Build Steps TA

This is intended to be a detailed guide to how we will build our Earthship.

Timing

Best to buy land late in the year. This gives us winter to get building permits in place, spring to get the lay of the land and find the water table, then we can dig out the footprint as soon as the ground thaws and start pounding tires before it gets too hot.

Pre-Tires

1. Build work shed (2x4 frame with plywood walls. Simple)
2. Start collecting used water bottles
3. Run Electrical to the shed
4. Stake out footprint
5. Dig down to below frost line
   1. Get a backhoe
   2. Dig down below frost line
   3. Pile dirt around footprint (for later use pounding tires)
   4. Level ground
6. Bury fireplace inlet

Tires

1. Get tires and organize by size (or get all the same size tires)
2. Layout and fill first row of tires
3. Place drainage pipes
4. Second row
5. Third row
6. Place thermal wrap
7. Remaining tires and thermal wrap
8. Set the anchor bolts in the top tires and fill them with concrete
9. After the concrete has dried, cover the tires in 2mil plastic, staple in place
10. Place top plate of wood on tires (Vol.1 p102)

Framing

1. Place support beams (in line with front of tires)
2. Place roof supports
3. Frame windows
   1. Beams should be in place above and below windows
   2. Place and square wood between each window (make sure it's square, can't check this enough times)
   3. Put in wood for windows with operable opening
   4. Put notching planks in place to hold window
4. Deck roof (use screws not nails)
5. Place skylights

Roof

1. --Chimney--?
2. Plastic layer on roof
3. Insulating layer on roof
4. Metal roof

Windows

1. Place windows
2. Seal windows
3. Place outside wood (to hold windows in place)
4. Aluminum flashing

Interior

1. Cover tires in concrete and fill gaps with bottles
2. Planters and cisterns
3. Cover floor in moisture barrier before pouring concrete
4. Concrete floor
   1. Frame sections (note that areas under the doors and any thing outside need to be separate pieces for insulation purposes)
   2. Concrete is not poured over planters
5. Dig Planters and cistern pools
6. Can/bottle planter walls
7. Walls (drywall)
8. Electrical (how does this get from the shed to the house)
9. Plumbing, kitchens and bathrooms
10. Wood floor (I want the pipes and electrical right on the concrete with a false wood floor above that so if there is ever an electrical or plumbing problem or upgrade, I can get at it with out destroying anything)
11. Install fireplace
12. Thermal mass refrigerator

Post-Move In

1. Electrical (solar, wind, stirling)
2. Solar water pre-heater