Earthbag Building Techniques

By Owen Geiger
Published on October 29, 2010
1 / 3

Add elegance to your backyard with this durable earthbag bench and stylish arbor.
Add elegance to your backyard with this durable earthbag bench and stylish arbor.
2 / 3

Stack the earthbags so they’re staggered — the lines between earthbags in the top row don’t align with the lines between earthbags in the bottom row.
Stack the earthbags so they’re staggered — the lines between earthbags in the top row don’t align with the lines between earthbags in the bottom row.
3 / 3

To create a curved bench, set a stake about 56 inches from where you want the front of the bench and tie a string to it. Make a knot in the string 56 inches from the post. As you move the string, the knot makes an arc determining the shape of the bench.
To create a curved bench, set a stake about 56 inches from where you want the front of the bench and tie a string to it. Make a knot in the string 56 inches from the post. As you move the string, the knot makes an arc determining the shape of the bench.

Benches and arbors can turn an ordinary space in your yard into a striking focal point. They’re ideal for relaxing and for special, romantic moments. Do you have a quiet area of your yard or garden that could be enhanced with a love seat and arbor? This project is easy to build and can be completed in about three days for about $125.

I tried to make the earthbag bench and arbor affordable, easy to build and easy on the environment. You can use recycled wood for the arbor because it will soon be covered in plants and no one will notice slight imperfections in the wood.

The bench consists of a stone foundation and plastered earthbags, which are polypropylene rice bags filled with gravel.

After you’ve gained experience building this small bench, you’ll be ready to take on larger earthbag building projects, such as the Low-Cost Multipurpose Minibuilding Made With Earthbags.

Arbor Materials

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368