum, sand and loam. It is very easy to
smooth the surface of these elements with
a moist sponge (8.23), though to get a richly
textured and a regular effect (as seen in
the photographs), more shaping by hand
may be done before sponging. Illustration
8.24 shows the filling of a contraction joint
with slightly moist loam using a hammer
and a wooden tool.
Illustration 8.26 and 8.27 show finished
walls. Walls composed of these elements
can be shaped easily in a wet state; a finished
example is shown in 8.25, where
material has been added to the wall, as well
as sculpted out of it.
8.21
8.22 8.24
77
Direct forming