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Rammed Earth Workshop

October 19, 2020 - October 23, 2020

$499

Rammed Earth Workshop – Sebring, Florida

Dates: October 19 – October 23, 2020 (YES. We are still having the workshop as scheduled.)

Location: Sebring, Florida

Come and join us in central Florida for our Rammed Earth Workshop! We will be constructing rammed earth benches for seating. A perfect project for beginners and experts alike! You will get the knowledge to build rammed earth projects scaling from smaller things, such as outdoor garden walls, up to large projects like homes and buildings.

This workshop is a great experience to learn how to build with rammed earth and to get a broad learning overview of natural building techniques. You will get a solid foundation in rammed earth building fundamentals. We will be constructing rammed earth seating benches and studying Earthen Construction together each day. After this workshop, you will have the basic experience and confidence to design and build your own simple rammed earth constructions and buildings.

Hands-On Work Topics:

– Building foundations (learn how to build a concrete stem wall foundation)

– Selecting and testing soils for rammed earth (learn several ways to test your soil composition)

– Form Building (learn how to build your own formwork for small and large rammed earth projects)

– Soil Preparation (learn how to prepare and stabilize soil for rammed earth)

– Building rammed earth (learn to ram earth 100x faster with our pneumatic tamper)

Classroom and Discussion Topics:

– Site selection and design (includes Passive Solar design principles)

– Materials and tools (covers traditional and modern earth building toolset and materials)

– Rubble trench foundations (Plus general foundation building)

– Drainage principles (Important: water can be rammed earth’s worst enemy)

– Basic Electrical and Plumbing integration for rammed earth homes

– Installing windows and doors

– Roofing and Bond Beams

– Natural plasters and finishes (Vapor Permeable / “Breathable” finishes)

– Overview of Natural Building materials

This workshop is a unique experience for people to learn about building cob homes and to get an overview of Natural Building. Not only are there plenty of hands-on lessons to learn from, but we will also have ample discussion and informal classroom time. Most earthen building workshops don’t cover this many topics. But here, you will learn all the core lessons needed to start building from this one workshop!

Plus – there will be many hours of discussions about building earthen homes and natural building throughout the workshop. Its a great way to get your questions answered and brainstorm your building ideas!

The workshop will be held at a private property in Sebring, Florida.

Each day will begin at 9:00 AM, and the days will include hands-on building, classroom sessions, discussions, and learning activities related to rammed earth and earthen building topics. We will break for lunch between 12:00 to 1:30 PM, and we will complete each day at around 4:00 PM. They will be full-packed days! Worth your every penny!

The workshop will be taught by Alex Sumerall, an east coast Natural Builder who has a focus on creating earthen structures that are healthy, aesthetically pleasing, and functional for modern life. He is the owner of This Cob House, LLC, which is dedicated to teaching people about cob and natural building techniques. Alex has a background in business and advertising, and has been practicing Natural Building since 2011. He graduated from the Aprovecho School of Natural Building in 2013 in Cottage Grove, Oregon, and continues to teach, present, consult, and construct.

Free Bonus!

Everyone who signs up for the workshop will receive a printed copy of Alex’s book, “Build a Cob House: A Step-By-Step Guide”, and the downloadable PDF version, FREE! We only make printed copies for workshop students, so this is your chance to get one. We will be using the book as a lesson guide throughout the workshop too so you can follow along with your book in hand.

Listen to the great things that our workshop participants are saying!

“The cob workshop was a life-changing experience. I learned a lot about natural building, not only from Alex’s instruction, experience and demonstrations, but from interacting with people from different backgrounds who were a great source of collective knowledge. The hands-on experience was priceless!” Tony Romo, Texas

“The Cob Building Workshop was a great investment of my time! It was well organized, extremely inspiring, and FUN! Alex was able to explain construction basics to neophytes like me, yet he could also answer the complex questions asked by the more experienced workshop attendees. I can’t wait until the next workshop!”

Marybeth Babos, Tennessee

Lodging

There are two options for lodging: free camping on site, or making reservations at one of the local hotels or AirBnB. Hotels are available in the neighboring towns of Sebring.

Camping is FREE. Campers will have access to a portable toilet and private outdoor shower.

The location has electricity & water. Electric outlets are minimal, with the ability to charge phones & power tools.

Food

Meals will not be included in this workshop so participants will need to provide their own food. There are several local restaurants and grocery stores nearby the workshop site.

Each is responsible for their own meal preparation, unless decisions are made to share or combine. An hour for lunch is provided, allowing adequate time for food and a quick nap or trip into town. There is no official kitchen on site. Coolers are welcome and encouraged.

Family & Groups

Ask about discounts. We encourage group & family activities because it enhances learning among your support group. Email me at alex@thiscobhouse.com for custom group/family invoice.

Children/young people of any age are welcome to join in and learn. Please be aware that some areas are under construction, as is the purpose of this workshop, but it is generally child-safe.

Prices

Price: $499

Additional Discounts: 10% for family and friends participating together.

Teens accompanying a parent/guardian are half price. Children under 13 accompanying a parent/guardian are free.

Click here to register: https://www.thiscobhouse.com/rammed-earth-workshop-florida/

If you have any other questions about the workshop, please feel free to email me at alex@thiscobhouse.com

If you have a large party of people registering, they can all register separately, or contact me for a custom invoice.

Details

Start:
October 19, 2020
End:
October 23, 2020
Cost:
$499
Event Category:
https://www.thiscobhouse.com/rammed-earth-workshop-florida/

Venue

Unnamed Venue
Sebring, FL United States

Organizer

Alex Sumerall
Email:
alex@thiscobhouse.com
View Organizer Website