Adobe Construction Overview

We have dedicated many articles to green building methods.  A construction method that falls under green building is adobe construction.  This is actually a quite interesting method.  People have been using it for ages and many of the original structures are still standing.  I found information about whole cities being built over 2500 years ago that are still seen in almost complete entirety.  I was amazed at how well these buildings were designed even before today’s technology was in play.

Adobe construction is really quite ingenious.  The early builders mixed the elements they had available to make a house.  Little did they know how effective their construction would be.  Now, we have to remember adobe construction is mostly done in dry and arid areas where you don’t have to worry about substantial rainfall, earthquakes and other natural disasters.  Their constructions were made in the right place at the right time.

The benefits of adobe houses, even in today’s world, are quite impressive when you think about it.  Let’s just look at it from the perspective of someone living in the Southwestern United States.  You live in a desert where the temperature can range up to 30 degrees between the day and the night.  You experience hot days and cold nights.  Living costs have risen quite considerably and it isn’t cheap to build a home anymore.  There is a long list of problems that we can come up with.  My point being, adobe construction can help you out in a lot of ways.

If we look at the way adobe bricks are constructed we see the first benefits that you’ll get.  Bricks are custom made and can have any material that you would like.  They usually have organic materials and some sort of mud on the outside.  These bricks are cheap to make and if you find a skilled brick maker they can be strong construction material.  These bricks also have special thermal properties.  Adobe can keep your home cool during the day and warm at night.  The heat from the sun takes several hours to soak through the wall and into the living space.  Heat is trapped once it enters the wall throughout the day and is slowly dispersed through the air  during the night.  You have an instant heat control in your home.

Adobe bricks are made of materials that do not easily decompose, if at all.  If you build an adobe home in an area that doesn’t have rain or natural disasters you are almost guaranteed a home that will last forever.  Adobe structures have been proven to last up against the harsh environment of desert regions.  It will hold up to normal wear and tear.

Another feature of adobe constructed houses is the flexible look you can have.  An adobe home can come in almost any color you can think of.  You don’t have to stick to the customary brick or siding look.  You can have a picturesque natural tone or do an extravagant blue or purple.  You can paint adobe any way you want it.

Adobe certainly isn’t indestructible but it can hold its own when it’s in the desert or a dry area.  You should check it out if you’re thinking about constructing a home in the desert.