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If you're planning a Cordwood, Timber Framing or Earth-Sheltered project, why
not attend one of our hands-on workshops? We offer the opportunity to work
on a real project. Bring your ideas and enthusiasm to share with other
students.
New this year:
A Combined 5-day workshop at Del Norte, CO, September 23-27,
2009, will include Timber Framing for the Rest of Us, the Living Roof and
Cordwood Masonry.
All workshops are limited to 16 students, except Earthwood
Techniques, limited to 18.
In light of these economic hard times, we are keeping our tuition costs the same for the 4th year in a row.
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Regional Workshops in 2009
Note: The Colorado workshop also includes Timber Framing and Earth-sheltered housing.
2009 Workshop Calendar At Earthwood: West Chazy, New York
MAP
Tuition rates for all workshops are listed on the Register for Workshops page. Accommodations available at extra
cost.
Workshop Descriptions
Cordwood Masonry - Three Days Morning sessions include
cordwood theory, slide presentations, explanatory tours, and discussion of
the three styles of cordwood construction: built-up corners (stackwall),
round houses, and cordwood as infilling within a post-and-beam framework.
The kinds of wood and how long to dry them is covered, as well as various
alternative mortar mixes. Installing doors and windows is detailed, as is
cordwood masonry "special effects." At Earthwood, students
examine several different kinds of cordwood masonry buildings. Afternoons
are reserved for practical, hands-on work sessions. The third afternoon
affords an opportunity for students to consult with Rob about their plans,
while Jaki maintains order on the worksite. This workshop gives the student
a strong introduction to this ancient building technique. Textbook: Cordwood Building: The State of the Art.
The 2009 project will be working on a cordwood sauna near
Earthwood.
Earthwood Techniques
(Underground) - One Day (May 25 & September 7 in NY; June 26 in
WI) Low-cost foundations and earth-sheltering methods used
at the Earthwood house are emphasized, accenting surface bonded wall
construction and plank-and-beam roofing. The five elements that affect load
calculations are discussed. Alternative foundations, drainage and
waterproofing, insulation, structural considerations and
the masonry stove are all covered. An explanatory tour of the Earthwood
house is included, as well as a step-by-step slide presentation documenting
the construction of Earthwood from floating slab foundation to earth
roof. Textbook: Earth-Sheltered Houses. This is a very full day,
consisting of mostly classroom instruction. Like all of our workshops,
sessions are punctuated by Jaki's excellent coffee and tea breaks featured
home-baked goodies, and her hearty vegetarian lunches. (In NY only. We
provide coffee breaks and lunches at other workshops, too, but not Jaki's.)
Timber Framing for the Rest of
Us (May 16-18 only, now completed) This workshop was based on the methods that Jaki and I have used to
erect the frames of Log End Cottage, Log End Cave, Earthwood, Mushwood, and
several outbuildings, the same methods use by contractors, farmers, and
owner-builders for a hundred years or more. You will not learn crafty but
time-consuming mortise-and-tenon joints here. Other good building schools,
such as Fox Maple, Heartwood, and Yestermorrow, teach these traditional
skills. Rather, this workshop accents the use of inexpensive metal
fasteners made for the purpose, in combination with good building quality.
The textbook is Timber Framing for the Rest of Us. The
project for the 2009 workshop was a 6-poster sauna frame.
Cordwood Workweek - Five Days, July
13-17, 2009
The Cordwood Workweek combines all of the features of of the three-day
Cordwood Workshop and the One-day Earthwood Techniques workshop, but there
is more time for individual hands-on instruction and consultations. The
discussions and site work are more detailed, yet the pace is more relaxed.
After lunch on Wednesday, for example, we tour the Mushwood Cottage at
Chateaugay Lake and a post-and beam cordwood home, then relax with
swimming, hot-tubbing, conversation, and consultation on the deck at
Earthwood. The workshop project will be work at a neighbor's new cordwood
home. This is our best cordwood workshop of the year.
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2009 Regional Workshop Descriptions
Wisconsin 3-day Cordwood Workshop, June 23-25, 2009.
Each day of this comprehensive workshop follows our usual pattern of four
hours of cordwood theory and four hours of hands-on instruction. The
classroom portion will be in LaFarge,
Wisconsin,
near Viroqua, about 30 miles east of LaCrosse, or 70 miles NW of
Madison. The hands-on part will be after lunch each day at home in
nearby Viola.
Wisconsin (June 26, 2009) 1-day Earthwood
Techniques.
Everything else except cordwood! See description in previous section above,
this page. Same location as Wisconsin Cordwood Workshop.
SW Colorado 5-day Cordwood Workshop (and more!),
September 23-27, 2009.This
will be our most comprehensive workshop ever! It will take
place at a ranch near Del Norte, Colorado, about an hour's drive east
of Pagosa Springs along CO State Route 160. (The nearest airport is
Alamosa). The project will be a small
earth-roofed, timber framed, cordwood masonry guesthouse. Hands-on
work will take place in all three disciplines for the first time at any
Earthwood workshop. Timber framing, possibly some surface-bonded block
wall
construction, and living roof techniques will occupy the first two (or
three) days,
and cordwood masonry will occupy the last two (or three) days. This
guesthouse will be substantially completed during the workshop, and
there will still be time for the important classroom instruction. And
we'll spend at least one evening at a local hot springs. Our hosts are
Kim Cellura and Mike. Kim created and operates the Peace of Art Cafe in
Del Norte, a beautiful cordwood masonry building with lots of artistic
special design features. Our son and his wife will not be hosting as
previously announced, due to a change in their college education
location, but we are extremely fortunate to have Kim and Mike take over
as hosts. We have known them for several years, they are very
knowledgable, and are excited to have this workshop at their ranch.
Camping and guest houses are available. A complete info package will be
sent upon registration. Sign up soon for this one, as it is
almost certain to fill up. We have not done a
cordwood workshop in the Southwest for quite a number of years.
Accommodation at Earthwood
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La Casita
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There
are three guesthouses at Earthwood. Cordwood Cabin (La Casita)
is quite small, about 100 square feet of interior space, and features four
of the world's largest log-ends, at 52" diameter. Straw Bale
Cottage (not illustrated) is about 25% bigger and has some very interesting design
features, including a large bottle-end panel, a "truth" panel,
and cordwood walls. Either of these guesthouses is $35 USD per night (one or
two people). Minimum booking is 2 nights. Beds have a bottom fitted sheet,
pillows and pillow covers. Bring your own top bedding or sleeping
bags. These guesthouses have kerosene lamps and candles for light.
There is an outhouse, wash hand basin, solar shower and new "Mess
Hall" building (cordwood and screened) for cooking and eating. We
do not offer camping, but there are campgrounds nearby. We do have space
for one fully self-contained camper/RV at $10 USD per night, no
hook-ups. Call ahead at 518-493-7744 to confirm accommodation availability.
To avoid booking conflicts, accommodations must be fully paid in
advance. No pets or kids, please. Click on Register for Workshops for
availability. See next entry for information about the
new Stoneview guesthouse.
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Stoneview Guesthouse
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Stoneview
Guesthouse.
Our new octagonal guesthouse is called "Stoneview" because it
overlooks the megaliths. This guesthouse is much larger than the others at
about 320 SF of interior space, and can accommodate up to 4 people. There
is an interior bathroom with shower, composting toilet and wash-hand basin.
There are electric lights ... and a woodstove for heat, if needed. This
guesthouse was built by students at our Timber Framing for the Rest of Us
and Cordwood Masonry workshops. Stoneview features a lightweight living
roof and many beautiful bottle-end design features. We think it is the most
charming building on campus. The per night charge for Stoneview is as
follows, with a minimum booking of three (3) nights: One or two people: $50
per night total. Three people: $60 per night. Four people: $70 per night.
There are two double beds. The building is suitable for a family of 3 or 4,
or two couples.
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How to Register
Registration for each workshop will be limited to the first 16
people. Payment: At least one half of the total workshop tuition must
accompany the Pre-Registration application. The balance (if any) must be
paid prior to the start of the workshop. Formal registration will take
place at the classroom from 8:00
to 8:30 A.M. on the day of the
workshop. A 50% deposit accompanying the Pre-Registration
Form holds your place.
Cancellations
Cancellation refunds, less a $40 registration fee, will be made if you
notify Rob or Jaki Roy at Earthwood Building School at least three (3) full
weeks in advance of the workshop. Call 518-493-7744 for cancellations.
Email cancellations are not accepted.
Included:
Textbooks, Lunches, Gloves
Rob's Cordwood Building: The State of the Art is
included in tuition for all cordwood workshops; Rob's new Earth-Sheltered
Houses for the Earthwood Techniques (foundations and earth sheltering)
workshops; Timber Framing for the Rest of Us
has a textbook of the same name. (All 3 textbooks will be provided for
the Colorado 5-day Combined workshop.) If you have already purchased
the textbook from us, another book from our list of equal value may be
substituted. Books are sent when you register, so that you can read
them ahead of time, your homework assignment! At cordwood workshops,
good quality rubber coated cloth gloves, excellent for cordwood
masonry, are now given to students at formal registration. A "couple,"
for registration purposes, is defined as two people building together.
One textbook is supplied per couple. Lunches are supplied for all
workshop dates.
Information
Package Upon
receiving your Pre-Registration Form (click on Register for Workshops at
top of page), we will send you a receipted acknowledgement of your
registration, and an Info Package consisting of exact course schedules, a
detailed map, and information about the area and also about B & Bs,
motels, and campgrounds. Tuition does not include accommodation.
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© 2008 and 2009, Earthwood
Building School
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