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Superadobe or Hyperadobe? What's the Difference?
The Mud Home Guide to Earthbag Building Techniques
You’ll often hear two different terms packed into the sack of earthbag discussion: Hyperadobe or Superadobe? Here’s a basic overview outlining the main differences between these two methods, and why you might prefer one over the other.
Superadobe:
This is the original earthbag building developed by Nader Khalili in the 1980s and 90s. The intention behind this technique is low-cost, disaster-resistant, and simple owner-built housing.
Superadobe is all about simplicity of technique (anyone can do it), local materials, and minimal tools. If you’re in the sticks with not much to hand and even less expertise, superadobe is a great way to create a very sturdy shelter.
You’ll often hear two different terms packed into the sack of earthbag discussion: Hyperadobe or Superadobe? Here’s a basic overview outlining the main differences between these two methods, and why you might prefer one over the other.
Superadobe:
This is the original earthbag building developed by Nader Khalili in the 1980s and 90s. The intention behind this technique is low-cost, disaster-resistant, and simple owner-built housing.
Superadobe is all about simplicity of technique (anyone can do it), local materials, and minimal tools. If you’re in the sticks with not much to hand and even less expertise, superadobe is a great way to create a very sturdy shelter.
Normal earthbag using individual sacks.
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Superadobe using closed PP tubes.
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Hyperadobe using raschel mesh.
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Hyperadobe:
This is a later evolution of earthbag developed in Brazil by Fernando Pacheco (and others). It utilises long mesh tubes. The intention behind it is to make earthbag construction even easier while maintaining Superadobe’s low-tech and affordable ethos.
The Key Difference is this: Superadobe relies on closed plastic sacks or tubes; Hyperadobe uses a very lightweight breathable mesh.
This is a later evolution of earthbag developed in Brazil by Fernando Pacheco (and others). It utilises long mesh tubes. The intention behind it is to make earthbag construction even easier while maintaining Superadobe’s low-tech and affordable ethos.
The Key Difference is this: Superadobe relies on closed plastic sacks or tubes; Hyperadobe uses a very lightweight breathable mesh.
Raschel mesh hyperadobe tubes from Alibaba. https://tinyurl.com/ypehtk2r
Basic Methodology
Superadobe
1. Uses either individual sacks or long continuous closed polypropylene tubes.
2. The tubes are filled with moist clayey soil and laid in courses.
3. Barbed wire is laid between courses to hold the bags together and for tensile strength.
Pros:
Superadobe
1. Uses either individual sacks or long continuous closed polypropylene tubes.
2. The tubes are filled with moist clayey soil and laid in courses.
3. Barbed wire is laid between courses to hold the bags together and for tensile strength.
Pros:
- This is only my opinion, but from personal experience I’d prefer individual sacks in a seismic area. Why? Because the barbed wire and the toughness of the bags really create an indestructable monolith that can stand floods as well.
- If you have a large team, you can have lots of bags stacked up before sticking them on the wall. This speeds things up immensely. One team is on bag filling, the other team is on bag laying. You can even fill bags one day and lay them the next (like bricks).
- It’s really easy to find the sacks. You can use basically any kind of sack you want.
- Harder to get the plaster to stick to the wall.
- Not as breathable (though depends on what kind of sack you use).
Rhonda's amazing superadobe work in Mexico.
Hyperadobe
1. Uses open-weave mesh tubes (often raschel mesh).
2. The clayey soil filling is visible through the mesh.
3. You might not need to use the barbedwire as the mesh grips. However still use barbed wire if you are in an earthquake zone or building something massive.
Pros:
1. Uses open-weave mesh tubes (often raschel mesh).
2. The clayey soil filling is visible through the mesh.
3. You might not need to use the barbedwire as the mesh grips. However still use barbed wire if you are in an earthquake zone or building something massive.
Pros:
- Easier to get your clay plaster to stick to the wall.
- Improved drying and curing due to breathability.
- Better for humid climates or the tropics due to the breathability.
- The mesh tubes are doing far less work in terms of holding the structure together, so you need to make sure you're properly wetting your clayey soil and tamping it solid.
Do You Need to 'Stabilise' Your Dirt for Hyperadobe?
I'm going to push back hard against this whole 'stabilising' malarkey. It's nonsense. If you have sticky, clayey soil (which most people do), adding cement is not going to stabilise anything (you could actually argue it's destabilising it). All you do is kill the breathablility of the walls, ramp up the CO2 emissions, and create a hard but brittle material that is going to soak up the heat. It makes zero sense. Just use your lovely sticky clayey soil. Wet it, and tamp it. You're good to go.
I'm going to push back hard against this whole 'stabilising' malarkey. It's nonsense. If you have sticky, clayey soil (which most people do), adding cement is not going to stabilise anything (you could actually argue it's destabilising it). All you do is kill the breathablility of the walls, ramp up the CO2 emissions, and create a hard but brittle material that is going to soak up the heat. It makes zero sense. Just use your lovely sticky clayey soil. Wet it, and tamp it. You're good to go.
Fiona's beautiful hyperadobe workshop in Kwa-Zulu Natal. No cement. Just clayey soil.
Related Links and Resources
1. Rhonda's superadobe dome world in Mexico takes some beating in terms of superadobe tube building mastery.
2. You can see how Dan made his pure clayey soil hyperdobe house here.
3. Here's another good article on hyperadobe from the Natural Building Blog.
4. Domes - Do you really want one?
1. Rhonda's superadobe dome world in Mexico takes some beating in terms of superadobe tube building mastery.
2. You can see how Dan made his pure clayey soil hyperdobe house here.
3. Here's another good article on hyperadobe from the Natural Building Blog.
4. Domes - Do you really want one?
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