Pressed Earth Blocks: Make 'Em Yourself!

(Page 4 of 4)

July/August 1978
By Charles Park 
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FINISHING TOUCHES

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Once laid up, the natural blocks-which tend to be an attractive "natural" color that blends with the surroundings-need nothing more In the way of an applied finish (exceptperhaps-for a coat of masonry sealer If you happen to live In an area that gets a good deal of precipitation). In our case, we wanted a wall that would both 111 withstand Nogales' torrential summer rains and belowfreezing winter temperatures, and 12) match the color of our house. For these reasons, we decided to give our wall a coat of waterproofing and then cover that with an acrylic latex flat paint.

THE IDEAL BUILDING MATERIAL?

There's probably no limit to the number of ways in which pressed-earth blocks can be used. (We're already planning the construction of a storage shed and a carport made of soil-cement.) Fact is, the very qualities that led us to use these blocks in our wallstrength, low cost, durability, ease of manufacture, and the "natural" look-would seem to make soil-cement an ideal housebuilding material too.

well, we may never build a whole house out of soil-cement . . . but we're definitely sold on pressed-earth construction. It's fun . . . it's good exercise . . . it doesn't cost an arm and a kneecap . . . and the final product just looks good. What more could a fellow or gal ask for?

EDITOR'S NOTE: For more information on CINVA-Ram blockmaking, be sure to read C.D. Folsom's excellent article, You Can Build With Soil-Cement Blocks, in MOTHER N0. 39, pages 28-31.

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