Continuing from our popular "Part 1: Essential Materials of Natural Building" and "Part 2: Roofing Techniques," we proudly introduce "Part 3: Walls and Foundations." This segment provides a deep dive into foundational elements, empowering you to start your building journey from scratch. These are essential insights for anyone aspiring to build a home.

In this package, you'll explore

1.  Foundation, Plinth, and Plinth Beam
2.  Different Methods of Making Mud Walls

Discover techniques using only mud, as well as stabilized mud with lime, and waterproofing with pozzolanic materials. Understand the role of plant mixtures, natural gums, and fibers in wall construction. Cover flood-resistant foundations, durable walls, cost-effective approaches, and simple techniques that anyone can easily learn and do in a step-by-step manner.

Highlights of this course

• Different foundations without cement
• Types of Plinth and plinth beam using limecrete
• Wall system using mud such as Cob, Adobe, Wattle and Daub, CSEB, Earthbag, also using stone, Brick, etc..
• Types of Masonry and bond, such as RR Masonry, Dry rubble masonry, English and Flemish bond, Rat Trap bond and its advantages
• Different types of mortars, such as mud mortar, mud and lime mortar, lime sand mortar, lime pozzolanic mortar, etc
• Fixing openings like doors and windows 
• Learn to do sculptures and various elements like niches, air ducts, etc

For a complete understanding, delve into each course individually. This course equips you to create solid foundations, sturdy walls, and structures that complement your chosen roofing methods.

Also addditionally this part contains six chapters starting with An Introduction to Natural Building. In the following chapters, learn in detail about Mud, Bamboo, Lime, Surkhi and Admixtures. This part is for in-depth learning about natural building materials. The tutorial videos familiarise the learner with different natural building material aspects. One can know about the historical context through ancient textbooks and traditional practices at old buildings. It helps to make the right choice of material, procurement, know the material through on-site tests, treatment of material, making it into a suitable usable form and the different possibilities of using the material. Understanding the material related to Natural Building thoroughly at the beginning will set a strong foundation for learning. The origin of techniques and practices discussed in this series is from an 'Indian' context, which makes this course unique from other Natural Building methods worldwide. 

What you'll learn

1.1 Introduction to Natural Building

• Evolution of Shelters
• Ancient Textbooks
• Age-old Structures
• Traditional Shelter making system
• Where does Thannal's knowledge come from?
• Why did this system change?
• How is it well suited for each place?
• Impact of returning to Natural Building
• Jagrat (awake): When living in a mud house, the five senses will interact with the natural materials in the physical world.

1.2 Mud

• What is Soil?
• Ancient text knowledge
• Components of soil
• How to procure soil to examine the components?
• Mud Tests
• Feeling with Hands
• Cigar Test
• Ball drop test
• Mud biscuits or cookies
• Mud Bottle Test
• Mud Sampling
• Conclusion & Jagrat
• References & What’s Next

1.3 Bamboo

• What is Bamboo?
• Bamboo is not a wood but a variety of grass. 
• Ancient text knowledge
• Traditional examples of Uses of Bamboo
• Types of Bamboo
• How to procure bamboo?
• Harvesting
• Traditional practices in India
• Buying from Market
• Why treat bamboo? 
• Immersing bamboo in water
• Smoking bamboo 
• Baking bamboo in light fire
• Dipping in boric and borax
• Immersing in cow urine
• Preservation
• How to choose a suitable treatment method?
• Different ways to use bamboo
• Conclusion & Jagrat (Awake)
• References & What’s Next

1.4 Lime

• Jagrat (awake): The Versatility and Uses of Lime (Mystic Lime)
• What is Lime?
• Ancient Text Knowledge
• Traditional homes
• Exercise 1
• Lime Cycle
• Burning lime in a kiln
• Benefits of making lime in a kiln
• Transporting and Storing Lime
• Exercise 2 - Visit a lime kiln
• Slaking of lime
• Dry slaking
• Wet slaking
• Different classes of lime
• How do we test the quality of lime?
• Visual Examination
• Field test
• Ball test
• Test to check stabilization of lime
• Where can lime be used in construction?
• What happens with the excess use of lime?
• Why not use cement?
• Explorations by Thannal
• Village story & Jagrat (Awake)
• References & Upcoming Lessons

1.5 Surkhi

• What is Surkhi?
• Ancient Text Knowledge
• Traditional Building Examples
• What is Pozzolanic material?
• What happens when pozzolanic material is added?
• Sources of Surkhi
• How to Make Surkhi (Do-it-yourself)?
• How to make surkhi by in your site
• How to make the mix with Surkhi?
• What is the effect of grinding the mix?
• Benefits of adding Surkhi
• How to test the quality of Surkhi?
• Uses of Surkhi
• Limitations in using Surkhi
• Conclusion & Jagrat (Awake)
• References & Upcoming Lessons

1.6 Admixtures Part-1

• What are admixtures?
• What is present in these admixtures?
• Ancient Text Knowledge
• Why use admixtures?
• Kadukkai – Jaggery Mix
• Neem Turmeric water
• Where has Thannal used it?
• What is starch?
• Cow Dung
• Cow Urine
• Types of Fibers & Uses
• Gums from Varaal Fish
• Conclusion & Jagrat (Awake)
• References

Also, check out our Part 1-4: Complete Companion of Natural Building, through which you can learn about the materials, roofing techniques, walls, foundations and finishes.