I read an interesting article on the “earthlodges” of Native Americans in the Dakotas the other day. I’d learned early in my life when the family moved from New York to “Indian Territory” – Oklahoma – that not all Native Americans lived in those portable teepee tents so prevalent on the plains. I knew the ‘civilized’ tribes of the southeastern United States were able constructors of log cabins for their permanent villages, and of course knew about those spectacular adobe pueblos in the southwest. And while I learned in junior high Oklahoma history about the sod-roofed shanties built by white settlers (and for which Oklahoma was famous), I’d never heard of earthlodges.

Earthlodges are large round structures from 20 to 50 feet in diameter which are built to be much more permanent than the yurts that basically amount to a Mongolian version of teepee for migratory people. Lots of people these days have deck-mounted yurts that are popular as camp cabins or gazebos, but they’re not really something stable or well-insulated enough to live in full time.

In contrast, the earthlodge is dug into the ground and framed with logs, covered with woven willow mats and then covered completely (except for a smoke hole in the middle of the roof) with mud and sod. Your basic hobbit house, but as its own hill rather than dug into a pre-existing hill. Of course, there are some modern earthlodge designs that combine aspects of natural landscaping and lodge building, which are actually quite nice if you don’t care much about windows. It would be quite easy to engineer one of these with skylights, so interior darkness can be alleviated.

Dakota State Historical Society

The original earthlodges were built communally, often housing between 15 and 25 people. They provided solid, very well-insulated shelter for harsh Dakota winters, and stayed naturally cool in hot Dakota summers. They lasted only as long as the palisade poles and main support logs lasted in the ground, about 7 to 10 years before they’d rotted enough to need replacing. Since it took only about a week for a group to construct an earthlodge from scratch, the old one would simply be torn down and a new one erected in its place. The old logs recycled into firewood made this village system quite efficient given that the Dakotas do not enjoy the thick, lush forests of the American southeast.

For a new homesteader looking for cheap, eco-friendly housing on a tract of raw land, it’s not difficult to see how the problem of ground-rot could be simply eliminated by seating the anchor and palisade logs in concrete. The thermal mass of palisade logs plus dirt/sod can be nearly warm in winter and cool in summer as 3-foot thick adobe walls. More modern – and fully waterproof – coverings take the place of those woven willow mats, and fewer palisade poles would allow for regular insulated walls or an opportunity to place windows and/or exits to porticos, or to build storage rooms or closets off the main structure. For a truly permanent structure, some research on new under-sod waterproof roofing material would probably be a good idea.

The niftiest thing about this kind of permanent shelter is that if your land is raw enough to need some clearing, the logs and poles can be taken as part of your clearing plans. These will have to be de-barked and dried above the ground, there are many good Do It Yourself books and plans out there for site-built log homes that have clear instructions on how to do this. If you’re planning to grow crops, the sod shouldn’t be hard to come by. Rather than a big central fire pit and large hole in the roof, a central wood stove with just a pipe running up through the roof will protect from the elements much better than the wicker baskets the Mandan people used to cover their smoke holes when it rained.

It also strikes me that the side walls could be constructed of straw bales and covered with mesh and stucco or adobe instead of mud and sod and still be as easy to heat and cool. Some may consider rock as well, if the land has an overabundance of those that need removing before crops can be grown. Any of these alternatives for some or all of the side walls would make for a very handsome home. The sod roof does have great appeal, I’ve always envisioned a hobbit house with wildflowers instead of just more grass to have to mow.

The interior, once you’ve got the central roof supports and planned your walls, can of course be framed and subdivided as you please for cooking sleeping and living areas, bathrooms and utility as you wish. The Dream Green link above also offers a plan for a ‘multi-lodge’ made up of several octagonal earthlodges connected to a front portico area. This idea offers the possibility for future expansion as the family grows.

So chalk this up as yet another eco-friendly green construction to think about if you’re new to homesteading or are planning to build more structures on your homestead than you’ve already got. A far less modern (more true to origin) version of earthlodge would make a very serviceable combo barn, root/wine cellar and tool/vehicle storage shed. For as long as you can keep the livestock from eating the walls and roof, that is.

Links:

Indians 101: The Earthlodge
Dream Green Homes Earth Lodge
Blue Ridge Yurts

During my year off from blogging one of the Big Projects for the homestead was a total kitchen make-over. We could afford it because my dearly loved Mother-in-Law died last April, after just a month in assisted living, at the ripe old age of 87. Turned out she had so much money in her checking account that even after expenses and splitting what was left with hubby’s brother, I could finally get a nice new kitchen to go with the dining furniture she also left to us.

For eighteen long years the kitchen has been separated from the main living space with a bar, even though the front door enters the kitchen rather than the living room. That bar has been variously attached to the right and left sides of the kitchen (thus changing the traffic pattern), and for the past six years it simply floated in the middle, topped with a piece of plywood painted for paper-flip football, mini-table tennis and various other games. Never managed to have four actually stable, matching bar stools at any given time, but our annual visitors were encouraged to buy or build their own, which would be exclusive to them whenever they were in-house. Some of them are pretty amazing, but of course none of them ever matched. And that front door, just so you know, was a hollow closet door that never actually closed or locked, we used to brace it against wind and possible night intruders with a bucket full of dirt.

Never had any upper cabinets because the huge 6×8 foot window took up the most of the wall. Worse, it extended well below the countertop level, becoming a catch-basin for all sorts of junk and dirt. My nephew managed to break 4 of its 12 glass panes some years ago with a bad shot from the second tee, I’d replaced them with cardboard and scrap lumber. Very, very ugly. So, for the very first time in my life, I got to go out and buy real building supplies from a real supplier and design the room just as I wanted it to be.

Not that there weren’t some significant “Uh, oh” moments involved, of course. We knew the front door opening had to be enlarged to handle a real, live actual front door. Which we got at such an astounding discount at the freight salvage place (along with window, cabinets and drawers) that we went ahead and bought two. One for us, one for daughter’s place out back. That Saws-All and re-framing job wasn’t so bad, it was the window that took most of the summer. Made me entirely miss out on mid-summer preservation of the harvest, the entire front of the house was wide open and covered (barely) with a sheet of plastic. Put in a standard 2.5×3 foot window – double pane! – and this allowed me to put upper cabinets on both sides once the sheetrock was replaced and painted.

Moved the plumbing so the sink could be right under the window instead of next to the door, put the stove against the far wall and out of its corner hidey hole, replaced the beams on two sides to shore up the roof and attic, and gave up on my planned hardwood floor before the holiday hoards descended. Maybe next year…

New cabinets, new countertops, nice recycled glass tile work (still not grouted), new furniture. All that’s left is a new ‘fridge, but that must await whenever Habitat for Humanity gets a stainless or black glass one they’ll put aside for us. So for Christmas, to celebrate what we described to my retired State Department sis and brother in law as our dramatic rise from Third World to Developing Country, they got me a nice brushed stainless (matches the outlets/switches) Cuisinart bread machine. Because they know that I make a lot of bread, and wanted to give me something they knew I’d use. Hubby continued the theme with Cuisinart super bagel toaster and coffee maker for Christmas, the clean look of matching appliances makes me feel positively… modern!

And while I won’t complain about the bread maker – which is incredibly convenient – I’m now back to kneading bread by hand as I always have because its ‘dough’ cycle doesn’t have a whole wheat option, as its bread cycle does. And my family won’t eat anything that even vaguely resembles white bread. Just spoiled that way, I guess.

Have used the dough cycle for baguettes, for bagels, for pretzels, pasta dough and for basic cloverleaf rolls. All of which require further processing outside the machine, which can only bake loaves. Every single time I’ve had to dump the unmixed mess out onto the counter and start all over again, because the machine can’t handle whole wheat for anything but bread. Now I don’t bother with it, but it still looks nice on my counter along with the rest of the appliances. It does keep us in whole wheat loaves of regular old bread, and I’ve even learned how to factor for sourdough instead of yeast, it does very well with that. It beeps for me to add sprouts and seeds and whatever else can be added after the first rise, and the finished breads are downright scrumptious. Heck, I could go into business with some of the best of ‘em!

But mostly, it just looks very cool on the counter next to the toaster and the coffee maker. Which, if anybody wanted to know, is the best contraption since indoor cooking, for sure. But that’s a whole different blog post…

Until next time, look forward to spring, get those seedlings started, and know that it indeed is entirely possible to make the transition between Third World and Developing Nation right here in America’s very own hinterlands!

Among the most common repair jobs to be done around the homestead will be replacing broken window panes. Broken windows can diminish both the looks and value of your home, so it’s best to repair these things as soon as possible after the damage has been done.

Cutting and Setting Glass
Eventually someone or something is going to send a rock or baseball or falling limb through your window. If you know a few tricks of reglazing you’ll be able to easily replace shattered panes. In fact, using these same basic techniques you might even decide to refit your old single-pane windows with insulted, double-paned or reflective glass to make your home more energy efficient.

Single-glazed glass panels can be purchased already cut to size at the local hardware store, but if you are as much of a salvage pack-rat as I am, you have lots of old windows and sheets of glass stacked neatly under the shed which can be cut to size for any window.

Tools for working with glass will be a glass cutter – a carbide scoring wheel) and a pair of wide-nose glass pliers. To install a pane of glass in a wooden sash, you will need wedge-shaped fasteners called to hold the pane in place, linseed oil to soften old putty and coat the inside of the frame (uncoated wood draws oil from the new glazing compound and makes it brittle) to cushion the glass in the frame and make a watertight seal. These easily fit into a pocket of your homestead tool bucket.

Before you cut a windowpane yourself, practice on scrap glass to get a feel for the amount of pressure needed to score the glass for a clean cut. Too much pressure will crack the glass, too little will not score it. A rasping sound as you draw the cutter across the glass indicates that the pressure you are exerting is just right.

To cut the new pane, lay your sheet of glass on a pad of old carpet or thin foam rubber on a workbench or table. Brush linseed oil on the area to be scored and set a straight edge along the cut line. Slanting the cutter toward you and holding it between your first and second fingers, pull it along the straight edge, starting about 1/16 inch from the edge of the glass, to score in one smooth motion. Don’t go back over the score line – a double score will cause the glass to break with an uneven edge.

Tilt one side of the glass up off the pad and tap the underside of the score line with the ball on the handle end of the glass cutter. The blows will deepen the score. Place a thin rod or dowel at least as long as the score line on the work surface and position the glass on top of it with the score line right over the rod. Press down firmly on both sides of the score; the glass should snap cleanly at the score line. Use 240 grit silicon-carbide sandpaper or an emery stone to smooth the glass edge.

Cleaning Out the Sash
Remove the broken glass from the window carefully, from the outside if possible. Wear leather gloves to protect your hands and safety goggles because the glass is likely to shatter further. Hold the pieces firmly and work back and forth to free them from the old glazing, and be sure to dispose of these shards carefully. You don’t want to end up with stitches next time you take a load to the dump!

When you’ve removed the glass shards of the broken pane, remove the old glazing compound. Brush it liberally with linseed oil and let it soak in for about half an hour (while you’re cutting the new pane or having lunch). Scrape off the soften compound with a wood chisel. If the oil doesn’t soften the compound enough, run the tip of a heated soldering iron lightly back and forth along the compound or heat the compound with a heat gun, then scrape. Don’t touch the soldering iron to the sash, and don’t ever use a blow torch to soften old glazing. If you value your house, that is.

Installing the Pane
Pull out all old glazier’s points from the window frame with long-nosed pliers and remove loose glass fragments and glazing compound with a wire brush. Sand the channel smooth and brush it with linseed oil. Roll glazing compound between your palms into strips about 1/4 inch thick and press into the channels in which the pane of glass will rest. Add more compound until you have completely filled the channels.

Press the pane of glass firmly into the glazing compound and scrape off excess with a utility or putty knife. Then fasten the pane securely into place with glazier’s points pushed into the frame with a putty knife. Use two points on each edge for a frame up to 10 inches square, one point every 4 inches for a larger frame.

When the new pane is firmly in place, roll more glazing compound and press around the frame. Smooth this compound with a putty knife into a neat beveled edge that runs from the face of the sash onto the glass. As you work, dip the knife in water from time to time to prevent it from sticking to the compound. When the compound has hardened (this takes 5-7 days), paint it to match the frame, extending the coat of paint 1/16 inch onto the glass for a weathertight seal.

Your window looks good as new! There are different techniques for metal sash windows, which use spring clips instead of glazier’s points, and rubber gaskets instead of putty channels. Many of these windows also feature snap-out plastic moldings that make them easy to replace after a glass panel has been installed. New plastic moldings are available at most hardware stores too, if replacing them along with the glass is warranted.

Next installment will look at how to replace and repair screens for windows and storm doors. These may not seem so important to modern houses in the modern age, when heading and air conditioning render working windows and screen doors fairly pointless. Yet a conscientious homeowner or a conscious homesteader will want to keep their screens in good repair because they keep bugs out while allowing air in.

Well-ventilated houses suffer far less from interior air pollution and/or radon gas buildup than closed up, sealed tight houses do. Making the best of great weather – not too hot, not too cold – is also a plus for a family’s general health and energy conservation efforts.

Links:

How to replace a broken window pane

How to Fix Broken Glass in a Window

Homestead upkeep and the ability to build-it-yourself for all sorts of projects; energy conservation and independence; food production, preservation and storage; wise husbandry for livestock; ways to turn your homesteading abilities into cash income for your family… There are so many subjects to cover for anyone who wants to connect more firmly with the earth, to spend their life in time more thoroughly engaged, and to take more responsibility for their own environment and sustenance.

But we must begin at the beginning so that all else will follow along its natural path. Now that we’ve got our Homestead Tool Kit [Part I and Part II] collected and put together, it’s time to start on some of the most common repair and maintenance jobs a homeowner will face. The more you can do for yourself, the less you’ll have to pay others to do it for you!

1. Doors and Windows

The most common issues you’ll have with doors are bad hinges, sticking/scraping, and need for replacement. For windows there will be the fairly common problem of broken panes, and sticky frames that make it difficult to raise or lower. We’ll deal with screen door and window screens that need repair later. For both doors and windows it’s good to know how to install weather stripping to conserve heat and energy as well as how to replace it when it gets old.

Door Hinges
If a door doesn’t hang properly, or doesn’t want to close all the way, check your hinges. If they are loose or undone it doesn’t take much time to repair. First check the screws and screw holes. Are any screws missing? Have the holes become enlarged over time with use?

A screw hole should be one size larger than the screw itself. If yours aren’t, choose the proper drill bit and enlarge them accordingly. You may need to purchase new screws occasionally. Get good ones with deep driver scores to help prevent stripping.

Use wood glue to glue a wooden matchstick or dowel (the depth of the hole) into the hole, or fill the holes with wood putty. When it’s dry, drive your screws.

Always check the hinge pins as well, as these can work themselves out over time and frequent use. Once they get past the first joint of a hinge the door will have problems. If you see pins that aren’t properly in place, just hammer them back down and oil the joints.

Door Replacement
Hold the new door up to the opening before attaching to see how well it fits. There should be about 1/16″ clearance at the top, 3/8″ at the bottom. If your door hole is not precisely square, measure the tilt and plane accordingly. Always plane from the edges toward the center so as not to damage the corners. There should be about 1/16″ clearance on the sides of the door as well.

Prop the door into its correct position using scrap wood to hold it to the right height. Mark the location of each of the hinges. Remove the door and stand it on its side, trace the outline of the hinges in the marked locations with a pencil. Then attach the hinges to the door, hang it in the opening and firmly attach the frame portion of the hinges.

Planing can often solve a sticking or poorly-fit door problem even if the hinges are sound. Whenever you’ve removed a door for this sort of job, it’s a good idea to replace screws or the entire hinge if it’s old and rusty or the pin won’t stay in place. Use the methods above.

Sticking Windows
If your windows are difficult to raise and lower, you’re going to miss out on some fresh air and have a harder time managing your indoor temperatures – a waste of energy you’ll want to avoid. Sticky windows should be fixed.

First remove the window stops – the vertical strips of wood that are nailed or screwed along the inside of the frame that the sash rubs against – and remove the window (or part of the window that raises and lowers). Remove any built-up paint on the window sash and frame if that’s the problem, using a heat gun or paint remover and scraper. If the problem is a bad fit due to warping, plane the edges smooth.

Wax the sash along the edges that contact the frame and replace the window. Install the stops a hair’s breadth away from where they were previously located, to give the sash ample room to move up and down. Gaps and air leaks in both doors and windows should be managed with weather stripping.

Replacing broken window panes
Windows get broken. It’s a fact of life, so it’s good to know how to replace panes. If your home has fairly standard windows you can usually buy glass panes already cut to size at the local hardware store. If your windows use panes that are not standard, the hardware store will usually cut to size for you. Some homesteaders like to cut their own, but glass isn’t that expensive. I save myself that extra work.

Once the broken pane and all the spackling used to keep it in place one one side is removed (be careful not to cut yourself, and do wear safety glasses), just put the new pane into place against what is left of the spackling on the other side. Use a caulking gun to apply a proper sized bead of spackling – can be bought in tubes just for the gun – around the edges of the pane. Carefully press the bead into place. When it’s firmly set, fill any gaps in the other side’s spackling.

A more thorough replacement job can be done by removing all the spackling on both sides of the broken pane and then holding the new glass in place with C-clamps onto wood scraps both sides of the new pane. That way you can apply new spackling on both sides at once and then remove the C-clamps when it’s firmly set.

Well, that’s the basics on doors and windows. These days it can cost a homeowner a hefty chunk of change if they have to call a repairman – at modern hourly wages plus the markup on materials – to do these jobs. That’s more hours that homeowner has to work for money on something else. Your home is your investment, so it might as well be your time and energy that preserves that investment!

Links:

Home Problem Solver: Door and Window Repairs

Repair: Doors and Windows