Build It Yourself
The lay-up of adobe bricks is the easiest, most forgiving way to achieve a solid masonry wall system. We have completed a comprehensive manual on how to make and lay Adobe Madre bricks, as well as construction drawings and details. You can even order your very own Adobe Madre molds and make your own bricks.
The lay-up of adobe bricks is the easiest, most forgiving way to achieve a solid masonry wall system. Motivated by this fact, our manual focuses on the construction of adobe walls and includes our US patent-pending reinforcement and scaffolding systems. The manual is full of construction photos, finished photos and construction details of our projects all around the world. It is a step-by-step guide for making and laying adobe bricks.
The manual also provides information on installing lintels and arches, conduits and pipes, doors and windows, top plates and bond-beams in a thorough and easy to follow manner. In addition, this manual provides information about ideal wall dimensions, adobe finishes, and other adobe construction components, such as the easy, safe, and inexpensive use of scaffolding.
The manual was written by Lisa Morey and Vince Ogletree, co-founders of Adobe Building Consultants. Sadly Vince passed away in April 2005 after battling cancer. Vince dedicated himself to working on this manual so that others could learn about the benefits of adobe building. Lisa has started the Vince Ogletree Foundation in which she pledges 10% of the manual earnings to help build adobe homes in areas that need shelter the most. For more information see our Aid Projects.
Our manual sets out to encourage and inspire even a novice builder. Step-by-step instruction and helpful tips enable any builder to complete a project from start to finish. Equipped with this manual, you will be able to obtain a building permit, make adobe bricks swiftly, and confidently lay them up. You will be able to beautifully finish your adobe walls with earth plasters creating stunning colors and outstanding light effects.
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More Info
Download Our Flyer
To dowload a copy of our 2-page full color flyer, click on the icon above. The flyer includes a brief description of our system, adobe brick dimensions, facts & benefits, frequently asked questions, as well as photographs of our work.
Contact Us
Telephone
(407) 810-5030
Address
Waiheke Island, New Zeland
Orlando, FL
Decatur, Alabama
Seattle, WA (Coming Soon)
Adobe Madre Brick Molding System
Adobe Madre Brick Molding System accommodates:
- Molds to make your own adobe madre bricks
- Reinforced concealed concrete columns
- Service sleeves for electrical lines and plumbing
- Scaffolding
Adobe brick molds can be made of wood, steel, or heavy-duty plastic.
Each material offers advantages and disadvantages. Weigh the benefits with the costs before selecting your mold material.
Wooden molds might only last for one or two houses, but they are the cheapest option. They must first be soaked in waste oil, or carefully lined with sheet metal to cover any protruding or sharp edges. If left exposed, the edges could catch on equipment and cause sheet metal to fail or cause injury.
Steel is a great locally-made option, and will last longer than wood, but has the disadvantage of being heavy. It will take two sturdy bodies to lift either side of the mold.
Heavy-duty plastic gives unparalleled performance in all aspects of brick making and offers the most user-friendly brick molds.
- AutoCAD Generated Plans - To make your own timber, steel or aluminum molds.
Designer's Pack
Before choosing your design and engineering team, you may consider reviewing the information in our Designer’s Pack. It is a very comprehensive and useful tool for designers and engineers who have never worked with adobe.
The pack contains:
- A representational floor plan outlining the design parameters, such as:
- wall panel and opening lengths relative to brick increments
- reinforcement sizes and locations
- service channel locations (for pipes and conduits)
- a description of the interface of adobe and timber-frame walls
- different architectural styles, such as options for rounded or chamfered corners and window edges
- Representational cross-sections outlining the design parameters such as:
- sill and lintel heights
- light switch and outlet (power-point) heights
- ceiling heights and multi-floor heights relative to brick increments
- horizontal reinforcement locations
- flooring: wooden, concrete (overlaid with tiles, carpet or polished/colored concrete), or polished adobe-slab floor
- supporting members for windows and doors: timber or concrete lintels or adobe brick arches.
- bond-beams: wooden top plate or reinforced concrete beam.
Workshops
Workshops are a great way to learn hands-on all about adobe brick construction. We have offered numerous one-day and two-day workshops in which people have gone away with enough knowledge to build their own home. We are proud to say there are many success stories in which beautiful adobe homes were built on a budget by novice builders.
Currently we are organizing our workshop schedule for 2007 please stay tuned. All interested people should send an email to workshops@adobebuilding.com for more information. We would like to attract builders and designers who have an interest in working in this type of construction for projects all around the world. Spaces are limited so please let us know as soon as possible if you are interested.