Building with Mud

mud wall with mud collected from the river for plastering

     Building with mud is quite common in Bangladesh, and found in most parts of the world. When built properly, the buildings can last for hundreds of years. When not, they can fall apart in a matter of months. I saw samples of both, well more than that, I saw simple huts with straw roofs and elaborate two story mud houses that were so old the owners had no idea when they were built.
     One of the first villages I visit on this trip,we met a family that built a mud house together in a matter of a few months. They dug out their backyard and used that mud to build a house with. The hole was already collecting water, and could possibly be used as a small pond to raise fish. Now that's what I call sustainable! 
     But mud building isn't always as great a material to use as us eco-builders like to think. Yes, it's cool in the summer heat, and keeps warm in the winter, unlike houses made of corrugated iron (CI) sheets. It doesn't need to be rebuilt every year like straw and bamboo houses. And if you live in the right region, the soil doesn't need to be mixed with anything, it can be taken right out of the ground and made into walls. 

mud house under construction

     Usually a plinth of mud is built about 18 inches high and the mud walls, added in blocks, are built on top. Holes are cut out for windows and doors, sometimes framed in wood. A layer of a more watered down mud mixture is applied like plaster on the exterior surfaces to protect the walls and give them a smoother texture. For two story buildings, a ceiling of bamboo or a combination of bamboo and hardwood, is spanned across the walls and mud is applied to the exterior sides of it. 

house destroyed within 2 months during the monsoon due to poor roofing

     Most of the problem comes with the roof. If the roof is made of straw, it has to be replaced every year, generally adding economic stress to family after the monsoon, when there tends not to be a lot of work available. If the family can afford it, they get a roof made of CI sheets. These can last 50 years if built properly, and if insulated, don't add too much heat in the summer time. 
     When asked what the biggest problem they had with mud houses, most said rats. They burrow through the walls or through the foundation and eat the food the family has stored for the winter months, not to mention spreading diseases like the plague!