It's often said that once you live in a home made from the earth, you won't settle for anything else. Beautiful and practical, today's adobe homes combine ancient techniques with modern technologies. To build your own, start with these helpful how-to guides. You'll find floor plans, construction information, and more. Also, don't miss our related story on illustrated books of adobe homes.
1. Adobe Houses for Today
Subtitled "flexible plans for your adobe home," and that's exactly what you'll find in this 200-page catalog. Included are 12 basic plans for both modern and traditional houses in many different configurations, along with photographs, diagrams, and CAD-generated images.
2. Adobe: Build It Yourself
Paul Graham McHenry's oversized paperback lays the foundation for what you need to know before building your adobe home. Covers all aspects of construction from building codes to energy requirements, although no actual floor plans are included. A good practical resource for helping you decide whether to actually "do-it-yourself" or hire a builder.3. The Owner-Built Adobe Home
For novice and expert alike, here's a description of many aspects of adobe construction, including plumbing, electricity, heating and cooling, fireplaces, flooring, window and door frames, roofs and more. Author Duane Newcomb's field manual guides you through every step of the process, from selecting a site to excavating to making your own bricks.4. Adobe and Rammed Earth Buildings: Design and Construction
This adobe book by Paul Graham McHenry is geared more toward the experienced builder, and can be a bit overwhelming for beginners. However if you're already familiar with adobe construction and want to understand the engineering and technical aspects behind it, this book is a great resource.5. Pueblo Architecture and Modern Adobes
Architect William Lumpkins was an influential designer in the American Southwest. His plans in this series are patterned after Pueblo-style dwellings that were never executed, but provide examples of native architecture for modern times. The book includes 47 projects and 94 drawings of modern adobe homes, along with Pueblo source material and floor plans.6. Build With Adobe
Author Marcia Southwick asks the practical questions: "Where will you put it?" and "What will you spend?" then provides no-nonsense information to answer them. The 235-page book has hundreds of photographs, drawings, and house plans, and is a good overview for those who are considering the adobe lifestyle.7. Ceramic Houses and Earth Architecture: How to Build Your Own
A good book for anyone who is interested in alternative building methods. Author Nader Khalili shows several examples of houses and schools built with adobe, then takes it a step further by demonstrating how to build vaults, domes, and arches, as well as the SuperAdobe method of building with earthbags. Included is a section on how to build a model house out of clay.