Rob Roy's Earthwood Home

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Application is quick and easy. For maximum adhesion, the wall is primed with a compatible primer made for the purpose. Within a half hour, the 3'-wide membrane can be applied. A nonstick backing paper is removed while the very sticky rubberized asphalt membrane is pressed onto the wall with a roller or the heals of your hands. Application is vertical, with the second sheet lapping the first by 3" to 6", depending on the membrane selected. The membrane, which comes in a long roll, is easily cut with a razor knife. Factory edges have their own mastic attached to prevent "fish mouthing" (raising up) of the edges. A fresh cut can be protected in the same way by the application of a bead of compatible caulking. It's really that quick and easy.

Drainage

At Earthwood Building School, we always say, "Drainage is the better part of waterproofing." Give the water an easier place to go than into your home and it will.

Backfill material must have good percolation: coarse sands and gravel, crushed stone, etc. Don't backfill with fine silts and clays, which will hold the water next to the home. Eventually, even the best waterproofing might fail. Next to the footing, at that critical location where the block wall meets the foundation, install a good "French drain;" consisting of 4" perforated drainage tubing surrounded by plenty of crushed stone. A couple of inches of straw thrown on top of the crushed stone will compress under the weight of backfill and form a permanent filtration mat to keep the crushed stone and French drain clean. This drain carries any water away from the home to some point above grade.

(1) Stone mass/masonry stove
(2) Stone mass footing
(3) Pillar footings, seven in all
(4) 8" x 8" post
(5) 4" x 8" floor joist
(6) 8" x 8" girder
(7) 16" thick cordwood masonry wall
(8) Compacted sand/gravel pad
(9) Undisturbed earth, no organic material
(10) Special 10" x 12" clear-oak girder (or equivalent) for 15' span
(11) 5" x 10" rafter, red pine or equivalent
(12) 6" x 10" rafter for longer span, red pine
(13) 2" x 6" wall plates
(14) 2" x 6" tonge-and-groove decking
(15) W.R. Grace Bituthene 3,000 or 3,100 waterproofing membrane
(16) 10" aluminum flashing, under Bituthene, folded over planking as a drip edge
(17) 1" rigid foam as protection board
(18) 4" Dow Styrofoam insulation, or 5" EPS
(19) 6-mil polyethylene
(20) Hay or straw layers
(21) #2 crushed stone
(22) Railroad tie or 8" x 8" pressure-treated lumber
(23) 8" of topsoil, planted to grass
(24) 4" perforated flexible drain with nylon or fiberglass filtration sock
(25) 8" concrete corner block, first course bedded in mortar for leveling
(26) #5 (5/8") reinforcing bar
(27) 4" ABS plastic pipe (earth tube inlet)
(28) 1" Dow Styrofoam
(29) W.R. Grace Bituthene 3,100 membrane
(30) 2" Dow Styrofoam or equivalent
(31) Galvanized flashing cone
(32) Walk-around deck with railing

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