Rammed Earth Sod Cob (Building) : Main Articles:,, and
Rammed Earth Sod Cob (Building) : Main Articles:,, and
Rammed Earth Sod Cob (Building) : Main Articles:,, and
Sand[edit]
Sand is used with cement, and sometimes lime, to make mortar for masonry work and plaster. Sand
is also used as a part of the concrete mix. An important low-cost building material in countries with
high sand content soils is the Sandcrete block, which is weaker but cheaper than fired clay bricks.[10]
Stone or rock[edit]
Rock structures have existed for as long as history can recall. It is the longest lasting building
material available, and is usually readily available. There are many types of rock throughout the
world, all with differing attributes that make them better or worse for particular uses. Rock is a very
dense material so it gives a lot of protection too; its main drawback as a material is its weight and
awkwardness. Its energy density is also considered a big drawback, as stone is hard to keep warm
without using large amounts of heating resources.
Dry-stone walls have been built for as long as humans have put one stone on top of another.
Eventually, different forms of mortar were used to hold the stones together, cement being the most
commonplace now.
The granite-strewn uplands of Dartmoor National Park, United Kingdom, for example, provided
ample resources for early settlers. Circular huts were constructed from loose granite rocks
throughout the Neolithic and early Bronze Age, and the remains of an estimated 5,000 can still be
seen today. Granite continued to be used throughout the Medieval period (see Dartmoor longhouse)
and into modern times. Slate is another stone type, commonly used as roofing material in the United
Kingdom and other parts of the world where it is found.